Getting foreign documents ready for the Croatian authorities [2026 Guide]

UPDATED: December 2025

When submitting foreign paperwork to Croatian government agencies, you cannot simply hand over the original documents. A specific preparation process is required before these materials can be accepted. Whether you need documentation for citizenship applications or registering vital records, understanding this process prevents delays and complications.

Understanding document categories

The Croatian government recognizes two distinct types of foreign documents, each with different preparation requirements.

Documents issued by governments

Any paperwork issued by a government authority for use outside its borders must undergo the full preparation process. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, criminal background checks, and educational diplomas all fall into this category. Passports are the sole exception.

For passport documentation, if you apply for Croatian citizenship at an embassy or consulate abroad, you need a notarized copy confirming the document belongs to you and bears your signature. Any registered notary can provide this service. When your passport is in a language other than English, both notarization and official translation are required.

Court documents intended for use in Croatia require official translation but may have different apostille requirements depending on the type of court record.

Private sector documents

Employment contracts, bank statements, and other materials not issued by government agencies require different handling. These might include ship manifests, curriculum vitae, or other supporting materials for citizenship applications.

Private sector documents only need translation into Croatian. The translation does not require official certification by a court interpreter. Such official translations, which include a seal similar to notarization, are only mandatory for government-issued materials.

Bank statements, health insurance documentation, and digital nomad employment contracts do not require translation into Croatian if they are already in English.

The three-step preparation process

Government-issued documents must go through three distinct stages before Croatian authorities will accept them. Each step must be completed in the correct sequence.

Step one: obtain a fresh original

Start by requesting a new original or certified copy of the document from the issuing authority. Photocopies will not work for the remaining steps. In many jurisdictions, the authentication process in step two cannot proceed without a recently issued original.

Step two: authentication through apostille or legalization

Once you have the fresh original, it must be authenticated by the issuing authority. This authentication prevents fraud and confirms the document's legitimacy. The process differs depending on whether your country participates in the Hague Convention.

The apostille process

In 1961, member countries of the Hague Convention agreed to accept each other's government documents when accompanied by an apostille. This apostille is an attachment to your original document bearing a specific seal that validates authenticity. You can verify whether your country is part of the convention at apostille.org.

To obtain an apostille, contact the issuing authority in your country, state, or province. The apostille.org website lists issuing authorities for most countries.

The United States presents a special case. Documents issued by individual states require apostille from that state's Secretary of State office. Only federally issued documents, such as FBI identity history summaries, can be apostilled by the federal government.

Most issuing authorities will only apostille recently issued documents. They typically refuse to authenticate older originals. Each authority sets its own rules about document age.

Full legalization for non-convention countries

If your country has not joined the Apostille Convention, your documents need full legalization instead. Indonesia or Kosovo, for instance, remain outside the convention and its documents require this two-step process. The document must first be authenticated by the issuing authority, then legalized by the nearest Croatian consulate abroad.

Step three: official translation by court interpreter

After authentication, a registered Croatian court interpreter must officially translate the document into Croatian. The translator will work on both the original document and the attached apostille or legalization papers. All materials are then bound together in a single packet.

Most people wait until arriving in Croatia to complete this step because it is more convenient and less expensive. If you are applying for citizenship through an embassy or consulate abroad, they may arrange the official translation for you.

All foreign documents and their authentication papers must be in Croatian. If you cannot find an official translator who works directly from your language into Croatian, first have the document officially translated into English, then use a separate translator for English to Croatian.

Processing time considerations

Croatia applies a six-month expiration period to government documents, calculated from the document's original issue date, not the date of apostille or legalization. Although earlier guidance suggested the apostille date mattered, official decisions from MUP clarify that the issue date is what counts. Plan ahead and allow adequate time for the complete process.