Importing Croatian Wine and Food to the US
We import Croatian wine into the US through VS Croatian Imports, so this guide is the real workflow, not theory. The single most useful insight up front: Croatia-to-US wine import is documentarily lighter than most people assume. The heavy lifting is on the US side; the Croatian side is narrow.
Written by Andrew Babic, EE, MBA, LSSBB
Founder of Babic Consulting LLC (Cleveland) and Babic Consulting d.o.o. (Zadar); president of a licensed US wine importer. The company-formation, banking, and import workflows in these guides are the ones he ran himself. About Andrew · LinkedIn
The US side carries most of the weight
As the US importer you need a TTB Federal Basic Importer’s Permit and a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) for each label, plus FDA steps because wine and beer are "food" to the FDA.
- TTB Federal Basic Importer’s Permit (and alcohol dealer registration)
- TTB COLA for each unique label
- FDA prior notice before each shipment arrives
- An FSVP (Foreign Supplier Verification Program) plan and a US-based agent
- The Croatian producer registered as an FDA food facility
The Croatian side is short
From your supplier, the keystone document is the HAPIH market-release decision (Rješenje za stavljanje vina na tržište) — without it the wine cannot legally be marketed or exported. For your own records you can also request HAPIH’s third-country export certificate and an English certificate of analysis, and an HGK certificate of origin if a buyer or bank asks for one.
- HAPIH market-release decision (mandatory; from the supplier)
- HAPIH third-country export certificate + English analysis (optional, recommended)
- HGK non-preferential certificate of origin (optional, commercial)
- Confirm the supplier is in the APPRRR vineyard register
The myths that cost importers time and money
Three things people believe are required for Croatia-to-US wine are not. The VI-1 is an EU import form (for bringing wine into the EU), not an export form. There is no mandatory US certificate of origin for Croatian wine. And EU natural grape wine is exempt from US natural-wine cellar-treatment certification under the 2006 US-EU Wine Agreement.
Excise and the one moving part to check
Croatia levies zero excise on still and sparkling wine (beer does carry excise), so there is no Croatian excise cost on the wine itself. The variable that genuinely moves is the US duty/tariff posture on EU wine, which has shifted repeatedly. As of mid-2026 it is genuinely unsettled: a 15% US tariff on EU wine took effect in August 2025, the US Supreme Court struck down the underlying emergency tariffs in February 2026, and a roughly 10% surcharge over the standard base rate is currently being collected while it is litigated on appeal. Because the rate can change between orders, confirm the current US duty for HS 2204 (wine) and 2203 (beer) at the time of each shipment.
Related in the directory
Every portal mentioned in this guide — with access steps, contacts, and fees.
Common questions
Do I need a VI-1 certificate to bring Croatian wine into the US?
No. The VI-1 is an EU import document — it is required to bring third-country wine into the EU, not to export EU wine out. For Croatia to the US there is no VI-1 and no mandatory US certificate of origin. The Croatian-side keystone is the HAPIH market-release decision.
What is the one document I should always get from the winery?
The HAPIH market-release decision. It proves the wine is legally allowed on the market. Pair it with an English certificate of analysis for your FSVP and label-substantiation file — cheap insurance even though US customs does not strictly require it.
Information only — not legal or tax advice. Verify with the official source before acting.
Want help with this?
Babic Consulting operates its own company in Croatia. If you want this done with you rather than explained at you, start a conversation with the owner.