Recognition of foreign professional qualifications in the field of tourism


CROSS-BORDER PROVISION OF SERVICES AND RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS - TOURIST GUIDES AND TRAVEL AGENCY OFFICE MANAGERS
 
The Minister of Tourism and Sport according to Article 70. paragraph 7.  of the Act on the Provision of Services in Tourism (Official Gazette No. (NN 130/17, NN 25/19, NN 98/19, NN 42/20, NN 70/21, NN 126/2025 ) in connection with Article 16 Paragraph 3 of the Act on Regulated Professions and Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications (Official Gazette 82/15, 70/19,  47/20,  123/2023, 126/2025) passed the Ordinance on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications of tourist guides and travel agency office managers  (Official Gazette, No. 53/26). The Ordinance enables the business establishment and provision of services on a temporary and occasional basis for tourist guides and travel agency office managers.
 
THE TEMPORARY AND OCCASIONAL PROVISION OF SERVICES
 
To provide the above-mentioned services candidates are required to submit a written declaration, on an application form, or in another appropriate manner.

Alongside the application form, before the first provision of services, candidates shall attach the following documents:
  • EU certificate, i.e. certificate testifying that the candidate is established in the member state of the establishment to pursue the profession in the declaration and that at the moment of submitting that declaration, the candidate is not prohibited from practising, even temporarily, that profession
  • proof of nationality,
  • evidence of formal qualifications,
  • proof that the candidate has pursued the profession stated in the declaration for at least one year during the previous ten years, if the profession, professional education and training for that profession are not regulated in the member state of establishment

These documents shall be submitted in original or copy accompanied by a certified Croatian translation, except the evidence of nationality, which shall be submitted in ordinary copy and accompanied by an uncertified translation.

If there are significant changes in the circumstances confirmed by documents, the candidate is obliged to submit to the Point of Single Contact or the Ministry documents that are decisive for the assessment of that significant change.

Regarding the declaration, the Ministry checks whether the candidate has the professional qualifications for providing services on a temporary or occasional basis.

The candidate can start providing services on a temporary and occasional basis after submitting a proper declaration to the Point of Single Contact or the Ministry.
 
The Ministry publishes on its website a list of persons who temporarily and occasionally provide services in the Republic of Croatia.
 
When providing services, the candidate is required to carry in a visible place a certificate issued by the integrated tourism information system stating that he/she is registered in accordance with the regulation governing the issuance of a tourist guide's card.

An annual renewal of the declaration

In the case of any subsequent submission of declaration for the provision of services on a temporary or occasional basis in the Republic of Croatia, the candidate shall supplement the declaration with information on the frequency and the number of days the candidate provided services in the Republic of Croatia in the previous year, according to the application form.
 
APPLICATION FORM
 
The e-service is available to EU and EEA citizens.

Also, the declaration can be submitted via Point of Single Contact or e-mail: pravni@mints.hr  or by post to the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, Prisavlje 14, 10000 Zagreb.
 
RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
 
A candidate who wants to permanently practice a regulated profession in the Republic of Croatia submits a request for recognition of a foreign professional qualification. The request is submitted on a form.

The Ministry implements the general system of recognition of foreign professional qualifications.

Along with the application form, the candidate must attach the following documents:
  • certification of legal establishment and evidence that at the moment of the submission of the request, there are no restrictions on pursuing the profession the candidate applied for
  • proof of nationality
  • proof of formal qualifications or other proof of completed formal education
  • proof of professional qualifications under Article 13 of the Act on Regulated Professions and Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications
  • a diploma supplement containing an educational program (courses, lessons, exercises, lectures) and
  • certificate of completion of state qualifying exam or state license exam or
  • proof of professional experience, where it is appropriate, i.e. if the candidate practiced the profession for which the candidate is applying in case that profession, professional training and development for that profession is not regulated in the member state of the business establishment or
  • proof of competencies, if the candidate practiced the profession for which he/she is applying, in case that profession, professional training, and further development for that profession are not regulated in the Member State of the establishment

Proof of formal qualifications or other proof of completed formal education, proof of professional qualifications and a certificate of passing a professional exam must be submitted in originals or certified copies and a certified translation into Croatian. Other documents can be submitted in a plain copy and non-certified translation.

The Ministry shall issue a decision on the recognition of a foreign professional qualification for performing a certain regulated profession in the Republic of Croatia:

a) if, based on the request, the Ministry assesses that the professional qualifications of the candidate corresponding to the professional qualifications prescribed for a certain regulated profession in the Republic of Croatia, or 
b) when the candidate submits to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports proof of the completed supplementary measure.

The decision on the recognition of a foreign professional qualification enables the holder of the professional qualification to access and perform a regulated profession in the Republic of Croatia for which he was trained in a member state, under the same conditions that apply to citizens of the Republic of Croatia.
 
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports may, in the process of recognizing a foreign professional qualification, require the candidate to implement one of the supplementary measures:

a) adjustment period of up to one year or
b) competence check.

.The supplementary measure is prescribed based on the candidate's choice.
 
The Ministry will, by conclusion, invite the candidate to express his/her opinion in writing within 30 days on the choice of one of the supplementary measures.
 
For a tourist guide
 
- the additional measure of an adaptation period of up to one year implies the acquisition of additional work experience lasting at least two months in the jobs for which he submitted an application for recognition of a foreign professional qualification of a tourist guide, under the supervision of a tourist guide proposed by a tourist guide association from the region for which the qualification recognition procedure is being carried out.
 
- the additional measure of competence verification implies checking the differences in acquired competences in relation to those prescribed in the Republic of Croatia by checking the acquired competences at the higher education institution that has obtained a decision pursuant to Article 71, paragraph 1 of the Act on the Provision of Services in Tourism.

For a travel agency office manager
 
- the additional measure, the adaptation period of up to one year, implies the acquisition of additional work experience lasting at least two months in the jobs for which he/she has submitted an application for recognition of a foreign professional qualification as a travel agency office manager, under the supervision of a office manager of a travel agency that is registered in the register of tourism services in accordance with the regulation governing tourism services.
 
- the additional measure of competence testing implies checking the differences in acquired competences compared to those prescribed in the Republic of Croatia in such a way that the acquired competences are checked by the Examination Commission that conducts the professional exam for the head of a travel agency at the Ministry.
 
Legal remedies
 
An appeal is not allowed against the decision of the Ministry, but an administrative dispute can be initiated by filing a lawsuit with the Administrative Court in Zagreb within 30 days from the delivery of that decision. The complaint is submitted to the Administrative Court in Zagreb directly in written form, orally on the court record, sent by post or delivered in electronic form via the information system. 
 

APPLICATION FORM
 
The e-service is available to EU and EEA citizens.

Also, the declaration can be submitted via Point of Single Contact or e-mail: pravni@mints.hr  or by post to the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, Prisavlje 14, 10000 Zagreb.


The above applies to all candidates applying after May 30, 2026.

Regulations 
  • Act on the Provision of Services in Tourism (Official Gazette (130/17,  25/19, 98/19,  42/20, 70/21, 126/2025)
  • Act on Regulated Professions and Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications (Official Gazette 82/15, 70/19,  47/20,  123/2023, 126/2025)
  • Ordinance on professional examination for tourist guides (Official Gazette 53/26)
  • Ordinance on recognition of foreign professional qualifications of tourist guides and managers of travel agencies (Official Gazette 53/26)