Parenthood

Child allowance

Child allowance is a cash provision used by a parent or another person defined in the Child Allowance Act as support in upbringing and care of children

The right to child allowance may be exercised if the average monthly income per household member in the previous calendar year does not exceed 140% of the budget base. In 2024 the budget base amounted to 441.44 EUR.

The right to child allowance may be exercised if the average income per household member in the previous calendar year does not exceed 618,02 EUR.
per month.

The right to child allowance is exercised with the help of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute.

Requirements to qualify for child allowance  

The Child Allowance Act stipulates the following requirements to qualify for child allowance: 
  • The applicant has to have Croatian citizenship or the status of a foreigner with approved permanent stay, and has to have resided in the Republic of Croatia for at least three (3) years prior to filing the application
  • The applicant has to have the status of an asylee, foreigner under subsidiary protection or the status of an asylee’s family member in accordance with the asylum regulations, without the requirement of citizenship and length of permanent residence or stay in the territory of the Republic of Croatia
  • The total income generated in the previous calendar year per household member may not exceed 140% of the budget base per month
  • The applicant has to live in the same household with the child
  • The applicant has to live support the child.
By way of exception, the right to child allowance for children and for children of Croatian veterans who died or went missing is exercised in maximum amount notwithstanding the total income of the household.

Child allowance beneficiaries and children who are awarded child allowance

The right to child allowance may be exercised by a parent, other person who, on the basis of a decision of the competent authority, is receiving parental care, adoptive parent, guardian, stepfather, stepmother, grandmother, grandparent and person to whom, on the basis of a decision of the competent authority, the child is entrusted with day-to-day care for all the children he supports.
The beneficiary of the child allowance can also be an adult child without both parents who are in regular education.
 
Child allowance is due until the child reaches the age of 15, i.e. until the end of the school year in which the child reaches the age of 15, and after that if the reason for attending primary school after the age of 15 is later enrolment in the first grade of primary school or loss of grade due to health reasons or longer illness.
 
Child allowance belongs to a child in secondary school until the end of that school, but for the longest period until the end of the school year in which the child reaches the age of 19.
 
An exception is made for a child who attends a high school in which the secondary education lasts for five years, where the child's allowance belongs to the child until the completion of the regular school in the secondary school, and for the longest period until the end of the school year in which the child reaches the age of 20.

For a child who is educated in accordance with the regulations on the education of children with developmental disabilities, the child allowance is due after the age of 15 and the maximum age of 21.
 
For a child who resumes regular education in primary or secondary school after the cessation of the disease, but is unable to complete school within the prescribed period due to a longer illness, the right to child allowance is extended after the age to which child allowance belongs in case of secondary school education, for as long as the child has lost from regular education due to the illness, and for a maximum of 21 years of age.
 
The child allowance also covers the period during which the child is prevented from attending school regularly due to illness.

Child allowance under the Act on the Rights of Croatian Homeland War Veterans and their Family Members

For beneficiaries entitled under Article 122. Of the Act on Croatian Homeland War Veterans and their family members (for the child of the deceased or missing Croatian Veterans), the amount of child allowance is determined regardless of the income census and amounts to 77.25 EUR.
 
Child allowance is not granted to the beneficiary:
  • In the period in which the child is receiving education abroad, unless an international treaty or rules of the European Union on the coordination of social security schemes state otherwise
  • While the child is fully charged with funds from the state budget, i.e. the budget of the local and regional (regional) self-government unit, the accommodation service is recognized during all days of the week or organised accommodation in the institution in accordance with special regulations.
  • Who is a child with permanent residence abroad or who is a child staying abroad for more than three (3) months, unless an international treaty or rules of the European Union on the coordination of social security schemes state otherwise. 
The right to child allowance ceases when the child marries, if the child's marriage is divorced, the beneficiary may exercise the right to child allowance for that child if the conditions laid down in the Child Allowance Act are met.

Second and third Baby bonus

Apart from child allowance, beneficiaries are also granted a baby bonus of 66.36 EUR for the third and fourth child. This means that 66.36 EUR a month is added to the total amount of child allowance granted to the beneficiary pursuant to a decision if the beneficiary is using child allowance for three children; that is, 132.72 EUR a month is added to the mentioned total amount if the beneficiary is using child allowance for three and more children.

Thresholds and allowance amounts

You can find out more about the income threshold requirements, amounts of child allowance depending on the threshold established and third and fourth child baby bonus on the website of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute.

Filing an application

An application can be filed with the competent regional or branch office of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute in the applicant’s place of residence, via e-Usluge HZMO-a or it can be made orally. 
Applications can also be filed free of charge in post offices in the territory of the Republic of Croatia and in and in Pension Information Centers.
 
The documentation required to establish whether an applicant is qualified should be enclosed with the application. The documentation varies depending on whether the applicant is already a child allowance beneficiary or is applying for it the first time.
Detailed information on the process of filing an application and the data and documentation which needs to be enclosed can be found on the website of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute.