- Croatia’s government published the full list of legal grounds through which foreign nationals can apply to become Croatian citizens
- The Croatian Citizenship Act outlines seven distinct naturalization routes, ranging from residency and birth to marriage and national interest
- Underage children of applicants may also qualify for Croatian citizenship under specific conditions set out in the same law
Croatia’s Ministry of the Interior has outlined seven legal routes through which foreign nationals can apply to become Croatian citizens, with the full details published on the Croatian government’s official website.
According to the Croatian Citizenship Act, any person who does not currently hold Croatian citizenship may submit a naturalisation application, provided they satisfy the conditions attached to at least one of the qualifying grounds.
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7 Ways to Acquire Croatian Citizenship
The seven recognised grounds for naturalisation are as follows:
1. Residence in Croatia
2. Birth in Croatia
3. Marriage or civil partnership with a Croatian citizen,
4. Emigration
5. The Republic of Croatia’s interest
6. Affiliation with the Croatian nation
7. Reacquisition of Croatian citizenship.
Each ground carries its own specific requirements as defined in the Croatian Citizenship Act. The route based on the country’s interest, for instance, applies in cases where the Croatian state determines that granting citizenship to a particular individual would be of benefit to the Republic.
The affiliation route, on the other hand, is designed for individuals with documented ties to the Croatian nation even if they were not born or raised in the country.
Croatian citizenship Children of applicants also qualify
The Croatian government also specified that underage children of applicants can be included in the naturalisation process under certain conditions.
A child qualifies if both parents are being naturalised at the same time. A child who lives in Croatia and holds permanent residence may also qualify if only one parent is being naturalised. Additionally, a child is eligible if one parent acquires citizenship under Article 11(1) or Article 16 of the Croatian Citizenship Act, or if the other parent is stateless or of unknown citizenship and the child lives abroad.
All applications related to acquiring Croatian citizenship through naturalisation are processed by the Ministry of the Interior.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng