Hungary Digital Nomad Visa vs. Croatia Digital Nomad Visa

Finding the right digital nomad visa for your situation and goals can be frustrating and overwhelming. There is so much information out there, it would just be great to have it all in one place, right? 

We put together all of that to compare the Hungary digital nomad visa vs. Croatia digital nomad visa to help you decide which of the two visas is right for your digital nomad lifestyle. 

Both Hungary and Croatia offer affordable and beautiful lifestyles. They are also both located in the Schengen Area and European Union. 

While their climates and cultures are vastly different, they are both loved by digital nomads from around the world. 

Croatia introduced its digital nomad visa in 2021, while Hungary was a bit later and launched its digital nomad visa in 2022. 

Hungary and Croatia both offer great environments for digital nomads thanks to their popular cities, cafes, coworking spaces, and reliable internet connections. However, digital nomad visas are complex and can make it difficult to relocate to your desired country. 

Below are the differences between the Hungary digital nomad visa vs. Croatia digital nomad visa to help you make a decision about which one is best for you. 

What is a Digital Nomad Visa?

There are over 30 digital nomad visas available around the world. These visas are specifically for remote workers to live abroad temporarily. 

Usually, these visas last for about a year and are renewable a couple of times. However, in some cases, they can lead to permanent residency. 

It’s important to note that digital nomad visas do not allow you to seek local employment in the country. 

You must earn your income working remotely either as an employee or owner of a company or freelance for clients located outside of the country where you hold the digital nomad visa. 

The Importance of Choosing the Right Digital Nomad Visa

Applying for a digital nomad visa is a big decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. 

While they do not require you to search for a job abroad, there are some serious things to consider, such as how to find an apartment to live, if you can drive in the country, and opening bank accounts if necessary. 

There are also the tax implications of digital nomad visas that you must consider. Sometimes, moving to a foreign country can be detrimental to how much you owe in taxes if you don’t plan accordingly. 

Choosing a digital nomad visa should be something you think deeply about and research. And well, if you’re here reading this article, you’re doing just that! 

Comparing the pros and cons of each visa and imagining what life will be like for you is a crucial part of picking the right digital nomad visa to apply for. 

Hungary Digital Nomad Visa vs. Croatia Digital Nomad Visa

In this article, we are comparing the Hungary digital nomad visa vs. Croatia digital nomad visa for an easy and straightforward way to assist you in making your decision. 

Nomads Embassy: The World’s First Embassy for Digital Nomads has a mission to make the world more accessible to digital nomads by sharing verified information in an easy and comprehensive way. 

Plus, with our hand-selected local immigration lawyers and our Done-for-You Digital Nomad Visa service, we’ve made the digital nomad visa application process even easier. 

From research to relocation, Nomads Embassy is here to simplify the digital nomad visa process. 

Visa Requirements

Each digital nomad visa has a specific set of eligibility requirements applicants must meet to be considered for approval. 

Below is a comparison of Hungary digital nomad visa vs. Croatia digital nomad visa requirements. 

Valid Passport

• Hungary – Passport must be valid for at least six months after the visa term
• Croatia – Passport must ve valid for at least three months after the visa term

You must have a valid passport when applying for both Hungary and Croatia digital nomad visas. However, the validity period is different. 

Income Requirement

• Hungary – €3,000 per month
• Croatia – €2,870 per month or €34,444 in savings

Hungary’s income requirement is less than Croatia’s requirement. However, if you have a large sum in savings, then you can still be eligible for Croatia’s digital nomad visa. 

Work Remotely

Both countries require applicants to show proof that they work remotely through employment and/or freelance contracts or a business established abroad. 

International Health Insurance

Both countries require applicants to have an international health insurance policy that covers them in the country for the duration of their visa. 

Clean Criminal Record

• Hungary – No
• Croatia – Yes

Only Croatia requires applicants to submit a certified criminal record proving that it is clean. 

Address of Accommodations

Both countries require applicants to have proof of accommodations before applying for the visa. This can be a deed to property, lease agreement, or reservations. 

Family Inclusion

• Hungary – No
• Croatia – Yes

Hungary’s digital nomad visa does not allow applicants to include family members on their applications. If they wish to bring a spouse, he or she must apply separately and meet the income requirements. 

Croatia does allow applicants to include a spouse and dependents below the age of 18. The minimum income requirement will increase with each family member per month. 

Application Process

• Hungary – In person at an embassy or consulate in or near the country of residence or online
• Croatia – In person at an embassy or consulate in or near the country of residence or directly in Croatia as a tourist or online

If your nationality requires you to apply for an entry visa to either Hungary or Croatia, you must apply in person at the nearest embassy or consulate to your country of residence. 

However, if you can enter Hungary or Croatia visa-free as a tourist, then you may apply directly in the country. 

For Hungary, you can apply right online. 

For Croatia, you can apply right online or at a local police station where you wish to reside in Croatia. 

Time to Approval

• Hungary – 30 days
• Croatia – 3 to 4 months 

After submitting your documents to the authorities, it will take about 30 days to receive an answer from Hungary and three to four months for Croatia. 

Visa Term

• Hungary – 12 months
• Croatia – 12 months

Both digital nomad visas in Hungary and Croatia are valid for one year. 

Renewal Options

• Hungary – renewable once
• Croatia – non-renewable

The Hungary digital nomad visa allows you to renew it once to stay in the country for a total of two years. 

The Croatia digital nomad visa does not allow renewals. After your visa expires, you must leave the country for at least three months and reapply for the visa if you would like to live there again. 

Path to Permanent Residency

• Hungary – No
• Croatia – No

Neither the Hungary digital nomad visa or the Croatia digital nomad visa will lead to permanent residency. 

Government Fees

• Hungary – €220
• Croatia – €174 at embassy or consulate or €96 inside Croatia

The government fees for both digital nomad visas are in the same range. 

These fees include the visa application and residence permit fees. 

Tax Implications

• Hungary – Tax resident
• Croatia – Not Taxed

Hungary digital nomad visa holders that spend 183 days in the country out of the year will be considered tax residents. 

Croatia digital nomad visa holders, even if they stay in the country for 183 days out of the year will not be considered tax residents. 

Difficulty of Applying on Your Own

• Hungary – 5/10
• Croatia – 7/10

While it is completely possible to apply for both the Hungary and Croatia digital nomad visas on your own, it has not proven to be easy. 

When dealing with embassies or consulates, you can count on long wait times on phone calls, emails, and low-tier custom service. There also tends to be a lot of miscommunication between the consulate, the government, and applicants. 

Applying for a digital nomad visa with an immigration lawyer can ease this stress and miscommunication. Part of the lawyer’s job is to communicate with the embassy, consulate, and other authorities on your behalf so you don’t have to wait on hold for hours. 

Having a local immigration lawyer that speaks the language can also help you get questions answered, push your application faster, and get updates on the status of your application quicker. 

Begin Your Digital Nomad Visa Application with Nomads Embassy

Did this article help you decide which digital nomad visa to apply for? 

After weighing the pros and cons of the Hungary digital nomad visa vs. Croatia digital nomad visa, you probably have a better understanding of which is best for your lifestyle and goals. 

Deciding which digital nomad visa to apply for is just the first step. Now, it’s time to connect with a local immigration lawyer to assist you with your relocation process. 

Nomads Embassy is here to help connect you with our hand-selected and verified immigration lawyers worldwide.

To begin your digital nomad visa application process, request our free eligibility check today!