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How to apply for a Croatian passport: Guide for 2023

putovnica
Croatian passport called putovnica

UPDATED: 9.2.2023.

A passport is proof of your identity and Croatian citizenship. If you travel outside of Croatia, you must carry your passport with you. It is called putovnica in Croatian.

You can apply for and hold a passport, regardless of whether you live in Croatia or not. Perhaps you’ve always lived in Croatia but have never applied for a passport, or perhaps you’ve just been granted Croatian citizenship and now qualify for a passport.

If you do not have Croatian citizenship, find out if you qualify here. If quality, check out our guide on how to apply for Croatian citizenship, available here.

In this post, we cover:

The facts are these…

How to apply for a Croatian passport

How to apply for a Croatian passport in person in Croatia

You can apply for a passport at any administrative police station in Croatia, regardless of whether you live in Croatia or not. The request must be submitted by the applicant, by parents for minors, or by an authorized representative for incapacitated persons.

[Read: How to find administrative police stations in Croatia]

If you have an emergency case, you can submit an urgent request for a passport only in person at a police station. Your passport will be ready for issue within 48 hours in Zagreb or within three days at any other administrative police station in Croatia.

Requirements

To submit a request for a passport in person, you must provide:

  • Zahtjev za izdavanje putovnice (Request for issuing the passport) provided by the police
  • Proof of Croatian citizenship
    • Domovnica
    • Certificate from the register’s office that you are entered into the register of citizenship called Knjiga državljana
    • Decision on gaining Croatian citizenship called Rješenje
    • Osobna iskaznica
    • Other documents that verify identity and Croatian nationality
  • 35 x 45 mm photo for a biometric passport
  • Old passport if you have one
  • For minors: a birth certificate and a certificate of Croatian citizenship
  • Proof of payment for the application fee

Children older than 12 years must be present to give fingerprints for the biometric passport.

How to apply for a Croatian passport via e-Građani

If you have an e-identity card, the request for a passport can also be submitted via the e-Građani (e-Citizen) web application. Having residence in Croatia isn’t required to use this method. Please note that expedited requests cannot be made online. Croatian ID card is called osobna iskaznica.

[Read: How to apply for a national ID card (osobna iskaznica)]

When applying via e-Građani, requirements are the same as when applying in person at MUP.

The passport must be picked up personally at the police station, or it can be delivered to your residence in Croatia. If you don’t have a residence in Croatia, you have to pick a police station where you will pick up your passport.

E-građani enables to submit a request for:

  • First issue of e-passport
  • Replacement of the existing passport
  • Issuing another passport of the same type (for consular representatives)

It is not necessary to enclose scanned photography. Photography, fingerprints, and signatures will be taken from the MUP database.

When using e-Građani, you must sign the request with your electronic signature by using the electronic ID card.

Detailed instructions on how to get a passport via e-građani are available here.

Another passport of the same type

If you are submitting a request for issuing another passport of the same type, you also must enclose:

  • Request letter – explain in detail why you need another passport
  • Proof that indicates the justification of the request
    • Confirmation that a previously issued passport is in possession of the competent authority in another country due to obtaining a visa to enter that country
    • Certificate from a foreign employer on the reasons you need two passports due to the performance of specific tasks
    • Proof that the first passport contains stamps or notes that unable entry to certain countries (for example, Israel and Arab countries)
    • Other proof depending on the case

How to pay the administration fees in Croatia

Payment fees are the following:

  • 42,47 euros for the regular procedure
  • 46,45 euros for the regular procedure if delivered to the address of residence or stay
  • 61,72 euros for the emergency procedure in Zagreb
  • 54,42 euros for the emergency procedure in other Croatian cities

If you don’t enclose proof of payment, your request will be denied.

You may pay the fees noted above in person at a bank or post office or using online banking with your Croatian bank. Here are instructions on how to make payments in Croatia.

Where it is noted [YOUR OIB] in the model number in the above payment instructions, replace this placeholder with your OIB number so that your payment is tied to you.

Payment information is available here.

How to apply for a Croatian passport from abroad

To apply for a Croatian passport abroad, you must visit a Croatian embassy or consulate in person. Parents can renew passports for their children. Legal representatives can renew passports for persons who don’t have the ability to work.

Requirements

To submit a request for a passport in person abroad, you must provide:

  • Zahtjev za izdavanje putovnice (request for issuing the passport) provided by the embassy or consulate
  • Proof of Croatian citizenship
    • Domovnica
    • Certificate from the register’s office that you are entered into the register of citizenship called Knjiga državljana
    • Decision on gaining Croatian citizenship called Rješenje
    • Osobna iskaznica
    • Other documents that verify identity and Croatian nationality
  • 35 x 45 mm photo for a biometric passport
  • Identification document
  • Proof from the book of births not older than 6 months
    • People who have foreign proof must follow the rules of international agreements and conventions with Croatia
    • People born in Croatia must enclose proof from the Croatian book of births called Matica rođenih
  • Wedding certificate or excerpt from the book of birth for persons who got married or changed their name
  • Proof of residence
  • Administrative fees, which vary depending on the embassy or consulate

[Read: How to register a person in the Croatian book of births (Matica rođenih)]

Processing time of Croatian passport application

For regular applications, your passport will be ready for pick up within 30 days. If you have applied for a rush on the application, it will be ready for issue within 48 hours in Zagreb or within three days at any other administrative police station.

Additional processing time may be added when applying from abroad.

Exceptions of Croatian passport for disabled persons

Fingerprints

If a person doesn’t have a forefinger or if it is injured, a fingerprint of a middle finger or some other finger will be taken. If a person doesn’t have one arm, a fingerprint of a middle finger or some other finger will be taken.

[Read: Background checks and fingerprints for third-country nationals (non-EU/EEA citizens)]

Passport photo

Blind people don’t have to take off their dark glasses for photography.

If a person wears headgear for medical reasons, a person doesn’t have to take it off for their photo as long as their forehead, cheekbones, and chin are visible.

How to renew a Croatian passport

Croatian passports are not renewed. You must apply for a new passport after your old one expires.

The rules are the same when applying in person and via e-Građani. You must provide the same documents.

To request a new passport, provide:

  • Zahtjev za izdavanje putovnice (request for issuing the passport) provided by embassy, consulate or police station
  • 35 x 45 mm photo for a biometric passport
  • Old passport
  • Proof of your address called prebivalište
  • Administrative fees

[Read: Prebivalište and boravište: two addresses that must be registered with the police]

Power of a Croatian passport

With a Croatian passport, you can travel visa-free to 149 countries and to 44 countries using visa-on-arrival. There are only 49 countries in the world where a visa is required. In addition, since Croatia is in the European Union, citizens can travel and work freely within the EU/EEA.

[Read: Available visas and residence permits for Croatia]

Need help with your Croatian citizenship application?

Interested in applying for Croatian citizenship but not sure where to start? We can point you in the right direction.

Our expat-vetted lawyer network can take care of your application from beginning to end. We have excellent English-speaking lawyers across the country that specialize in citizenship and are in constant communication with the ministry. These are the same lawyers who help us vet all of our information on this site. Learn how we built this network here.

You do not have to live in Croatia to take advantage of this service.

For one flat rate, they can:

  • Validate your claim (which includes confirming if you qualify and checking the citizenship status of your relative)
  • Prepare a plan specific to your case to ensure you have the best chance of approval
  • Target possible red flags and prepare solutions
  • Collect birth records in Croatia (new copies are required)
  • Confirm exact requirements with your embassy or consulate and coordinate with them on your behalf
  • Provide guidance on preparing a successful CV biography (and coordinating translation into Croatian)
  • Prepare your family tree
  • Prepare supporting documentation
  • Coordinate translations for foreign documents, as needed
  • Assist with any issues or questions that arise after submission. They are with you throughout the process from start to approval.

As part of this service, you’ll have a dedicated Expat in Croatia caseworker who will follow up periodically to ensure you’re getting everything you need. You’ll also be able to reach out to them as well if any issues arise.

Having Expat in Croatia and our lawyer network on your side will give you the best shot at approval. It takes 1-2 years on average for applications to be processed, so best not to risk denial. This is nationality, after all, and obtaining nationality is a big deal.

View reviews from people who have used our services for citizenship here or jump to this section to see the last 20 reviews.

To get help with your application for citizenship, complete the form below, and will match you with an expert.


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Sources:
Izdavanje putovnice u policijskoj upravi ili postaji
Izdavanje putovnice putem portala e-Građani
Izdavanje putovnice u inozemstvu

Please note: Information provided by Expat in Croatia is only for the purposes of guidance. It does not constitute legal or financial advice in any form. Croatian laws and bureaucratic rules often change, and each personal case is individual, so different rules may apply. For legal advice, contact us to consult with a licensed Croatian lawyer. For financial advice, contact us to consult with a licensed Croatian tax advisor or accountant.

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