This post has been verified by the ministry that handles citizenship as well as immigration lawyers specializing in citizenship.

UPDATED: 19.1.2023.

When obtaining Croatian citizenship, some applicants want to know what are their options to relinquish their new citizenship later down the line in case laws or tax liability changes.

In other cases, some may need to give up their nationality to gain the nationality of another foreign country. It is possible to give up your Croatian nationality, in most situations.

In this post, we cover:

• How it works
• Criteria for termination of Croatian nationality
  • Release from Croatian nationality
  • Renunciation from Croatian nationality
• How to apply for termination of Croatian nationality

The facts are these…

How to terminate your Croatian nationality

How it works

The procedure for termination of Croatian nationality is carried out by the Ministry of the Interior (MUP).

Croatian nationals can apply for termination of their Croatian nationality if:

• They possess foreign nationality in addition to Croatian nationality OR
• A foreign state guarantees them admission to their nationality on the condition that Croatian nationality ceases

According to the Croatian Nationality Act (Zakon o hrvatskom državljanstvu), Croatian nationality can end by:

• Release (otpust)
• Renunciation (odricanje)
• Under international agreements (po međunarodnim ugovorima)

Croatian nationals who are released from Croatian citizenship for the purpose of acquiring foreign citizenship due to requirements of a foreign state in which they reside (as a precondition for performing any vocation or activity), may re-acquire Croatian citizenship.

Croatian nationality ends by release on the day of delivery of a positive decision of release.

Croatian nationals who renunciate Croatian nationality cannot be readmitted to Croatian nationality. In this case, they can only apply for Croatian nationality through naturalization.

[Read: How to apply for Croatian citizenship]

Croatian nationality ends by renunciation on the day of stating renunciation of Croatian nationality.

Criteria for termination of Croatian nationality

Release from Croatian nationality

For the termination of Croatian nationality by release, you must meet a number of conditions.

• You are at least 18 years of age
• There are no disturbances related to military obligations
• Taxes, fees, and other public benefits have been paid
• Liabilities to natural and legal persons in Croatia have been settled
• Property obligations from marital relationships and obligations of parents and children towards Croatian nationals and persons who remain living in Croatia are regulated
• You have foreign nationality or proof that you will get foreign nationality

A release from Croatian nationality cannot be approved for:

• People against whom criminal proceedings are being conducted in Croatia for acts prosecuted ex officio
• People sentenced to imprisonment until they serve the sentence

For children to be released from Croatian nationality, one of the following criteria must be met:

• Both parents whose Croatian nationality was terminated by release must jointly request a release for their child
• If the Croatian nationality of one parent was terminated by release and the other parent is a foreign national
• If the Croatian nationality of one parent was terminated by release and the other parent who is a Croatian citizen gives written consent for the release of the child from Croatian citizenship

Renunciation from Croatian nationality

Adult Croatian nationals with residency abroad and foreign nationality can renunciate their Croatian nationality.

The process of termination of Croatian nationality by renunciation is easier. You just have to give a statement that you renunciate Croatian nationality by your own will.

Children up to the age of 18 can renunciate from Croatian nationality in these cases:

• At the request of parents whose Croatian nationality has been renounced
• If one of the parents has lost Croatian nationality by renouncing and the other parent is a foreign national

How to apply for termination of Croatian nationality

#1 Collect the documentation

A. Documentation for release from Croatian nationality

When applying, you must enclose this documentation:

• Application form
  • Form for adults – Download here
  • Form for adults and children – Download here
• Biography
• Birth certificate issued on the prescribed form by international treaties and conventions (not required if you were born in Croatia)
• Proof of foreign nationality or guarantee of a foreign body on admission to foreign nationality translated into Croatian by a certified court interpreter
• Certified copy of a valid identity document
  • Passport
  • Identity card
• Special power of attorney if you are represented by an authorized person

For minor children, you must enclose this documentation:

• Application form – It is available to download here
• Birth certificate (not required if they were born in Croatia)
• Certified copy of a valid identity document, if any
• Excerpt from the Register of marriage (Matica vjenčanih) of the child’s legal representative
  • Not required if parents were married in Croatia or their foreign marriage is entered into the Register of marriage
  • If the application is submitted by only one parent, proof of the civil status of the other parent must be attached
• Copy of the judgment on divorce issued by the competent court (for divorced parents)
• Guarantee of admission to foreign nationality OR proof of possession of the child’s foreign nationality (certificate or certified copy of travel document)
• Special power of attorney if you are represented by an authorized person

B. Documentation for renunciation of the Croatian nationality

When applying, you must enclose this documentation:

• Application form
  • Form for adults – Download here
  • Form for adults and children – Download here
• Biography
• Birth certificate (not required if you were born in Croatia)
• Hand-signed and duly certified Statement of renunciation of Croatian nationality with the date
• Certified copy of a valid identity document
  • Passport
  • Identity card
• Proof of foreign nationality
  • Certificate
  • Certified copy of travel document
• Proof of residence in a foreign country
• Special power of attorney if you are represented by an authorized person

For minor children, you must enclose this documentation:

• Application form – Download here
• Birth certificate (not required if they were born in Croatia)
• Certified copy of a valid identity document, if any
• Excerpt from the Register of marriage (Matica vjenčanih) of the child’s legal representative
  • Not required if parents were married in Croatia or their foreign marriage is entered to the Register of marriage
  • If the application is submitted by only one parent, proof of the civil status of the other parent must be attached
• Copy of the judgment on divorce issued by the competent court (for divorced parents)
• Proof of possession of the child’s foreign nationality (certificate or certified copy of travel document)
• Special power of attorney if you are represented by an authorized person

#2 Submit the application

After you collect all required documents, you can apply for termination of Croatian nationality. You must do it in person.

The application can be submitted at:

• MUP administrative office according to your address – Full list is available here
• Croatian diplomatic mission or consular office abroad – Full list is available here

If you are a person with a disability, you can apply through a legal or authorized representative.

If you submit the request at the diplomatic mission or consular office, you will pay a consular fee on the spot or at a bank when applying.

#3 Wait for the solution

You should now wait for a written invitation from MUP or diplomatic mission to come and receive the solution. If your request is unclear, incomplete, or contains other formal deficiencies, they will send you an invite to come and solve the gaps.

If you submitted the request at MUP administrative office, you’ll need to pay an administrative fee for:

• Decision on termination of Croatian nationality – 334,46 euro

Administrative fees can be paid via payment slip at:

• Postal office
• FINA
• Bank

[Read: Croatia’s biggest banks: Comparison of fees and services]

Payment information is available here.

If you submitted the request at a Croatian diplomatic mission or consular office abroad, you don’t have to pay an administrative fee. You can go to the diplomatic mission and receive your solution.

#4 Pick up the solution

If you submitted the request in Croatia, you can pick up the solution at the same MUP administrative office. You must show them proof of paid administrative fees.

If you submitted the request abroad, you can pick up the solution at the same diplomatic mission.

When picking up the solution, you will have to sign an invoice indicating the exact date of receipt of the decision. It is proof that you received the decision.

If you get a positive solution, your Croatian documents (passport, identity card, border pass) will be canceled.

View our other citizenship posts

• 11 things to know before applying for Croatian citizenship
• All about the Croatian citizenship test
• Croatian Central State Office for Croats Abroad
• How children of Croatians can register their citizenship
• How to apply for Croatian citizenship based on naturalization if you are an EU/EEA citizen
• How to apply for Croatian citizenship (hrvatsko državljanstvo)
• How to apply for citizenship based on descent
• How to get proof of citizenship (domovnica)

Sources:
Zakon o hrvatskom državljanstvu
Upute o proceduri: prestanak hrvatskog državljanstva
Sve više Hrvata traži otpust iz državljanstva, najviše ih zanimaju ove putovnice by Novilist