Applying to work in the UK

This page explains how you can apply for authorisation to work in the UK if you are a Croatian national. This work authorisation will normally take the form of a Purple Registration Certificate.

Purple Registration Certificate

There are 3 stages to applying for a purple registration certificate.

1. Check your employer is on the register of sponsors
   Your employer must have a sponsorship license under the points-based system which permits them to issue certificates of sponsorship under Tier 2 or Tier 5 of the points-based system. You can find out if your prospective employer has such a license by checking the register of sponsors.
2. Ask your employer to issue you a certificate of sponsorship
   Your employer will issue a certificate of sponsorship number on your behalf under Tier 2 (generally skilled work) or Tier 5 (temporary work) of the points-based system. Further information on the work categories that make up Tiers 2 and 5 can be found in the leaflet 'Working in the UK if you are a Croatian national' which can be found on the right side of this page.
3. Complete and submit the application form CR3 to the Home Office
   Once you have been issued a certificate of sponsorship number by your prospective employer, you can use it to apply for a purple registration certificate, using application form CR3. This purple registration certificate will act as evidence of your permission to work in the UK. You can download form CR3 and guidance documentation from the right side of this page.

If you require a purple registration certificate and you have been offered a job before you come to the UK, you can apply for the document from outside the UK. You will need to complete the CR3 application form and submit all the required documents and correct fee and send them to the UK address on the form.

English language requirements

Some job categories in Tiers 2 and 5 require you to demonstrate a level of English. For further information on which jobs have an English requirement and what documents you need to submit with your application, see the leaflet 'Working in the UK if you are a Croatian national' which can be found on the right of this page.

Blue and yellow registration certificates

You can apply for either a blue registration certificate (if you are exempt from worker authorisation) or a yellow registration certificate if you are in the UK as a self-employed person, a student or a self-sufficient person. To apply for a blue or yellow registration certificate, you should use application form CR1. You can download this form and a guidance document from the right side of this page.

You must be in the UK when you apply.

Permanent residence

When you have lived in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years in accordance with the European regulations, you can apply for a document certifying permanent residence. Croatian nationals can apply for permanent residence using the EEA3 form.

Highly skilled people

To apply for a blue registration certificate as a highly skilled person you should use application form CR2. A blue registration certificate will give a Croatian who meets the highly skilled criteria the ability to work in the UK without restriction. You can download form CR2 and a guidance document from the right side of this page. When you apply as a highly skilled person, you must show that you meet certain requirements. For more information see our page on highly skilled people.

Residence card

If you have a blue or yellow registration certificate and you have family members who are not EEA nationals, they can apply for a residence card using application form CR4. You can download this form and a guidance document from the right side of this page.

Family member residence stamp

If you have a purple registration certificate and you have family members who are not EEA nationals, they can apply for a family member residence stamp using application form CR5. You can download this form and a guidance document from the right side of this page.

Croatian national family members of EEA nationals

Blue registration certificate- Croatian family members

If you are subject to work authorisation and hold a purple registration certificate your Croatian national family members can apply for a blue registration certificate. 'Family member' here means:

• your Croatian national spouse, civil partner, unmarried or same sex partner; and
• descendants of you, or your spouse or civil partner, where they are under 21 or dependant .

To apply for a blue registration certificate on this basis you should use application form CR1. You can download this form and a guidance document from the right side of this page.

Blue registration certificate -Croatian national members of other EEA nationals

You can apply for a blue registration certificate using application form EEA1 if:

• you are the Croatian national family member of an EEA national who is not a Croatian national; or
• until 31 December 2013 a Croatian national family member of a Bulgarian or Romanian national who needs permission to work in the UK. 'Family member' here means only the spouse, civil partner or descendants of you, or your spouse or civil partner, where they are under 21 or dependant. You can find out more and download the form on the Applying under European law page.

The fee

There is an application fee of £55 for documents outlined on this page. This includes applications for a blue, yellow or purple registration certificate (if you are a Croatian national) and residence card or family member residence stamp (if you are a non-EEA national). If you include any family members in your application, the fee increases by £55 for each family member, as explained in the table below:

Number of applicants	Fee
Yourself and 1family member	£110
Yourself and 2 family members	£165
Yourself and 3 family members	£220
Yourself and more than 3 family members	Add £55 to the amount above for each additional family member

If you do not pay the fee your application will not be processed and it will be returned to you.

If you choose to withdraw your application the fee will not be refunded to you.

Guidance for Employers

Only those employers who have a sponsorship license under either Tiers 2 or 5 will be able to employ Croatian nationals who are subject to worker authorisation in the UK.

For a general overview of which Croatian nationals need permission to work and how authorisation is obtained, employers should see the leaflet 'Employing a Croatian national in the UK'. This can be found at the right of this page.

For more detailed employers guidance, explaining the employer's responsibilities, the relevant legal framework and scope of penalties for employing Croatian national workers illegally, please see the guidance on preventing illegal working.

For further information about the conditions for becoming a sponsor and obtaining a sponsorship license under either Tiers 2 or 5, please see the Sponsor's Guidance.

Tracking your Documents

We cannot provide written confirmation that we have received your application for European documentation. If you are sending documents by recorded or special delivery, we advise you to use the Royal Mail website's 'track and trace' tool.