Croatia · Citizenship by naturalisation
Ordinary Naturalisation (Article 8)
Open
Last verified July 2026
Open but effectively closed to most UHNW families because renunciation of the existing citizenship is mandatory.
Included because the contrast is the point: Croatia's descent routes carry no renunciation requirement and no language test, while ordinary naturalisation demands both plus eight years of real residence. The gap between the two routes is the single most important fact about Croatian citizenship.
Qualifying routes
—
Ordinary naturalisation
8 years of continuous registered residence while holding permanent residence status
The facts
- Total landed cost
- Administrative fees only — the cost is eight years of your life and your existing passport
- Timeline
- 96–144 months — 8 years of residence plus 1-3 years of processing
- Physical presence
- Continuous registered residence for 8 years
- Family
- each applicant qualifies separately; minor children may be included
- Permanent residency
- Permanent residence is a precondition, not an outcome
- Citizenship
- 8 years, subject to renunciation
- Language test
- Croatian language and Latin script proficiency, plus culture and social arrangements — exemptions for preschool children, those educated in Croatia, and unemployed persons over 65
- Dual citizenship
- Not permitted — you would have to renounce
- Requirements
- release from foreign citizenship or proof it will follow8 years continuous registered residence plus permanent residence statusCroatian language and Latin scriptno security obstacles; public contributions paid
What can go wrong
- Renunciation of your existing citizenship is mandatory, or proof it will be granted on receiving Croatian citizenship. This is the deal-breaker.
- Exemptions from renunciation exist for descendants of Croatian emigrants, for Croatian national interest, and for former Croatians who renounced to practise a profession abroad — check these before assuming the ordinary route.
- Eight years of genuine registered residence, not paper residence.