Frequently Asked Questions

You may be eligible for Croatian citizenship on the following grounds: • By descent — if one of your parents was a Croatian citizen at the time of your birth (if born abroad: with registration before turning 21) • By ethnicity — if you have previously declared yourself as a Croat in official documents • By marriage — if you are married to a Croatian citizen and have permanent residence in Croatia • Through emigration ties — if your ancestor emigrated from Croatia and the family link can be proven • By naturalisation — after at least 8 years of continuous registered residence in Croatia, with granted permanent residence Applications are decided by the Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP). See the "Comparison" page for what the law requires for each basis.

Not by descent. Citizenship by descent (Articles 4 and 5 of the Croatian Citizenship Act) is acquired by a person whose parent was a Croatian citizen at the time of their birth. A grandchild can check two naturalisation bases: • Article 11 — an emigrant and their descendants: if the grandfather left the territory of Croatia before 8 October 1991 to live abroad. Under paragraph 5, a person who moved their residence to another state that was then part of the same state union as Croatia is not considered an emigrant. • Article 16 — a member of the Croatian people without registered residence in Croatia, with documents showing earlier declaration of nationality in legal transactions. Applications are decided by the Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP). This is general information, not legal advice.

Yes, in most cases that concern people from Serbia. If you acquire Croatian citizenship by descent (a parent or ancestor) or as a member of the Croatian people, Croatia does not require you to give up Serbian citizenship. The exception is general naturalisation (after many years of residence in Croatia), where release from your previous citizenship is normally required. Serbia does not take away your citizenship if you acquire another one — it ends only if you yourself apply for release or renunciation. More on this: the "Dual citizenship" page.

No. You can submit your application for Croatian citizenship through a Croatian consular office in Serbia — the Consular Section of the Croatian Embassy in Belgrade or the Croatian Consulate General in Subotica. The consular office forwards the case to the Ministry of the Interior in Zagreb, which makes the decision. The decision is delivered at the office where the application was filed. A domovnica (certificate of citizenship) is issued by a registry office in Croatia; it can also be requested through the consular office or the e-Građani system.

For citizenship by descent or ethnicity, knowledge of the language is not a requirement. Documents and your CV (životopis) must be written in Croatian or translated. Knowledge of the language is required only for naturalisation.

The documents most commonly submitted are: • Application form (download from mup.gov.hr) • CV (životopis) in Croatian • Certified copy of your ID card or passport • Birth certificate extract (MUP: on the international form; confirm with the consular office how old it may be) • Criminal record certificate (not older than 6 months, with a Croatian translation) • Proof of your parent's citizenship (domovnica or Croatian passport) • Marriage certificate extract (if you are married) • Fee: the MUP tariff is €139.36 (application filed in Croatia); if you apply through the consulate, confirm the amount and when it is paid with the consulate An apostille is as a rule not required: legalisation of public documents between Croatia and Serbia was abolished by the Treaty on Legal Assistance (NN-MU 6/98, Art. 19), as the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MVEP) also states. MUP expressly requires a Croatian translation of the criminal record certificate. Before you pay for any certification or translation, confirm with the consular office that they ask for nothing more for your document.

The životopis (CV) is a mandatory document that goes with the application. It should include: • personal details • education • work experience • family details • the reason for your application • your ties to Croatia It must be written in Croatian or translated by a court interpreter.

An apostille is an international certification of a public document under the 1961 Hague Convention. 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. When you may need one: for documents used in third countries, or if the consular office expressly asks for it. Where to get one: at the basic court (osnovni sud) for the area where the authority that issued the document has its seat. Check the fee with the court.

No. The Croatian Citizenship Act does not require a lawyer: the application is filed in person, at a police administration or station in Croatia, or through a Croatian consular office (Art. 24). The exception is persons with a disability, who may file through a legal representative or an authorised proxy. If you wish, you may consult a lawyer of your own choice; the fee is agreed with the lawyer. This site does not recommend lawyers or agencies.

The duration depends on the case. There is no official figure for how long the procedure takes. According to readers' experience, the procedure by descent as a rule takes less time than the one by ethnicity, and more complex cases take longer. Passport: the law requires the application to be decided within 30 days; ask the consulate how long production and delivery take.

Official fees (2026): • Citizenship fee: €139.36 under the MUP tariff (application filed in Croatia); if you apply through the consulate, confirm the amount with the consulate • Passport, age 21+ (consulate): €74.32 • Passport, under 21 (consulate): €55.74 Additional costs: • Court translations: charged per page, and the price depends on the court translator; the official tariff is 1,500 dinars per standard page (Official Gazette of RS 45/2026) — ask for the price in advance • Apostille: as a rule not required (Treaty on Legal Assistance between Croatia and Serbia, NN-MU 6/98, Art. 19); if the consular office expressly asks for one, check the fee with the basic court • Domovnica: issued by a registry office; it can be requested through the consular office or e-Građani — confirm the fee with the consulate or the registry office Estimated total: €250–600, depending on the number of documents and translations. The estimate does not include a lawyer; if you hire one, the fee is agreed with the lawyer.

If you apply through the consulate → a consular fee is paid when you submit the application. Confirm the amount and the payment method with the consulate. If you apply in Croatia → the administrative fee of €139.36 (MUP tariff) is paid after the decision is issued.

A domovnica is proof of Croatian citizenship — a certificate confirming that you are entered in the Register of Croatian Citizens. You need it for: • your first Croatian passport — it is enclosed as proof of citizenship (a registry office certificate of entry in the Register of Citizens or the decision granting citizenship is also accepted), together with a birth certificate not older than 6 months; that limit applies to the birth certificate, not to the domovnica • personal documents in Croatia • all your rights as a Croatian citizen It is issued by any registry office in Croatia; it can also be requested through the consular office or the e-Građani system.

Validity: • Age 21 and over: 10 years • Under 21: 5 years A new passport is applied for at the consulate, with a booked appointment, a photo and payment of the fee. A domovnica and a birth certificate are enclosed for a first passport; confirm with the consulate what is enclosed for a replacement. Fee: • 21+: €74.32 at the consulate • Under 21: €55.74 at the consulate The law requires the application to be decided within 30 days; ask the consulate how long production and delivery take.

Yes. Both passports are fully valid and you can use them interchangeably. To enter the EU, use your Croatian passport — no visa, through the EU citizens lane (your document is still checked at the border). For Serbia, use your Serbian passport. Rule of thumb: at the border, show the document of the country you are entering — Serbian for Serbia, Croatian for Croatia and the EU.

The decision is made by the Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP) — the consulate only receives and forwards the application. If your application is rejected: • You receive a written decision stating the reasons • The legal remedy available to you is stated in the instruction on legal remedy in the decision itself (General Administrative Procedure Act, Art. 98) • The time limit for bringing an administrative dispute is 30 days from delivery of the decision (Administrative Disputes Act, Art. 40) • You can submit a new, improved application Most common reasons for rejection: • incomplete documentation • weak evidence of the grounds • security obstacles

Online tracking of application status is not currently available. You can check the status in the following ways: 1. Written inquiry to the consular office where you filed the application: crocons.beograd@mvep.hr (Belgrade) or gkrh.subotica@mvep.hr (Subotica) 2. Written inquiry to the Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP): pitanja@mup.hr 3. By phone to the Croatian MUP: +385 1 6122 111 Quote your case number, if you were given one when you filed. No official time limit for the decision is published.

No. Marriage does not automatically give you Croatian citizenship — only the right to apply. Conditions for acquiring citizenship on the basis of marriage: • you must have permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia • you must actually live in the Republic of Croatia For Serbian citizens living in Serbia: marriage to a Croatian citizen is not, by itself, sufficient grounds. You can apply on other grounds (descent, ethnicity) if you meet the requirements.