How Long Does Croatian Citizenship Take?

🇭🇷 If you're planning to apply for Croatian citizenship by descent, you've probably wondered:

⏳ "How long does Croatian citizenship take?"

💡 "Is it hard to get Croatian citizenship?"

The answer: it's very achievable — but it takes time and attention to detail. At present, the full process takes an average of 2.5 to 3 years if applying from the United States, though this varies depending on the Croatian consulate, your document preparation, and the Ministry of the Interior's processing queue.

🕐 It's a good time to apply now

Interest in Croatian citizenship is growing every month, and longer wait times are expected as demand continues to rise.

How to Obtain Croatian Citizenship

The process for obtaining Croatian citizenship depends on your background, but for most people abroad, it's through descent (Article 11 of the Law on Croatian Citizenship).

To start, you'll need to:

Gather your documents (birth, marriage, and ancestry records)

Book an appointment with your local Croatian consulate

Submit your full application for review by the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) in Zagreb

Wait for the final decision and registration in the Book of Citizens

Apply for your Croatian passport once approved

With professional preparation, it's not hard — but doing it right the first time makes all the difference.

Average Croatian Citizenship Timeline (2025)

Here's what to expect step-by-step when applying for citizenship from abroad:

1️⃣ Document Gathering (2–6 months)

Collecting documents for Croatian citizenship can take between 2 and 6 months, depending on how many generations you need to trace back and where your records are stored.

You'll typically need:

Birth and marriage certificates (with apostilles)
Proof of Croatian ancestry and emigration
Translations into Croatian by a certified translator

💡 Pro tip: We handle this stage for most of our clients — including a Croatian Lawyer that will get any Birth Record from Croatia, guiding you through the translations, apostilles, representing you with the Croatian Lawyer in front of the Minister of the Interior in Croatia — so you don't waste time chasing papers.

2️⃣ Consulate Appointment (3–12 months)

Getting an appointment at a Croatian consulate can vary significantly:

Consulate	Average Wait Time	Notes
Los Angeles	3–6 months	One of the fastest in North America but asks for more documentation
New York	6–9 months	Moderate waiting list
Chicago	9–16 months	Currently experiencing long delays
Washington D.C.	6–12 months	Often faster for East Coast applicants

Your consulate will review your documents, collect your signatures, and forward your file to Zagreb.

3️⃣ Ministry of the Interior Processing (8–24 months)

Once your file reaches the Ministry of the Interior, it enters the official review process. This step usually takes 8 to 24 months, depending on:

How complete your documentation is
Whether translations or records need clarification
If a Croatian lawyer is representing your case

✅ When you hire a professional team like ours with a Croatian lawyer included, your application is reviewed and submitted in full compliance — minimizing back-and-forth and saving months of delay.

4️⃣ Citizenship Decision (1–3 months)

After approval, your decision is sent from Zagreb to your consulate. That delivery usually takes 1–3 months, though clients who use our direct legal representation in Croatia often receive their decision in under one week.

5️⃣ Entry Into the Book of Citizens (≈ 1 month)

Once approved, you're officially entered into Croatia's Book of Citizens (Upisnik državljana). This is a short administrative step (around 1 month) and marks the official recognition of your Croatian citizenship.

6️⃣ Obtaining Your Croatian Passport (2–6 months)

After registration, you can apply for your Croatian passport either through your consulate (2–6 months) or directly in Croatia (about 1 week).

Total Timeline Summary

Stage	Estimated Duration
Document Gathering	2–6 months
Consulate Appointment	3–12 months
Ministry Processing	8–24 months
Decision Delivery	1–3 months
Book of Citizens Entry	1 month
Passport Issuance	2–6 months
✅ Total Average	2.5 to 3 years

Why Some Applications Take Longer

While 2.5–3 years is the average, some applications can take longer due to common complications, such as:

Missing or inconsistent records (e.g., different spellings of surnames)

Unregistered births or marriages abroad

Incomplete translations or expired apostilles

Errors made during consulate submission

Slow consulate communication or high workload

In rare cases, these issues can extend the timeline to 3–5 years.

💡 Solution: Submitting a well-prepared, lawyer-reviewed file greatly reduces the chance of delays. Our team ensures your documentation is verified, translated, and presented exactly as required by the Ministry of the Interior.

Why Now Is the Best Time to Apply

Applications for Croatian citizenship by descent have been steadily increasing from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K.

As demand rises, processing times will continue to lengthen — especially at busier consulates like Chicago, New York, and Sydney.

🕐 Those who apply now can still expect approval in roughly 2.5–3 years, while those who wait may face significantly longer waits in 2026.

Is It Hard to Get Croatian Citizenship?

Not at all — if you know what to do. Croatian citizenship by descent is one of the most accessible citizenship routes in Europe.

The key is accuracy:

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Correctly identify your Croatian ancestor

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Gather all records showing your lineage

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Apostille and translate documents properly

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Apply through the right legal article (usually Article 11)

With the right help, it's not hard — it's just procedural. Our team of Croatian Citizenship Experts and Croatian lawyer partners ensure your case meets all legal and administrative standards from day one.

Start Your Application the Right Way

If you're ready to begin — or want to find out how to obtain Croatian citizenship and avoid delays — we can help.

Our expert team manages your entire process:

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📜 Document collection & apostilles

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📅 Consulate booking

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⚖️ Legal review & representation in Croatia

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📩 Fast delivery of your final citizenship approval

Our process includes a Croatian Lawyer, ensuring your citizenship application is accurate, complete, and processed as quickly as possible.

David – Croatian Citizenship Expert

Ready to start your Croatian citizenship journey? Our team can help you navigate the entire process from document gathering to final approval. Contact us today for a free consultation