Eligibility quiz
Did one of your parents or other ancestors leave the place where they lived before 8 October 1991, intending to live permanently abroad? If more than one did, answer about the same person throughout; you can try again for another ancestor.
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Croatian passport
A Croatian passport proves your identity and citizenship and is issued for travel abroad.
If your passport is lost or unavailable abroad, a consulate can issue a temporary document for your return to Croatia, normally for the time needed and no longer than 30 days.
Live in Croatia for life
Croatian citizenship gives you the right to live in Croatia indefinitely, with no waiting period.
You do not need to apply for permanent residence, and moving abroad does not by itself end your citizenship.
Study in Croatia
Croatian citizens can study in Croatia, although course requirements still apply.
Work in Croatia
Croatian citizens can work for an employer or run a business in Croatia without a work permit.
The usual rules for a particular profession still apply.
Get help abroad
Croatian missions and consulates offer passports and other help abroad.
Where Croatia has no accessible representation, you can also seek consular protection from another EU country.
Vote in elections
Croatian citizens can vote from age 18 in parliamentary, presidential, local, regional and European Parliament elections.
Use public healthcare
People with permanent residence and certain workers or residents must have Croatian health insurance.
It covers primary, specialist and hospital care, medicines, sick-pay-related payments and certain travel and accommodation costs.
Citizenship alone does not provide coverage.
How to apply
Applying at a consulateApplying at a consulate
Find your consulate
Find the Croatian embassy or consulate that serves the place where you live.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Croatian consulate serves your city for citizenship applications?”
Download the application form
Download the Croatian citizenship application form for an adult, or the adult-and-children form if you are applying for your minor children too. You can also get the form from your consulate.
Get the formFill in the form
Fill in and sign the application form, and complete the questionnaire. If you are applying for your minor children too, include them on the adult-and-children form.
Get form guidanceSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the Croatian citizenship naturalisation application form as a descendant of an emigrant?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the consulate.
See required documentsBook an appointment
Select citizenship on the Croatian Consular Portal and contact your consulate to arrange an appointment.
Book an appointmentSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I book a Croatian citizenship appointment through the Croatian Consular Portal?”
Go to your appointment
Bring your signed application and documents to the consulate and hand them in personally. Pay the consular fee when you apply; ask the consulate how to pay.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit a Croatian citizenship application and pay the consular fee at the Croatian consulate serving your city?”
Wait for the decision
Wait for the consulate to contact you when the decision is ready. Respond if the consulate or Ministry of the Interior asks for more information or documents.
See what happensSearches DuckDuckGo for “What happens after I apply for Croatian citizenship by descent at a consulate?”
Collect your decision
Go to the consulate to collect the decision when it tells you to. If your application is approved, the decision confirms that you have been granted Croatian citizenship.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I collect my Croatian citizenship decision from the Croatian consulate serving your city?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Get birth-register extracts for yourself and your Croatian parent to show your family connection. If you include a child in your application, also get the child's birth-register extract.
Parent's emigration record
Get a certified copy of the travel document or other public document your Croatian parent used to leave. It should help show when and how your parent left.
Marriage certificates *
Get your marriage-register extract and your Croatian parent's marriage record as needed to show your family connection. Your own extract must be no more than six months old; add name-change records if needed to explain different names.
* Only if you or your Croatian parent married.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationParent's Croatian affiliation *
Provide evidence that your parent belonged to the Croatian people. You also need evidence of when your parent emigrated.
* Only if your Croatian parent emigrated from outside present-day Croatia under the special rule.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Registration when living abroad
If you move abroad permanently, you must deregister your Croatian residence and return your Croatian identity card.
For a temporary absence, you must report it instead, renewing the report after five years and then every three years if you remain abroad.
Military service for men
In 2026, Croatian men born in 2008 or earlier who are not yet registered must register for military service, including those abroad, who must contact a Croatian mission or consulate.
Men are called for training in the calendar year they turn 19.
Those with religious or moral objections can do three months of civil service instead.
Citizenship can be lost
Citizenship can end if you apply to give it up, generally if you have another citizenship or a guarantee of one and meet the conditions.
It ends when the release decision is delivered or when you declare that you are giving it up, depending on the procedure.
It can also be taken away in limited cases.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Croatian citizenship
English Facebook group for people interested in Croatian citizenship
Request to joinCroatian Citizenship (unofficial)
English Facebook group for people interested in Croatian citizenship
Request to joinCroatian Citizenship by Descent
English Facebook group for people interested in Croatian citizenship
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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