Our travel expert answers your questions

We are travelling to Croatia this year. We fly first to London for a few days then direct to Dubrovnik, after which we travel to France. We have a multiple-entry Schengen visa valid for the entire duration of Croatia and France. Do we need a separate visa for Croatia? We have been given conflicting advice and the Croatian embassy was unable to answer directly. - Sally Hetherington, Cape Town

According to an official at the Croatian embassy in Pretoria, you will not need a separate visa for Croatia as long as you have a valid, multiple-entry Schengen visa that covers the full amount of time you intend to spend in the country.

Previously, all South Africans travelling on normal passports required a separate visa to enter Croatia, for which the requirements included getting a letter confirming your accommodation in the country. In December last year, the Croatian government voted to ease the entry requirements for temporary visitors. Now anyone who has a Schengen residence permit, a valid Schengen uniform-type C-2 multiple-entry visa or a Schengen type D long-stay visa will be able to enter the country without needing to apply for a separate visa.

Full details are available on the embassy website, http://za.mfa.hr. The new rules come ahead of the country's upcoming admission to the European Union, scheduled for mid-2013.