Croatia · For your nationality or ancestry
Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants
Croatian citizenship by naturalisation for emigrants and their descendants (Zakon o hrvatskom državljanstvu Article 11)
First checked against official sources on Rule changed 1 Jan 2020Change log
Key facts
Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants is a for your nationality or ancestry route for Croatia. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €139 ≈ $160
Cost, time and long term
Government fees€139 ≈ $160
- EUR 139.36 (≈ $160)Administrative fee for the decision admitting a person to Croatian citizenship, paid on collection when the application is filed in Croatia; applications abroad pay a consular fee at filing.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Police administration or station in Croatia, or a Croatian embassy or consulate abroad.
Narodne novineMinistarstvo unutarnjih poslova Republike Hrvatske
What you'll need
Who can apply5
- Your ancestor emigrated from the territory of Croatia before 8 October 1991 intending to live abroad permanently.
- Ethnic Croats who emigrated from a former state that then included today's Croatia also count as emigrants.
- Descendants of emigrants of any generation and spouses of emigrants or their descendants qualify.
- People who left under an international treaty, renounced Croatian citizenship or moved within the former common state do not count as emigrants.
- The residence, Croatian language and culture conditions of Article 8(1) points 2 to 4 do not apply to this route.
What you must show1
- The administrative fee for a positive decision is EUR 139.36 (≈ $160) when the application is filed in Croatia.
Documents3
- Certified copy of the travel or other public document on which the ancestor emigrated, and proof of kinship with the emigrant for each generation.
- Birth certificate, marriage certificate not older than six months, proof of current citizenship, police clearance not older than six months and a CV.
- Foreign public documents are apostilled and translated into Croatian.
Steps1
- Apply in person at a police administration or station in Croatia or at a Croatian embassy or consulate abroad; the Ministry of the Interior decides.
After you arrive1
- You become a Croatian citizen on the day the positive decision is handed to you.
What happens at day 183
How Croatia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in one or two calendar yearsOwning an apartment or having one at disposal for at least 183 days in one or two calendar years establishes permanent residence for tax; actual stay is not required.
- Foreign-source income
Worldwide income of tax residents; Croatian-source income of non-residents.
All tax rules for Croatia Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Certified translation
Foreign public documents are apostilled and translated into Croatian
- Police certificate and civil documents
Birth certificate, marriage certificate not older than six months, proof of current citizenship, police clearance not older than six months and a CV
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
An emigrant who left Croatia before 8 October 1991 to live abroad permanently, and all of that person's descendants, may be naturalised without the residence, language and culture conditions that apply to other foreigners. Since 1 January 2020 there is no generation limit. Spouses of emigrants and their descendants qualify on the same basis. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 139.36 (≈ $160) · Administrative fee for the decision admitting a person to Croatian citizenship, paid on collection when the application is filed in Croatia; applications abroad pay a consular fee at filing. 2
Requirements
- Your ancestor emigrated from the territory of Croatia before 8 October 1991 intending to live abroad permanently. 1
- Ethnic Croats who emigrated from a former state that then included today's Croatia also count as emigrants. 1
- Descendants of emigrants of any generation and spouses of emigrants or their descendants qualify. 1
- People who left under an international treaty, renounced Croatian citizenship or moved within the former common state do not count as emigrants. 1
- The residence, Croatian language and culture conditions of Article 8(1) points 2 to 4 do not apply to this route. 1
- The administrative fee for a positive decision is EUR 139.36 (≈ $160) when the application is filed in Croatia. 2
- Certified copy of the travel or other public document on which the ancestor emigrated, and proof of kinship with the emigrant for each generation. 2 3
- Birth certificate, marriage certificate not older than six months, proof of current citizenship, police clearance not older than six months and a CV. 3
- Foreign public documents are apostilled and translated into Croatian. 3
- Apply in person at a police administration or station in Croatia or at a Croatian embassy or consulate abroad; the Ministry of the Interior decides. 1 2
- You become a Croatian citizen on the day the positive decision is handed to you. 2
Stay
- Citizenship is permanent once acquired; it is not a time-limited permit.
Nationality
Open to people of any nationality descending from an emigrant who left Croatia before 8 October 1991, and to their spouses.
Work
A Croatian citizen may live and work in Croatia and, as an EU citizen, across the EU and EEA.
Family
Minor children can be included with the other parent's written consent; children over 14 must agree.
Official sources
- Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o hrvatskom državljanstvu (NN 102/2019) · Narodne novine · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2019-10-25
- Upute o proceduri: stjecanje hrvatskog državljanstva · Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova Republike Hrvatske · checked 2026-10-11
- Državljanstvo – dokumentacija za zahtjev za stjecanje hrvatskog državljanstva · Ministarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova (Veleposlanstvo u Canberri) · checked 2026-10-11
Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants | – | – | – |
| CPLP residence Portugal | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Spanish nationality by descent and option Spain | – | – | – |
| Italian citizenship by descent Italy | – | – | Yes |
| Greek citizenship by descent Greece | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants?
A fee of EUR 139.36 (≈ $160). Administrative fee for the decision admitting a person to Croatian citizenship, paid on collection when the application is filed in Croatia; applications abroad pay a consular fee at filing.
How long can I stay on the Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants?
Citizenship is permanent once acquired; it is not a time-limited permit.
Can I work on the Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants?
A Croatian citizen may live and work in Croatia and, as an EU citizen, across the EU and EEA.
Can I bring my family on the Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants?
Minor children can be included with the other parent's written consent; children over 14 must agree.
How are Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants holders taxed in Croatia?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants. The standard rules apply: Income tax is set by local authorities at 15-23% up to EUR 60,000 (≈ $67,000) a year and 25-33% above (20% and 30% where no local decision exists); 23% and 33% are the Zagreb maximum, and municipalities, towns and large cities have lower caps.
More in Croatia
Nationality or ancestry visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o hrvatskom državljanstvu (NN 102/2019) · Narodne novine · checked 2026-10-11
- Upute o proceduri: stjecanje hrvatskog državljanstva · Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova Republike Hrvatske · checked 2026-10-11
- Državljanstvo – dokumentacija za zahtjev za stjecanje hrvatskog državljanstva · Ministarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova (Veleposlanstvo u Canberri) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.