December the 24th, 2025 – There’s a new procedure simplifying obtaining Croatian citizenship by descent for members of the diaspora, and an entire company dedicated to helping people through the process.
With the new interest of the Croatian diaspora to return and live in Croatia, the Ministry of Demography and Immigration has introduced a programme allowing Croatian emigrants and their descendants to obtain a residence permit in Croatia for up to two years, with the option to extend and with significantly fewer restrictions than existing residence pathways.
impending changes and what they mean
The legal basis for this programme comes from the Final Bill on Amendments to the Aliens Act, adopted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia on the 6th of February 2025, which enters into force on the 15th of March 2025. The amendments introduce a new purpose of residence – immigration and return of Croatian emigrants – applicable to Croatian emigrants, their descendants, and family members from third countries.
“With this provision, Croatian emigrants will be recognised as a special target community,” said Minister Šipić. “They are no longer going to be treated as foreigners. Their status as a Croatian emigrant, descendant, or family member is proven through a Certificate issued by the Ministry of Demography and Immigration.”
The measure is especially relevant for individuals eligible for Croatian citizenship by descent who are experiencing lengthy consular waiting times in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Under the new system, eligible descendants may relocate to Croatia, regulate their residence locally, and submit their citizenship application directly in Croatia, without relying on consular appointments abroad.
Residence is granted based on the Ministry-issued certificate and allows employment, self-employment, education, and access to state employment programmes, along with a five-year income tax exemption. After three years of residence under this purpose, permanent residence may be regulated.
While the programme absolutely simplifies residence requirements, citizenship by descent remains document-intensive. Applicants (particularly from the United States of America, Canada and Australia) must still prepare certified birth, marriage, and death certificates, obtain apostilles, and arrange certified Croatian translations, often before travelling to Croatia.
who is croatianbydescent.com?
In response to this new pathway, CroatianbyDescent.com is one of the first companies to assist applicants pursuing Croatian citizenship by descent through this residence-first approach, working with Croatian lawyers to support documentation, residence regulation, and citizenship filings. The Ministry emphasised that the initiative forms part of a broader demographic strategy to encourage the return of Croatian emigrants and their descendants, offering a practical alternative to lengthy consular procedures abroad.
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