Official Croatian Citizenship Law governing citizenship by descent applications for Americans with Croatian ancestry.
This page contains the complete legal text of the Croatian Citizenship Act (Zakon o hrvatskom državljanstvu) with focus on Article 11 (Croatian emigrants and descendants) and Article 16 (proof of belonging to Croatian people) - the two main pathways for Croatian citizenship by descent.
Legal Reference: NN 53/91, 70/91, 28/92, 113/93, 4/94, 130/11, 110/15, 102/19, 138/21
Current Version: In force from January 1, 2022
Most Americans apply under Article 11 (Croatian emigrants and descendants). Some people apply under Article 16 when they cannot qualify through Article 11.
An emigrant and their descendants may acquire Croatian citizenship by naturalization even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 2-4 of this Act.
A foreigner who is married to a person from paragraph 1 of this article may acquire Croatian citizenship even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 2-4 of this Act.
An emigrant from paragraph 1 of this article is a person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia before October 8, 1991, with the intention of permanently living abroad.
Exceptionally, an emigrant from paragraph 1 of this article is also a member of the Croatian people who emigrated from areas within former states which, at the time of emigration, also included the territory of today’s Republic of Croatia.
A person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia based on an international agreement or renounced Croatian citizenship, a person who changed residence to other states that were at that time part of the state community to which the Republic of Croatia also belonged, and a person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia but did not have former Croatian republican citizenship or domicile on the territory of the Republic of Croatia is not considered an emigrant.
Članak 11. (NN 102/19)
Iseljenik i njegovi potomci mogu prirođenjem steći hrvatsko državljanstvo iako ne udovoljavaju pretpostavkama iz članka 8. stavka 1. točaka 2. – 4. ovoga Zakona.
Stranac koji je u braku s osobom iz stavka 1. ovoga članka može steći hrvatsko državljanstvo iako ne udovoljava pretpostavkama iz članka 8. stavka 1. točaka 2. – 4. ovoga Zakona.
Iseljenik iz stavka 1. ovoga članka je osoba koja se prije 8. listopada 1991. godine iselila s područja Republike Hrvatske u namjeri da u inozemstvu stalno živi.
Iznimno, iseljenik iz stavka 1. ovoga članka je i pripadnik hrvatskog naroda koji se iselio s prostora u sastavu bivših država u kojima se, u vrijeme iseljenja, nalazilo i područje današnje Republike Hrvatske.
Iseljenikom se ne smatra osoba koja je iselila s područja Republike Hrvatske na temelju međunarodnog ugovora ili se odrekla hrvatskog državljanstva, osoba koja je promijenila prebivalište u druge države koje su u to vrijeme bile u sastavu državne zajednice kojoj je pripadala i Republika Hrvatska te osoba koja je iselila s područja Republike Hrvatske, a nije imala bivše hrvatsko republičko državljanstvo, odnosno zavičajnost na području Republike Hrvatske.
✅ This is the main pathway for most Americans - if you have a Croatian ancestor who emigrated before October 8, 1991.
A member of the Croatian people who does not have residence in the Republic of Croatia may acquire Croatian citizenship if they meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, point 5 of this Act.
Belonging to the Croatian people is determined by previous declaration of such belonging in legal transactions, stating such belonging in certain public documents, protection of rights and promotion of interests of the Croatian people and active participation in Croatian cultural, scientific and sports associations abroad.
As an exception to paragraph 2 of this article, a person whose parents’ belonging to the Croatian people has been indisputably established does not have to attach evidence of belonging to the Croatian people.
Članak 16. (NN 102/19)
Pripadnik hrvatskog naroda koji nema prebivalište u Republici Hrvatskoj, može steći hrvatsko državljanstvo ako udovoljava pretpostavkama iz članka 8. stavka 1. točke 5. ovoga Zakona.
Pripadnost hrvatskom narodu utvrđuje se ranijim deklariranjem te pripadnosti u pravnom prometu, navođenjem te pripadnosti u pojedinim javnim ispravama, zaštitom prava i promicanjem interesa hrvatskog naroda i aktivnim sudjelovanjem u hrvatskim kulturnim, znanstvenim i sportskim udrugama u inozemstvu.
Iznimno od stavka 2. ovoga članka, dokaze o pripadnosti hrvatskom narodu ne mora priložiti osoba za čije je roditelje nesporno utvrđena pripadnost hrvatskom narodu.
ℹ️ Use this pathway when Article 11 doesn’t apply - for those who can prove ethnic/cultural ties to Croatian people but don’t have a direct emigrant ancestor.
This Act regulates Croatian citizenship, the conditions for its acquisition and termination.
A citizen of the Republic of Croatia who also has foreign citizenship is considered exclusively a Croatian citizen before the state authorities of the Republic of Croatia.
Croatian citizenship is acquired by:
A child acquires Croatian citizenship by origin if:
A person born abroad whose one parent is a Croatian citizen at the time of birth acquires Croatian citizenship by origin if they are registered at a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Croatia abroad or at a registry office in the Republic of Croatia for entry into the records as a Croatian citizen before reaching the age of 21.
A person older than 21 years, born abroad whose one parent is a Croatian citizen at the time of birth, also acquires Croatian citizenship by origin if they submit a request for entry into the records of Croatian citizens within three years from the date of entry into force of this Act, and the Ministry of the Interior previously determines that there are no obstacles from Article 8, paragraph 1, point 5 of this Act.
A person born abroad whose one parent is a Croatian citizen at the time of birth and who does not meet the condition from paragraph 1 of this article acquires Croatian citizenship if they would otherwise remain stateless.
Deleted.
A child born or found on the territory of the Republic of Croatia acquires Croatian citizenship if both parents are unknown or of unknown citizenship or are stateless. The child will lose Croatian citizenship if it is determined before the age of 14 that both parents are foreign citizens.
A foreigner who has submitted a request for admission to Croatian citizenship may acquire Croatian citizenship by naturalization if they meet these conditions:
It will be considered that the condition from point 2 of paragraph 1 of this article is met if the request was submitted by a person who is stateless or who will lose citizenship according to the law of the country whose citizen they are by naturalization itself.
If a foreign state does not allow release or sets conditions for release that cannot be met, a statement by the person who submitted the request that they renounce foreign citizenship under the assumption of acquiring Croatian citizenship is sufficient.
Fulfillment of the condition from paragraph 1 point 4 of this article is determined by checking knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script, culture and social system.
Persons older than 60 years do not have to meet the conditions from paragraph 1 point 4 of this article.
An emigrant and their descendants may acquire Croatian citizenship by naturalization even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 2-4 of this Act.
A foreigner who is married to a person from paragraph 1 of this article may acquire Croatian citizenship even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 2-4 of this Act.
An emigrant from paragraph 1 of this article is a person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia before October 8, 1991, with the intention of permanently living abroad.
Exceptionally, an emigrant from paragraph 1 of this article is also a member of the Croatian people who emigrated from areas within former states which, at the time of emigration, also included the territory of today’s Republic of Croatia.
A person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia based on an international agreement or renounced Croatian citizenship, a person who changed residence to other states that were at that time part of the state community to which the Republic of Croatia also belonged, and a person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia but did not have former Croatian republican citizenship or domicile on the territory of the Republic of Croatia is not considered an emigrant.
Related Resources:
Complete Guide to Article 11: Croatian Emigrants and Descendants →A member of the Croatian people who does not have residence in the Republic of Croatia may acquire Croatian citizenship if they meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, point 5 of this Act.
Belonging to the Croatian people is determined by previous declaration of such belonging in legal transactions, stating such belonging in certain public documents, protection of rights and promotion of interests of the Croatian people and active participation in Croatian cultural, scientific and sports associations abroad.
As an exception to paragraph 2 of this article, a person whose parents’ belonging to the Croatian people has been indisputably established does not have to attach evidence of belonging to the Croatian people.
Related Resources:
Complete Guide to Article 16: Proof of Belonging to Croatian People →A person who was born on the territory of the Republic of Croatia and lives in the Republic of Croatia and has approved permanent residence may acquire Croatian citizenship by naturalization even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 3 and 4 of this Act.
A foreigner who is married to a Croatian citizen and who has approved permanent residence and lives on the territory of the Republic of Croatia may acquire Croatian citizenship by naturalization even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 1-4 of this Act.
An emigrant and their descendants may acquire Croatian citizenship by naturalization even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 2-4 of this Act.
A foreigner who is married to a person from paragraph 1 of this article may acquire Croatian citizenship even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 2-4 of this Act.
An emigrant from paragraph 1 of this article is a person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia before October 8, 1991, with the intention of permanently living abroad.
Exceptionally, an emigrant from paragraph 1 of this article is also a member of the Croatian people who emigrated from areas within former states which, at the time of emigration, also included the territory of today’s Republic of Croatia.
A person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia based on an international agreement or renounced Croatian citizenship, a person who changed residence to other states that were at that time part of the state community to which the Republic of Croatia also belonged, and a person who emigrated from the territory of the Republic of Croatia but did not have former Croatian republican citizenship or domicile on the territory of the Republic of Croatia is not considered an emigrant.
A foreigner whose admission to Croatian citizenship would represent an interest for the Republic of Croatia may acquire Croatian citizenship by naturalization even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 1-4 of this Act.
Croatian citizenship may also be acquired by the spouse of a person from paragraph 1 of this article who has acquired Croatian citizenship, even if they do not meet the conditions from Article 8, paragraph 1, points 1-4 of this Act, if they live in the Republic of Croatia for one year with approved residence.
At the request of the Ministry of the Interior, the competent ministry or central state office gives a reasoned opinion from which the existence of the Republic of Croatia’s interest in admitting the foreigner from paragraph 1 of this article to Croatian citizenship undoubtedly follows.
Croatian citizenship terminates by:
Release from Croatian citizenship may be granted to a person who has submitted a request for release and meets these conditions:
A person against whom criminal proceedings are being conducted in the Republic of Croatia for an offense prosecuted ex officio or who has been convicted in the Republic of Croatia to imprisonment until they serve that sentence cannot receive release from Croatian citizenship.
Persons who have acquired Croatian citizenship by origin or birth on the territory of the Republic of Croatia are entered into the citizenship records when entered into the birth register. A request for entry into the records may also be submitted through a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Croatia abroad.
The affairs of acquiring Croatian citizenship by origin and birth on the territory of the Republic of Croatia are handled by the competent administrative body of the county or the City of Zagreb within whose scope is the performance of entrusted affairs of state administration relating to the acquisition of Croatian citizenship.
A request for acquiring Croatian citizenship by naturalization, for termination of Croatian citizenship and for determination of Croatian citizenship is submitted personally at the police administration or police station according to the place of approved temporary or permanent residence.
As an exception to paragraph 3 of this article, if it concerns a person with a disability, the request from paragraph 3 of this article may be submitted through a legal representative or authorized attorney.
A request for acquiring Croatian citizenship by naturalization, for termination of Croatian citizenship and for determination of Croatian citizenship may also be submitted through a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Croatia abroad.
A person who acquires Croatian citizenship by naturalization takes a solemn oath.
The text of the solemn oath reads: “I swear on my honor that as a Croatian citizen I will abide by the Constitution and laws and respect the legal order, culture and customs in the Republic of Croatia.”
The minister responsible for internal affairs prescribes by regulation the manner and procedure of taking the solemn oath.
Original Publication: NN 53/91
Amendments: NN 70/91, 28/92, 113/93, 4/94, 130/11, 110/15, 102/19, 138/21
Current Version: In force from January 1, 2022
Official Source: Narodne novine (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia)
Detailed explanation of proof of belonging to Croatian people
Read Article 16 Guide →This is an unofficial English translation of the Croatian Citizenship Law Act for informational purposes only. The official Croatian text published in Narodne novine is the authoritative legal source. For legal proceedings and official applications, always refer to the original Croatian text and consult with qualified legal professionals.