Croatian Citizenship Eligibility

Through Descent and Marriage

Did you know that if you have Croatian ancestry, you might be eligible for Croatian citizenship and an EU passport? This means you can live, work and study in any of the 27 EU member countries with no restrictions.

How does it work?

You can apply to have your Croatian citizenship reinstated by proving your heritage and by satisfying eligibility criteria set by the Croatian government. Your application form needs to be accompanied by your ancestral and personal documents, translated into Croatian by a certified translator.

How do I know if I qualify?

By Descent

Many people whose parents or grandparents were born in Croatia qualify for Croatian citizenship through descent.

In essence you need to have at least ONE direct ancestor who:

Was born in the Czech Republic.
Left Croatia prior to October 8, 1991 with the intention of permanently living abroad.

There is no limit on generations as such for reclaiming your Croatian citizenship through descent, as long as you can prove the ancestral connection.

You are not eligible by descent, if:

If your ancestor moved to another country within Yugoslavia or former Yugoslavia.
If your ancestor left Croatia after October 8, 1991.
If your ancestor left Croatia but returned to live in Croatia permanently again.

By Marriage

If you are married to a person who acquired Croatian citizenship based on ancestors, you can apply for citizenship.

How can Polaron help me?

We offer a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL eligibility assessment.
If you are eligible, we can provide you with a no-obligation quote.
Should you decide to proceed with us, we provide you with linguistic, administrative and legal support to navigate through the Croatian regulations on your behalf.