The legal process of buying property in Croatia may be a very unfamiliar one to you, so we strongly recommend that you seek some strong independent legal advice before you jump in and purchase your property in Croatia. Below is an outline of the standard purchase process in Croatia when dealing with property, as well as issues that may come up during the purchase. Restrictions On Purchasing European Property. Starting in 2009, restrictions on European property buyers are expected to be removed, when Croatia attempts to align with other EU member countries and generally streamline its processes. Foreign buyers will now have the same rights as Croatian citizens, while certain legislation will still exclude some agricultural and environmentally protected land from these changes.

Application For Consent at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A pre-contract agreement between buyer and seller, with a down payment of 10% by the buyer, is the starting point for any property purchase. Next, an application for consent is presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), while documents such as the purchase agreement, seller’s proof of title, certificate of build legality, proofs of citizenship of both buyer and seller, and power of attorney, if applicable, are all submitted along with the application. A lawyer then prepares the binding contract and a notary signs it. When the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) grants its consent to the purchase, the Municipal Cadastral Department registers the binding contract in its Land Books, and the purchase tax then becomes payable.