How to get a copy of a Croatian birth certificate: Guide for 2023

UPDATED: 28.3.2023.
Croatian diaspora from all over the world is increasingly wanting to apply for Croatian citizenship. Their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were Croatian, so they want to apply for citizenship based on their family roots.
In some cases, they know their ancestor was Croatian but lack the proof, mainly a birth certificate (called rodni list in Croatian), or maybe they don’t even know where they were born.
Maybe you have a grandfather who was born in 1912 on Vis and you’d like to locate his birth certificate. Or perhaps you’re a Croatian with Croatian parents born in Canada. In this case, you’re not registered in the registry of births.
This article addresses who can request a birth certificate, how to locate a birth certificate, and where to get a copy.
In this post, we cover:
- Who can get a Croatian birth certificate
- How to get a copy of a birth certificate
- What a birth certificate looks like
- Get help with finding birth certificates, registering a birth, or applying for citizenship
The facts are these…
How to get a Croatian birth certificate: Guide for 2023
Who can get a Croatian birth certificate?
Croatian birth certificate can be issued to:
- Any person born in Croatia
- Any Croatian citizen born abroad
- Any person granted Croatian citizenship
[Read: How to apply for Croatian citizenship]
This birth document is released according to the written data from the book of births called Matica rođenih. Matica rođenih is a book that contains information about all the people born in the Republic of Croatia.
Each new child born in Croatia is automatically added to this registry. Learn how to register a new child in Croatia in this guide.
If you are granted Croatian citizenship later in life, you must request to be added to the registry of births. Learn how to register a person in the book of births (Matica rođenih) in this guide.
Before you can request your own birth certificate, you must first have proof of citizenship called domovnica. If you already have proof of nationality, then you can go ahead with requesting a copy of the certificate using the below instructions.
[Read: How to get proof of Croatian citizenship (domovnica)]
If you need to find someone else’s birth certificate, that can be a bit trickier. We’ll go over all of the options below.
How to get a copy of a Croatian birth certificate
The process to get a Croatian birth certificate varies depending on your situation.
#1 You need your own Croatian birth certificate
If you are not yet registered in Matica rođenih
In this case, your first step is to register yourself in the Matica rođenih (Book of births) BEFORE you can request your birth certificate. New registrations in the Matica rođenih can only be done within Croatia at Matični ured (Registrar’s office). You will need your domovnica and an apostilled/legalized new copy of your birth certificate (less than 6 months old).
A list of all Registrar’s offices in Croatia according to Croatian counties is available here.
If you are not physically in Croatia, we can connect you to an expat-vetted lawyer who can register you in Matica rođenih. Contact us for a referral using the form at the bottom of this page to be connected with one.
Once you are registered in the Book of births, you can request a copy of your birth certificate.
If you are already registered in Matica rođenih
If you are already registered in Matica rođenih, then you can proceed with requesting a birth certificate.
You can request a birth certificate in the following ways:
- In Croatia
- At any Registrar’s office in Croatia (for those with Croatian residency) – A list is available here
- At the Central Registrar’s Office in Zagreb (for those without Croatian residency)
- Phone: +385 (0)1 616 6175
- E-mail: kristina.horvatic@zagreb.hr
- Abroad
- Via e-Građani (e-Citizen) web application – It is available here
[Read: e-Građani (e-Citizens) – Online portal for Croatian government services]
The request for the birth certificate can be initiated by:
- Yourself personally
- Person authorized by the owner of the birth certificate, with permission certified by a notary public called javni bilježnik
[Read: How to get something notarized]
#2 You have a Croatian relative and need their birth certificate
If your relative is alive
To get the birth certificate of a relative that is still alive, you have to prove the lineage between you and your family member.
As evidence, you can show your passport and birth certificate, assuming all ancestors connecting you with the relative are already registered in Matica rođenih. Alternatively, your relative can give you notarized authorization to get a copy of their birth certificate.
After you get authorization, you can get the certificate at:
- Registrar’s office in Croatia – A list is available here
- Croatian consulate or embassy abroad – A list is available here
If your relative is deceased
If your relative is dead and you need their birth certificate, it can be provided at:
- Registrar’s office in Croatia – A list is available here
- Croatian consulate or embassy abroad – A list is available here
To prove you have a right to it, you must show proof of your family connection to the relative that is supported by Matica rođenih records and you will need to explain your purpose for requesting the birth certificate.
A valid purpose is applying for citizenship based on lineage.
[Read: How to apply for Croatian citizenship based on descent]
You can get the certificate personally or via a person authorized by the notary public.
If you need help finding a birth certificate for a Croatian relative so that you can apply for citizenship, contact us using the below form, and we will connect you with a vetted legal expert who can take care of it for you.
What a Croatian birth certificate looks like?
Croatian birth certificate includes the following data about you:
- OIB
- Name
- Surname
- Gender
- Day, month, year, and hour of birth
- Place of birth
- Nationality (narodnost)
- Citizenship (državljanstvo)
[Read: How to get Croatian OIB]
Croatian birth certificate also includes data about your parents, including their:
- Name
- Surname and your mother’s maiden name
- Day, month, and year of birth
- Place of birth
It also includes:
- Registrar’s remarks
- Subsequent entries to the book of births
View a blank form of the Croatian birth certificate here.
Excerpt from the book of births
Another document that you can get from the book of births is an excerpt from the book of births called Izvadak iz matice rođenih. It includes more information than the birth certificate.
An excerpt shows all changes regarding a person’s eventual name changes and matrimonial status, while a birth certificate shows individual information. An excerpt is mostly used in complex procedures such as inheritance or tax control.
Croatian excerpt from the book of births includes the following data about you:
- OIB
- Name
- Surname
- Gender
- Day, month, year, and hour of birth
- Place of birth
- Nationality (narodnost)
- Citizenship (državljanstvo)
An excerpt also includes data about your parents, including their:
- Name
- Surname and your mother’s maiden name
- Day, month, and year of birth
- Place of birth
- Nationality (narodnost)
- Citizenship (državljanstvo)
- Occupation
- Residency (prebivalište) and residential address
It also includes:
- Registrar’s remarks
- Subsequent entries to the book of births
- Additional notes
View a blank form of the excerpt from the book of births here.
We can help you find Croatian birth certificates
If you need help finding a birth certificate for yourself or a Croatian relative, our expat-vetted lawyer network can take care of it for you. We have connections throughout the country, so we can best match you with a legal expert close to your birthplace or the birthplace of your relative.
This is best suited for those living abroad who cannot come to Croatia to research, locate and request a birth certificate. In some situations, births are only listed in church records, which requires a bit of digging to find records.
You do not have to live in Croatia to take advantage of this service.
For one flat rate, they can:
- Research where your relative was born
- Determine if you or your relative is listed in the Matica rođenih (book of births)
- Register you in Matica rođenih so you can get your birth certificate
- Locate birth records not registered in Matica rođenih (like those documented in church records)
- Request a birth certificate on your behalf in person
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.
If you’re planning to apply for Croatian citizenship, they can also help you apply. To get help locating a birth certificate, please complete the form below.
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.
See what our clients have to say about working with us…
Brett B.
United States
Introduced to a Professional, Professional Assistance
On short notice I accepted a work trip to Europe and decided to stop in Zagreb prior to my job in Paris. Having obtained citizenship approval the purpose of this trip was to file birth records and my marriage record as well as obtaining domovnicas for my family and to apply for my passport. Filip coordinated everything on very short notice, including vetting our documents and coordinating a new translation due to a copy and pasting error within 3 hours. Ines met me and obtained the domovnicas for my family on my behalf. The registrar wished to have another document to complete registering my marriage and my wife and my birth certificates but Filip has told me exactly what to get. Finally Filip accompanied me to the MUP to file for my first passport. He guided me through the process and, unbelievably, I had my first Croatian Passport in my hands three hours later (not exaggerating)! These are the second group of professionals Expat in Croatia has referred me to, and again my expectations were exceeded. Thank you so much Filip and Ines for your attention to detail, guidance, timeliness, and professionalism all on short notice. The remainder of my family will be using your services once they receive their decisions as well. Thank you!

Tom C.
United States
Introduced to a Professional
Expat in Croatia linked me up to Filip in Zagreb, who helped me from beginning to end of my applications for Croatian citizenship by descent. (My wife also applied by marriage.) Filip gave very helpful guidance on the process speaking broadly, as well as concrete revisions to our application documents for filing, review of my family history documents, and arrangement of translation and apostilling. All that, quickly and efficiently. Filip was generally available for questions on the go, including as we left our citizenship interview. I am also a lawyer, so speaking personally, it was a good experience to see such professionalism from another lawyer in a jurisdiction where I would be completely on my own otherwise.
Natalie N.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
My husband and I met consulted with Expat in Croatia in order to learn about obtaining Croatian citizenship. We met with Sara Dyson initially and she was able to answer all of our general questions with regard to citizenship. She also put us in contact with our attorney, Ines, in order to begin the application process. I was very pleased with Sara’s expertise on the matter. Our attorney, Ines, was very thorough and professional. She clearly explained the process step by step and answered all of our questions and concerns throughout the entire process. Our appointment with the Chicago consulate went very smoothly and it was all thanks to Ines’ hard work! We couldn’t be more pleased with the experience and I would recommend Expat in Croatia and their professionals to anyone looking into Croatian citizenship.
Brice R.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
I really did not know where to start but Expat Croatia (Sara) introduced me to Antonela (Immigration lawyer) and she is the best. The citizenship process can be a bit daunting but having someone in Croatia to help is so necessary. I also feel that Antonela and Mia provide a service that is great value for what they charge. My advice to anyone who is applying for citizenship is to be diligent and patient. We were able to find all the necessary paperwork and I did secure Croatian citizenship for myself, my wife and our three children. (My grandmother was born in Croatia). The citizenship process took just over 2 years. We are now working on getting our Croatian passports which of course while a straightforward process, does take several months.

Paola P.
United States
Free Guidance, Introduced to a Professional
We reached out to Expat in Croatia for assistance in finding a lawyer to help us with our application for citizenship by descent, and their recommendation of Antonela S. was a perfect match! We were dealing with gathering documents from three different countries and submitting our applications in a fourth, so we needed all the expertise (and hand-holding) we could get. Antonela and her staff, particularly Mia, were very responsive considering all of our correspondence was via email and across several time zones. We recently submitted our applications and the consular officer who reviewed our documents remarked that everything was well-organized and complete. Aside from our satisfaction with EIC’s professional recommendation, we have found this site to be a wonderful resource for so many aspects of Croatian life and culture!
Rebecca G.
New Zealand
Introduced to a Professional
I needed support with an application for Croatian citizenship by descent and found Expat in Croatia through their comprehensive article on the subject. They answered my questions and introduced me to Ivan R. Let me be clear that Ivan exceeded all my expectations on knowledge, conscientiousness, patience, and support during this process. From the very first meeting it was clear that he is very familiar and thorough with these applications. Unexpectedly, finding evidence documents for my application was much more complicated than either of us had anticipated, but Ivan was there every step of the way until we finally pieced the puzzle together. I submitted my application yesterday and they said it was perfect. I am immensely grateful for Ivan’s help and I highly recommend Ivan and Expat in Croatia to others hoping to navigate this process with minimal delays. Thank you.
Barbara (Richard) H.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
The Expat in Croatia newsletter has been an indispensable guide for us while waiting to acquire Croatian citizenship. Since receiving citizenship this month, we decided to book a consultation to address more specific questions as we move closer to actually moving to Croatia. We chose CAM (Carol Anne) to be our consultant and found her to be the perfect “fit” for us. She has experienced everything that we will be dealing with as she moved from Canada to Croatia. Whether it is information about shipping items, registering a car, health insurance, or getting a tax consultant to navigate important financial details, she provided everything and more. We found her to be thorough, professional, personable, and smart. She is also funny and charming. We love CAM! We will continue to use this resource, consulting with CAM as needed or as more questions arise.
Jenn K.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
EIC has a Wonderful team of professionals to help guide us through our process of obtaining Croatian citizenship by descent. We had initial consultation with Sara, and then one of the attorneys, Andrea. Although we are gathering our documents on our own, we will be hiring them to oversee the process and help us with requirements we are unable to complete on our own during and after our applications are submitted . We would highly recommend Expat in Croatia !
Lori P.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
We needed assistance with purchasing property and moving forward with applying for Croatian citizenship. We had a great conversation with Sara and CAM, they explained both processes clearly and provides us with numerous resources. They have also facilitated contact with a Croatian lawyer to work with us on both processes. It has been helpful to understand timelines and requirements, and they have provided contact with professionals that can be responsible for the aspects that we cannot do on our own.
Megan B.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
My sister and I are working on our Croatian citizenship via our heritage and cannot be more thankful for Expat in Croatia. Lorena was able to connect us with the immigration attorney who helped guide us through the process. I highly recommend connecting with this website as they offer a variety of helpful services.
Nick C.
United States
Introduced to a Professional
There was a 6 month wait at the consulate to get an appointment to submit my application, in addition to the time it takes to actually process the application, so this can be a lengthy process. With that in mind, I feel confident my application is without error – thanks to Expat In Croatia and their legal network. They really took the uncertainty out of the process, and demonstrated the highest level of professionalism from start to finish, which included locating a 19th century birth certificate. In addition to this, their website is probably the most comprehensive resource on the internet. Expat In Croatia will make a genuine effort to help you, and they know what they’re doing.
Monique A.
United States
Introduced to a Professional
Lorena guided us to the legal support of Andrea, who has been crucial in helping us with our application for Croatian Citizenship by Descent. Without Andrea’s help, we would be lost! Thank you Lorena for getting us to the right person for our family’s application process. We really appreciate it!

Lindsey F.
United States
Consulting
My husband and I met with Sara to discuss our options regarding moving to Croatia. My husband is of Croatian descent but we were unsure of what we would need to present and to who, once we arrived in Croatia. Sara, through her expansive knowledge, was able to direct us to the correct experts and offer alternatives. She made navigating the Croatian immigration process much easier. Sara and her team are exceptional. I cannot recommend them enough; I look forward to continued correspondence with her as we continue through the process.
Michael C.
Australia
Consulting
Very good service. If you are thinking of immigrating to Croatia a chat with Sara is mandatory. There are so many things one must consider. e.g. Immigration procedures and mandatory health care payments etc.
Bernadette B.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
My experience to date with Expat in Croatia has been terrific. The website contains a wealth of information which is vetted and updated regularly. After reviewing the website, I scheduled a consultation with Sara Dyson to discuss the process of obtaining citizenship by descent for myself and my siblings. In less than an hour Sara provided a comprehensive, detailed explanation of the process. She answered all my questions about housing, healthcare, and life in Croatia; and the references provided in a follow-up email were extremely helpful. I am especially impressed with the service they offer matching people applying for citizenship with Croatian lawyers who can assist them. It’s not a simple handoff; an Expat in Croatia representative remains engaged through the entire process and acts as a liaison between the client and the attorney. We will definitely be taking advantage of that service as we pursue our dream of obtaining Croatian citizenship. I look forward to working with Sara, Carol Anne and the entire Expat in Croatia team.
Anna G.
United States
Introduced to a Professional
My brothers and I reached out to Expat in Croatia, knowing nothing about the process or if we were even eligible to apply for citizenship. We worked with Steve, who determined that were eligible and connected us with Ines, our Croatian attorney. Ines was incredibly helpful throughout the process, answering all of our questions and helping to guide all 7 of us to get the paperwork needed to submit. The process took some time, but that mostly was on the end of the United States documentation needed, as we had to jump through a lot of hoops with various states to get the paperwork needed (especially in the State of NY, where we had to effectively sue to release our ancestral records). Once we had everything assembled (a Herculean effort as we dealt with records from 6 different states, including NY, which was tough!), we made our appointment with the consulate in Chicago and the consulate employee was also very helpful. Our meeting lasted about an hour, as she went through all of our documents and made sure we had everything we needed. We had everything we needed and even some additional documentation that was recommended and drafted by Ines. The Consulate even mentioned that it was a VERY good idea to work with an attorney for this, as it will help the process go even smoother. I cannot say enough good things about Expat in Croatia and Ines. Without them, we never would have been able to get this done! And now we wait for a few years for our approvals 🙂
Anna O.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
I am very grateful for Sara and the EIC team! I stumbled across Sara & EIC a few years ago and have acquired so much useful and interesting information through them. Sara and team are so friendly, professional and passionate with everything Croatia! I had a consulting session with Sara a few weeks ago, and it was very helpful. I’m so excited to hear where the team and services are heading. They offer so many invaluable services. I am also trying to achieve dual citizenship through lineage (both grandparents born in Croatia) and worked with one of their vetted professional lawyers, Ines, through the process. Ines is also wonderful. It’s so reassuring to know that if I am able to get to Croatia, there are people to help support me and show me the ropes. Thank you Sara & Team!
Bruce P.
South Africa
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
The consultation was very informative and presented professionally with all important points covered. The follow up email was prompt covering all that was relevant with an introduction to the vetted professional.
Nick A.
United States
Introduced to a Professional
My family needed help applying for Croatian citizenship. We were put in contact with Krešo, and he was very helpful, providing us with the information we needed to successfully submit our application. I would highly recommend working with Krešo for any similar needs!
Vandy S.
United States
Introduced to a Professional
We worked with Ines. Before contacting her, we had collected all the supporting documents ourselves – birth certificates, family tree, evidence of emigration, etc. – and had these ready when we had our initial consultation. At the consultation, Ines laid out the citizenship application process for us in detail. She answered all of our questions then, and also throughout the process. Ines was an indispensable help to us, especially since we were applying in Montenegro as temporary residents of that country. She handled the translations of all our documents, helped us with our applications and CVs, kept everything in order and on track, and communicated with several officials, both Croatian and Montenegrin on our behalf when English wasn’t their first language. Having Ines in our corner made the process run smoothly. We were glad that we had her expertise behind us.
View our other documentation posts
- Apostille versus full legalization of government documents
- How to apply for a Croatian passport
- How to apply for a national ID card
- How to get proof of citizenship (domovnica)
- How to get something notarized
- How to prepare your foreign documents for use in Croatia
- How to show proof of financial means
- How to register a person in the book of births (Matica rođenih)
- Which documents to bring with you to Croatia (if you plan to live here)
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.