Citizenship by Descent (Article 11)

You must apply for citizenship under Article 11 of the Zakon o hrvatskom državljanstvu (Croatian Citizenship Act) by submitting a physical application package. You cannot apply online.

If you live outside of Croatia

You must submit your application in person at the Croatian Consulate or Embassy that has jurisdiction over your permanent residence. You will likely need to book an appointment several months in advance.

If you are currently living in Croatia

If you have a valid residence permit and are physically living in the country, you may submit your application at the local police station, known as the MUP (Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova).

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Gather Proof of Ancestry: Collect birth, marriage, and death certificates for every person in the chain between you and the original emigrant. You must prove a direct lineal connection.
2. Secure Proof of Emigration: You must prove your ancestor left the territory of modern-day Croatia before October 8, 1991, with the intent to live permanently abroad. Evidence can include old passports, ship manifests, foreign naturalization records, or "expatriation" papers.
3. Request Croatian Records: For ancestors born in Croatia, contact the local Matični ured (Registry Office) to get fresh copies of their records. Ask for "International Forms" to save on translation costs.
4. Legalize and Translate: All documents issued outside of Croatia must be apostilled (or legalized) by the issuing country. Once apostilled, they must be translated into Croatian by a certified court interpreter located in Croatia.
5. Write Your Biography: Write a narrative in the Croatian language. This should detail your family history, your connection to Croatian culture or the diaspora community, and your reasons for seeking citizenship.
6. Obtain Background Checks: Get an official criminal record clearance from your current country of residence and any country where you lived for more than 6 months in the last 10 years. These must be issued within the last 6 months.
7. Submit and Interview: Attend your appointment at the consulate or MUP. You will submit Form 1 (for adults) or Form 2 (for minors) and pay the application fee. A consular officer may conduct a brief interview to verify your family history.
8. Wait for the Decision: Your file is sent to the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) in Zagreb. If approved, you will receive a Rješenje (Decision on Admission).
9. Finalize Citizenship: After approval, you must take an oath of allegiance. You can then apply for your Domovnica (Citizenship Certificate) and finally your Croatian passport.

Note: The total cost varies significantly based on the number of generations you need to document and the number of certificates requiring translation and apostilles.

• Initial Appointment Wait: Depending on the consulate, it may take 3 to 10 months just to get an appointment to submit your papers.
• MUP Review: Once submitted, the Ministry of the Interior currently takes 18 to 36 months to issue a final decision due to high application volumes.
• Document Validity: Your criminal background check must be no older than 6 months at the time of your application submission.
• Passport Issuance: After receiving your citizenship decree, obtaining a passport typically takes 4 to 8 weeks.