Required Documents
The required documents depend on your legal basis. Select your situation:
⚠️ The Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP) expressly requires a Croatian translation of the criminal record certificate; documents in Cyrillic are as a rule translated by a sworn court translator authorised for the CROATIAN language — confirm with the consular office exactly what has to be translated before you pay. For public documents from Serbia used in Croatia, an apostille is as a rule NOT required: legalisation was abolished by the Treaty on Legal Assistance between Croatia and Serbia (NN-MU 6/98, Art. 19), as the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MVEP) also states. Before you pay for any certification, confirm with the consular office that they ask for nothing more for your document.
Application form (Form 1, 2 or 3)
Official form of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP RH). Form 1 — adult applicant. Form 2 — adult applicant with children. Form 3 — children only. All three can be downloaded below.
Required
CV / personal statement (životopis)
A short CV written in Croatian, including your reasons for applying. Required for every legal basis according to the MUP RH instructions (updated October 2025).
Required
Certified copy of your ID card or passport
A valid identity document with a clearly visible photo. As a rule, a document in Latin script is not translated, while one in Cyrillic goes to a court translator — but confirm with the consular office before you pay for translations.
Required
Proof of citizenship status
On the MUP list: a citizenship certificate or a certified copy of a valid travel document or identity card — proof of your current citizenship. For determination of citizenship (Art. 30), certified copies of the parents' domovnica (the Croatian citizenship certificate) or registry-office confirmations of their entry in the registers of citizens are also attached; MUP sets no maximum age for a parent's domovnica.
Required
Birth certificate (extract from the birth register)
MUP: issued on the form prescribed under international treaties and conventions (the international extract). Not needed if you were born in Croatia. MUP expressly states the 6-month limit for the criminal record certificate; confirm with the consular office how old the extract may be and whether a translation is required.
Required
Criminal record certificate
Issued by the Serbian Ministry of the Interior (MUP Srbije). Not older than 6 months. If in Cyrillic → court translation. If you also live in another country, you need one from that country too.
Required
Marriage certificate (extract from the marriage register)
For married applicants. Not older than 6 months. Not needed if the marriage took place in Croatia or is already entered in the Croatian marriage register.
If married
Photographs
The MUP list of attachments to a citizenship application does not mention photographs. Confirm before your appointment whether the consular office asks for them. A 35×45 mm photo is attached to a passport application — see the "Passport" tab.
If applicable
Written consent of the other parent (for children)
Required if the application also covers minor children. It can be given at the consulate on Form 2 or 3. The law sets out exceptions where one parent may apply alone.
For children
Citizenship fee
The administrative fee under the MUP RH tariff is €139.36 — it applies to applications filed in Croatia and is paid after the decision (rješenje). For an application filed through the consulate, a consular fee is paid on submission; confirm the amount and when it is paid with the consulate.
Required
School records, employment record book, military documents
Additional documents showing that you previously declared yourself as a Croat. Especially important when applying on the basis of ethnicity. Originals or certified copies.
If relevant
✅ If you already hold Croatian citizenship and only need a passport, the law requires the application to be decided within 30 days; ask the consulate how long production and delivery take. A passport issued at 21 or older is valid for 10 years; under 21, for 5 years.
Domovnica or other proof of citizenship
For a first passport you enclose proof of Croatian citizenship: a domovnica (the official certificate of citizenship), a registry office certificate of entry in the Register of Croatian Citizens, the decision granting Croatian citizenship, or similar. Any registry office (matični ured) in Croatia can issue a domovnica; from Serbia you can request it through the consulate, and anyone with access to e-Građani (Croatia’s e-government portal) can download it electronically. See the “What is a domovnica” page for details.
Required
Birth certificate (not older than 6 months)
For a first passport it is enclosed together with the proof of citizenship. The “not older than 6 months” limit applies to this extract from the birth register, not to the domovnica.
First passport
Proof of current address in your country of residence
Listed on the consular portal. Ask the consulate which document it accepts as proof of address.
Required
ID card or other identity document
A valid Serbian ID card, passport, or an old Croatian passport. For minors, a birth certificate is also accepted.
Required
1 photo, 35×45 mm
Tell the photographer the photo is for a biometric passport. White background, no head covering.
Required
Consular passport fee
Aged 21 or over: €74.32 · Under 21: €55.74. Paid when you submit the application. Cash is not accepted (consular portal); confirm the payment method with the consulate.
Required
Appointment at the consular office
Belgrade (Consular Section, Kneza Miloša 82, Mon–Thu 9:00–13:00): appointments are booked on the Croatian Consular Portal — konzularniportal.mvep.hr. Subotica (Consulate General, Maksima Gorkog 6, Mon–Fri 9:00–13:00): according to the consulate's official page, by phone on +381 24 656 900, working days 12:00–13:00. The division of areas between the two offices is not officially published — ask the office whether it accepts an application from your address.
Required
Old Croatian passport (if you have one)
Hand it in when you apply; it will be cancelled and returned to you. Not needed if this is your first Croatian passport.
If you have one
⚠️ Regular naturalisation (Art. 8) requires 8 years of continuous registered residence in Croatia and approved permanent residence, as well as release from your current citizenship. Applications are decided by the Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP). This is a general overview, not legal advice; for a complex case you may consult a lawyer of your own choice.
Application form and CV
The official MUP RH form plus a short CV in Croatian stating your reasons. Available for download below.
Required
Certified copy of your ID card or passport
A valid document with a clearly visible photo.
Required
Birth certificate (extract from the birth register)
MUP: issued on the form prescribed under international treaties and conventions. Married applicants also attach a marriage certificate, unless the marriage was concluded or registered in Croatia.
Required
Approved permanent residence and 8 years of registered residence
Condition in Article 8(1) point 3: 8 years of continuous registered residence in Croatia up to the application, and approved permanent-resident status. The MUP list names no separate attachments to prove residence.
Condition
Release from foreign citizenship
Article 8(1) point 2: a release, or proof that it will be granted if you are admitted to Croatian citizenship. Exceptions are in paragraphs 2 and 3; an applicant without a release may be issued a guarantee of admission valid for two years (Art. 8a).
Required
Check of language, script, culture and social system
Article 8(1) point 4 and paragraph 4: knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script, Croatian culture and social system is established by a check. Persons over 60 do not have to meet this condition.
Condition
Criminal record certificate
MUP: from the competent authority of the state whose citizen you are and of the state where you have permanent residence; original or certified copy with a translation into Croatian, not older than 6 months.
Required
Proof of citizenship status
MUP: a citizenship certificate or a certified copy of a valid travel document or identity card.
Required
Fee
The application is filed in person at the police administration or station for your place of approved residence. The administrative fee for the decision granting citizenship is €139.36 and is paid when the decision is collected (MUP).
Required
💡 Tip: first gather all the documents that do not expire (your parent’s domovnica, old records), and order the birth certificate and criminal record certificate last — shortly before your consulate appointment.
Court translation into Croatian
MUP expressly requires a Croatian translation of the criminal record certificate. Documents in Cyrillic are as a rule translated by a permanent court translator (sudski tumač) for the CROATIAN language; for other documents, confirm with the consular office before you pay for translations.
If needed
Apostille — as a rule not required
For public documents from Serbia used in Croatia, an apostille is as a rule NOT required: legalisation was abolished by the Treaty on Legal Assistance between Croatia and Serbia (NN-MU 6/98, Art. 19), as MVEP also states. Before you pay for any certification, confirm with the consular office that they ask for nothing more for your document. An apostille is otherwise issued by the basic court (osnovni sud) for the area where the authority that issued the document has its seat; you may need one for documents used in third countries, or if the office expressly asks for it.
Info
Source: Treaty on Legal Assistance (NN-MU 6/98)
Article 19(1): documents issued or certified by a court or other competent authority of one contracting state, bearing a signature and official seal, need no further certification for use in the territory of the other state. MVEP lists Serbia among the states with which legalisation has been abolished by a bilateral treaty. A civil registry extract on the international form is also accepted without legalisation under Convention No. 16 (Vienna 1976).
Info
How to find a sworn court translator
Court translators are listed in the register of the Serbian Ministry of Justice. Translation is charged per page and the price depends on the court translator. The official tariff in the Rulebook on Permanent Court Interpreters is 1,500 dinars per standard page (Official Gazette of RS 45/2026); ask for the price in advance. Ask whether the translator has experience with documents for the Croatian consulate in Belgrade.
Tip
Document validity periods
The criminal record certificate must not be older than 6 months (MUP). For a first passport the same limit applies to the birth certificate (MVEP). For the birth certificate attached to a citizenship application, confirm the limit with the consular office. Order these documents only when you are ready to apply.
Important
Official forms of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP RH)
Direct download links for official forms from mup.gov.hr. Download, fill in and bring to the consular office.
Form 1 — Croatian Citizenship Application (adult)
Form 2 — Croatian Citizenship Application (adult + children)
Form 3 — Croatian Citizenship Application (children only)
Croatian Citizenship Determination Request
Appointment in Belgrade — konzularniportal.mvep.hr
Official Croatian MUP instructions for acquiring citizenship
* Links lead to official mup.gov.hr and mvep.gov.hr pages. This website is not responsible for the content or availability of external sites.