Citizenship by descent · Croatia
Croatian citizenship by descent
If your family descends from a Croatian emigrant, you may be entitled to Croatian citizenship and an EU passport. Chile is home to one of the largest Croatian communities outside Croatia: in Antofagasta, Punta Arenas and Santiago, thousands of families may qualify without knowing it.
Croatian law is among the broadest in Europe for descendants: there is no generation limit (Article 11 of the citizenship law), and since the 2020 reform descendants of emigrants are exempt from the language exam. The real challenge is documentary: proving the complete family line back to your ancestor. We do that work for you, starting with the search for their records in Croatia.
Who qualifies?
The descent path under Article 11 is broad. These are the profiles we review most often:
- Grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren of Croatian emigrants: the law sets no generation limit, it only requires proving the line with documents.
- Families from the Croatian community in Antofagasta, Punta Arenas and Santiago who know their ancestor's name but do not have their Croatian documents: we locate them for you in Croatia.
- Family groups sharing the same line (siblings, cousins, parents and children) who want to apply together in a single process.
- People of Croatian descent from areas that today belong to another country, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina: alternative paths exist and we assess them case by case.
Do you only have the surname and the family story? It is still worth reviewing: genealogical research is a core part of our service. We will tell you transparently whether your case is viable or not.
How we manage it
Step 01
We assess your case
We review who your emigrant ancestor was, the line connecting you to them and which documents your family already has. We tell you clearly whether there is a path and what is missing to prove it.
Step 02
We search and build the file
We locate your ancestor's birth or baptism record in Croatia's civil and parish registries, gather the certificates for the entire family line and manage apostilles and certified translations into Croatian.
Step 03
We file and stay with you
We leave your file ready and accompany you when filing at the Croatian Embassy in Santiago. Then we follow up on the Ministry of the Interior's decision until the process ends.
Timelines and key facts
- No generation limit
- Article 11 of the Croatian citizenship law does not cap the generation: grandchildren, great-grandchildren and beyond qualify, as long as the line is proven with documents.
- No language exam
- Since the 2020 reform, descendants of Croatian emigrants do not take a Croatian language or culture exam to obtain citizenship.
- Where it is processed
- The application is filed at the Croatian Embassy in Santiago and decided by the Ministry of the Interior in Zagreb. The full process generally takes 2 to 3 years.
- Dual citizenship
- You keep your Chilean nationality. Croatia has been part of the European Union since 2013 and the Schengen area since 2023: its passport lets you live, work and study across the 27 EU countries.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for Croatian citizenship by descent?
Descendants of a Croatian emigrant: a person who permanently left the territory of present-day Croatia before October 8, 1991. The generation does not matter: it can be your father, your grandfather, your great-grandfather or further back. The applicant's minor children can join the same process, and for special cases, such as Croatian ancestors from areas that today belong to another country, alternative paths exist that we assess case by case.
What changed with the 2020 reform?
The reform in force since 2020 removed the generation limit and the language and culture exam for descendants of Croatian emigrants. That is why the Article 11 path is now considerably more accessible than the Italian or German routes. The Croatian language exam still exists, but it applies to regular naturalization, not to descendants of emigrants.
What documents do I need?
The key piece is your ancestor's birth or baptism certificate issued in Croatia, together with proof of their emigration. Added to that are the certificates connecting each generation down to you and your criminal record check, all apostilled (the international seal that validates a document abroad) and translated into Croatian by a certified translator. If you do not have your ancestor's documents, we locate them for you in Croatia's civil and parish registries.
How long does the process take?
The full process generally takes 2 to 3 years. The longest stage is the decision of the Ministry of the Interior in Zagreb, whose timelines depend neither on the embassy nor on us. We tell you this transparently from day one: the sooner you file, the sooner you resolve it. In the free assessment we give you a realistic estimate for your case.
Do I have to travel to Croatia?
No. The entire process is prepared from Chile and the application is filed at the Croatian Embassy in Santiago. Filing is a personal procedure: each adult applicant submits their own file, fully prepared and reviewed by us and with our support. For those living outside Santiago, consular days are held in Antofagasta, Iquique and Punta Arenas.
Do I lose my Chilean nationality?
No. Chile allows dual nationality and Croatian law does not require descendants of emigrants to renounce their nationality of origin. You keep your Chilean nationality and add an EU passport.
How much does it cost?
Every case is unique: the fee depends on how much genealogical research your line requires, the number of applicants and the missing documents. After the free consultation we send you a clear, all-inclusive proposal with no surprises. The Croatian government's official fees (around 140 euros upon approval) are paid separately, directly to the authority.
Check if your Croatian roots qualify
Answer a few questions about your ancestor and your family, and we will tell you transparently whether your case has a path. It is free and comes with no obligation.
Assess your case for free