Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Ministry of the Interior - General Police Directorate, Border Police Directorate, Service for Illegal Migration
Croatian Bureau of Statistics - Demographic and Social Statistics Directorate, Population Statistics Department
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Ilica 3, 10000 ZAGREB, CROATIA
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
8 April 2026
2.2. Metadata last posted
8 April 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
8 April 2026
3.1. Data description
Enforcement of immigration legislation data (EIL statistics) contain statistical information based on Article 5 and 7 of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation (EU) 2020/851 with reference to third-country nationals:
refused entry at the external border,
found to be illegally present,
ordered to leave,
returned following an order to leave.
3.2. Classification system
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Enforcement of Immigration Legislation statistics
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons.
3.6. Statistical population
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
3.7. Reference area
Republic of Croatia
3.8. Coverage - Time
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons.
Calendar quarter and calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
In Croatia, all procedures related to migration of foreigners are under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior (MoI). The relevant data on procedures in the area of the MoI are inserted in the databases on Central Informatics System of the MoI. The database on measures applied to foreigners was rearranged in 2001 in a way that it was added with relevant data related to illegal border crossings and data related to treatment of foreigners (readmission, removal). The database was further added in 2004, 2007 and 2013 for alignment with the current Law on Aliens.
Legal national framework relevant for EIL statistics
Law on aliens and rules on the treatment of foreigners.
Institutional infrastructure (list of the institutions involved in managing the EIL registers and the institutions involved in the production of the EIL statistics)
Ministry of the Interior, Border Police Administration, IT Department.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The Croatian Bureau of Statistics is the national statistical authority having the responsibility for coordinating all activities at national level for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics.
The Ministry of the Interior is the administrative source of statistics covered by theRegulation 862/2007 on Community Statistics on Migration and International Protection.
The Croatian Bureau of Statistics is the official contact point for Eurostat regarding the AMM statistics, and all datasets transferred to Eurostat are produced by the Ministry of the Interior.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Not available.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Not available.
8.1. Release calendar
We do not give public notices.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not available.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Not available.
EIL statistics are disseminated quarterly and annually only through Eurostat.
Since 2002, police officers in the Service for Illegal Migration in the Ministry headquarters using end-users application makes random queries on Database on Illegal Migrations and gets lists of unfinished data entry concerning procedures (measures, treatment) against foreigners.
Police officers in charge of specific procedures are immediately warned and ask to complete the data. It resulted with very good quality of stored data.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The EIL statistics produced are regularly used by national administrations, academic researchers and civil society groups working on a wide range of topics including the integration of immigrants, the development and monitoring of national asylum and immigration procedures, and the projection of the future population and labour force.
The main users of EIL statistics at European and International level are Eurostat, DG Migration and Home Affairs and EUAA. The statistics are used in several publications of the Commission, as well as in the preparation of regular reports, policy proposals and analysis. The statistics also provide an input to the European Migration Network (EMN) studies and reports that address specific issues of current policy importance.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Accuracy of the total provided for each dataset: 96%, except for the Third-country nationals refused at border: 100%.
Accuracy of the total provided for each catefory: >90%, except for the Grounds of refusal categories, Border categories (land, sea, air) and Sex categories: 100%. For the Third-country nationals effectively returned by type of assistance received and citizenship: not available.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not available.
13.3.1. Coverage error
See table 13.3.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
One person can be included more than once in the reference datasets. Share of "double counting" cases in the total for the datasets: 1%.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not available.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Not available.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
See table 14.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
All data are getting by processing in the official databases of the Ministry of the Interior.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
See table 15.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
EIL statistics are coherent.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
All our databases are based on personal data. Every treatment is connected to particular person.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
There are currently no plans to revise the data sent to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Quarterly, annually.
18.3. Data collection
All data are genuinely from databases of the Ministry of the Interior. There is no comparison of data from different sources.
18.4. Data validation
The responsible service within the Ministry of the Interior controls whether police officers in the field inserted all requested data into the official databases.
18.5. Data compilation
All data are from the same source, the Ministry of the Interior. The data are processed as they are noted – without any estimation, changes or adjustment.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
All data are from the same source, the Ministry of the Interior. The data are processed as they are noted – without any estimation, changes or adjustment.
Enforcement of immigration legislation data (EIL statistics) contain statistical information based on Article 5 and 7 of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation (EU) 2020/851 with reference to third-country nationals:
refused entry at the external border,
found to be illegally present,
ordered to leave,
returned following an order to leave.
8 April 2026
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
Number of persons.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
Republic of Croatia
Calendar quarter and calendar year.
Accuracy of the total provided for each dataset: 96%, except for the Third-country nationals refused at border: 100%.
Accuracy of the total provided for each catefory: >90%, except for the Grounds of refusal categories, Border categories (land, sea, air) and Sex categories: 100%. For the Third-country nationals effectively returned by type of assistance received and citizenship: not available.
Number of persons.
All data are from the same source, the Ministry of the Interior. The data are processed as they are noted – without any estimation, changes or adjustment.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
EIL statistics are disseminated quarterly and annually only through Eurostat.
Not available.
All data are getting by processing in the official databases of the Ministry of the Interior.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2025’.
