Immigration to Croatia for Ukrainians
Obtaining Croatian citizenship through naturalization: a detailed guide for Ukrainians
Naturalization is a process that allows foreigners to become Croatian citizens with all rights, including the right to vote and participate in elections.
What is naturalization?
Naturalization is a procedure for acquiring a country's citizenship based on the fulfillment of certain conditions, such as long-term residence, marriage to a national, or other circumstances. For Croatia, naturalization is the final step of integration into Croatian society.
Grounds for obtaining Croatian citizenship by naturalization
Croatian citizenship can be obtained on the following grounds:
- Long-term residence in Croatia.
- Birth in Croatia.
- Marriage or civil partnership with a Croatian citizen.
- Interests of the Republic of Croatia (e.g., outstanding merit).
- Belonging to the Croatian people.
- Re-acquisition of citizenship after losing it due to emigration.
Specifics for minor children
Children can obtain citizenship if:
- Both parents acquire citizenship through naturalization.
- One of the parents becomes a citizen and the child resides in Croatia and has permanent residence.
- One of the parents becomes a citizen and the other is stateless.
In such cases, the submission of documents can be carried out under a simplified procedure.
How long do I need to live in Croatia to obtain citizenship by naturalization?
To obtain Croatian citizenship by naturalization, you must legally reside in the country for at least 8 years on the basis of permanent residence. This rule applies to most applicants, but there are exceptions:
- For persons who are married to a Croatian citizen: 5 years of marriage-based residence in Croatia is sufficient.
- For persons of Croatian origin or those who have been displaced abroad (emigrants): the length of residence may be reduced or not required at all, depending on the circumstances.
- For persons obtaining citizenship through the interests of the Republic of Croatia: the residence period may be shortened or not taken into account.
Important: In order for the period of residence to be taken into account, you must have continuous legal residence in Croatia (on the basis of a residence permit). This means that short-term stays (e.g. on a tourist visa) are not included.
Are years of temporary residence included? Yes, the years of temporary residence are taken into account, but in order to apply for citizenship, you must first obtain permanent resident status, which can be obtained after 5 years of legal residence.
This means that for citizenship you need to:
- Live for 5 years on a temporary permit.
- Obtain permanent resident status.
- Live 3 years as a permanent resident (8 years in total).
Language and culture requirements
In addition to the period of residence, the applicant must:
- Be fluent in the Croatian language.
- Know the basics of Croatian history, culture and constitutional system.
- For this purpose, a test organized by the Ministry of the Interior of Croatia is conducted.
How to apply for naturalization?
1. Where to apply?
In Croatia: the application is submitted to the local police department at the place of your residence (temporary or permanent).
Abroad: through the Croatian embassy or consulate in Ukraine.
2. Basic requirements for submission:
- Proof of legal residence in Croatia.
- Fulfillment of the conditions specified for each ground (e.g., long-term residence or marriage to a citizen).
Documents required for naturalization
Standard list of documents:
- Resume and motivation letter.
- Identity document: a copy of a foreign passport or ID card.
- Citizenship document: Citizenship certificate or a copy of the passport.
- Birth certificate: an official document with an international translation.
- Certificate of marriage or civil partnership: for applicants who acquire citizenship through marriage.
- Certificate of no criminal record: issued by the country of citizenship and the country of residence (issued no earlier than 6 months prior to submission).
- Consent to verify the authenticity of documents.
For children:
- Child's identity document (if available).
- The child's birth certificate.
- Consent of the second parent (or relevant evidence if consent is not possible).
Note: all documents issued abroad must be translated into Croatian and notarized.
Duration of the process
Consideration of the application may take from 6 months to 1 year, depending on the complexity of the case and the workload of the relevant authorities.