Community Connections | November 2026
Interview by Philip Kocovski, NAATI-Certified Croatian Translator, Balkan Translations
Our Community Connections series introduces professionals whose work intersects with certified translations, official records and cross-border legal or administrative matters. Through these interviews, we share practical insights for Australians with personal, family or business connections to the Balkans.
For the first interview in the series, Philip Kocovski, a NAATI-Certified Croatian Translator on the Balkan Translations team, spoke with Krešimir Librenjak, an Attorney at Law at Z&A Law in Zagreb, Croatia. Balkan Translations regularly works with Krešimir when clients need assistance with Croatian legal matters, obtaining official records or preparing documentation for Croatian authorities. Our team includes three NAATI-certified Croatian translators who assist Australians with documents relating to Croatian citizenship, family history and other matters.
Croatian citizenship and ancestry
Balkan Translations: Many of our Australian clients have Croatian ancestry and are interested in applying for Croatian citizenship or moving to Croatia. From your perspective as a lawyer in Zagreb, what should they establish before starting a citizenship application?
Krešimir: The most useful first step is to establish which citizenship procedure applies to the individual. Having Croatian ancestry can provide a basis for an application, but the correct route depends on the family’s circumstances, including the citizenship of the applicant’s parents and the ancestor’s emigration history.
For many Australians, the relevant route is naturalisation as a descendant of a Croatian emigrant under Article 11 of the Croatian Citizenship Act. Eligible applicants under this provision do not need to reside in Croatia, pass a Croatian language and culture test or renounce their existing citizenship to meet the Croatian requirements. However, they must establish that their ancestor qualifies as an emigrant under the Act, document the family connection and satisfy the remaining statutory conditions.
Other applicants may already have acquired Croatian citizenship through a parent and need assistance establishing or registering that status. Reviewing the family history and existing documents before ordering certificates or arranging translations helps identify the appropriate procedure and the evidence required.
Finding historical Croatian records
Balkan Translations: We frequently hear from Australians trying to locate birth, marriage and death records for ancestors who emigrated from territories that were once part of Austria-Hungary, the Kingdom of Italy or Yugoslavia. Some are searching for old parish registers or baptismal records. We often tell clients that where possible a birth certificate (rodni list) is always preferabl to a baptismal certificate (krsni list). How should they approach finding Croatian family records, particularly those dating from before 1945?
Krešimir: Many historical records remain available, but locating them often requires more precise information than the family initially has. Knowing the village or parish can be particularly useful, because records may be held by a local registry office, a regional state archive, the Croatian State Archives or a church institution.
A search usually starts with the ancestor’s full name, alternative spellings, approximate date and place of birth, parents’ names and copies of any existing family documents. An old passport, Australian marriage certificate or naturalisation record can provide valuable clues.
Historical changes in borders, place names and personal names also need to be considered. A person may appear under different versions of the same name in different records.
Locating these records may require enquiries with several institutions and, in some cases, assistance from an archivist or genealogist. Finding a church record does not automatically establish citizenship eligibility: its evidential value depends on its contents and the legal basis of the application.
Balkan Translations: Many clients are unsure which Croatian institution holds the documents they need, and some have no relatives in Croatia who can help. Can a Croatian lawyer assist them in obtaining these records without travelling to Croatia?
Krešimir: With appropriate authorisation, an attorney can request and obtain records from the competent Croatian registry offices, archives and other institutions, subject to their access requirements. Depending on the institution and the type of document, this can generally be arranged without the client travelling to Croatia.
The purpose of the request should be established first. An archival research copy, a certified copy of a historical entry and a newly issued civil-status certificate are not necessarily interchangeable. The receiving authority’s requirements determine which document and form of certification are needed.
Preparing a Croatian citizenship application
Balkan Translations: Once applicants have gathered their family records, what should they do next? Australians generally apply through the Croatian Embassy or the relevant consular office. What should they know about preparing and submitting an application, and how long might the process take?
Krešimir: Before the appointment, the application should be checked for completeness and consistency. This includes the legal basis, the documents connecting each generation, any name changes or discrepancies, and the applicant’s biography and supporting explanation. Document requirements concerning recent issue dates, Apostilles and Croatian translations should also be checked.
Applications for naturalisation generally need to be submitted in person. An attorney may assist with preparing the application, supplementary submissions and communication with the Croatian authorities, but representation does not replace any requirement for the applicant’s personal attendance. The Ministry of the Interior decides the application.
The Croatian mission in Australia currently indicates an approximate processing period of 12–24 months for a complete application, while expressly noting that individual cases may take less or more time. This should be treated as an estimate rather than a guaranteed deadline.
For naturalisation, citizenship is acquired when the positive decision is served. Registration in the citizenship register follows, and the domovnica is evidence of citizenship. Applying for a Croatian passport is a separate step.
Obtaining Croatian documents for use in Australia
Balkan Translations: We also translate Croatian documents for people applying for Australian student, partner and visitor visas, as well as permanent residence. If someone living in Australia needs a Croatian birth certificate, court decision or other official document that they do not have, how can your firm assist?
Krešimir: With the necessary authorisation, an attorney can assist with obtaining Croatian civil-status certificates, court decisions and other official records for use abroad. The procedure depends on the document, the issuing institution and any applicable access restrictions.
The exact requirements of the Australian authority should be established before documents are requested. Where an Apostille is required, it should generally be obtained before translation so that the relevant certification can also be translated. The completed documentation must meet the receiving authority’s requirements.
Balkan Translations: Managing paperwork across two countries can be challenging, particularly when there are language barriers and unfamiliar legal requirements. We often try to explain to clients that what is known as a ‘police check’ in Australia can be comprised of a few documents in Croatia, namely a Potvrda iz kaznene evidencije (Crimincal Record Certificate), a Potvrda iz prekršajne evidencije (Misdemeanour Record Certificate) and Uvjerenje da se ne vodi kazneni postupak (Certificate of no pending criminal proceedings). Australian authorities are familiar with these documents, and who issues them in Croatia, and will tell our clients to obtain certified translations for all three of them when submitting a visa or citizenship request with Home Affairs.
Beyond obtaining documents, what assistance can a Croatian lawyer provide, and when would a client need advice from an Australian immigration professional?
Krešimir: A Croatian attorney’s role in these matters concerns Croatian law and Croatian documentation. This may include explaining Croatian procedures in English, reviewing official correspondence, preparing powers of attorney and addressing discrepancies in personal records.
Advice on Australian visa eligibility and Australian immigration procedures should be obtained from a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner who provides immigration assistance. Where necessary and with the client’s consent, the Croatian documentation can be coordinated with that adviser and the translator.
Croatian inheritance and probate proceedings
Balkan Translations: Another situation we regularly encounter involves Australians who have lost a relative overseas and received documents relating to a Croatian estate. We are sometimes asked to translate a nasljednička izjava (inheritance declaration) for use in Croatian probate proceedings. What should an heir in Australia understand before signing such a document, and how can your firm assist with the process from Croatia?
Krešimir: The first step is to understand the document’s legal effect before signing it. Under Croatian inheritance law, an inheritance declaration is not generally a compulsory condition for inheriting. A person who has not renounced an inheritance is generally treated as wishing to inherit. However, court or notarial correspondence should still be reviewed promptly, particularly where a hearing or deadline is approaching.
Before a declaration is signed, the probate documents should be reviewed to establish the person’s inheritance rights, the estate’s assets, potential debts and the available choices. Where the deceased lived abroad, jurisdiction, the applicable inheritance law and any foreign probate proceedings also need to be considered.
The wording of an acceptance or renunciation matters. These declarations are generally irrevocable, and a renunciation may also affect the heir’s descendants. The declaration or power of attorney should therefore reflect the person’s intended decision and meet the formal requirements applicable to the proceedings.
If the document is signed before an Australian Notary Public, the usual process includes obtaining an Apostille and arranging Croatian translations covering the relevant English-language certifications, including the Apostille. It is best to confirm the complete signing and document requirements before booking the notarial appointment.
With an appropriately worded power of attorney, an attorney can represent an heir in Croatian probate proceedings, subject to any requirement for personal participation. Where the estate includes real estate, the land-register position should also be checked, together with the steps required to register the inherited ownership after the inheritance decision becomes final.
Other legal services in Croatia
Balkan Translations: In addition to citizenship, document retrieval and inheritance matters, what other legal services do you and your firm provide?
Krešimir: Alongside the matters discussed, my practice includes Croatian residence and work permits, real estate and land-registration matters, company formation, commercial contracts and employment law.
Balkan Translations: Thank you, Krešimir, for sharing these insights into Croatian citizenship, historical records and inheritance proceedings. We appreciate your time and the assistance you provide to clients navigating legal and administrative matters in Croatia.
About Krešimir Librenjak and Z&A Law
Krešimir Librenjak is an Attorney at Law at Z&A Law in Zagreb, Croatia. His practice includes Croatian citizenship and residence matters, inheritance law and real estate law. Learn more at the Z&A Law website here.
About Balkan Translations
Balkan Translations is an Australian-owned, translator-led translation service specialising in NAATI-certified Croatian translations and other Balkan languages. Our translators help clients across Australia with certified translations of birth, marriage and death certificates, citizenship and immigration documents, court records, inheritance declarations and other official paperwork. We work directly with clients who need clear, accurate document translations for Australian authorities and cross-border matters, subject to the receiving authority’s requirements.
