Croatia Announces 1 Reason a Foreigner Could Lose Croatian Citizenship
- Croatia has published a specific condition under which a person can have their Croatian citizenship terminated
- The rule applies to both foreigners holding Croatian citizenship and Croatian nationals seeking citizenship in another country
- The Croatian government website outlines exactly what an applicant must declare when submitting a termination request
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While many countries around the world are actively publishing guidelines on how foreigners can qualify to become citizens, Croatia has taken a different approach by spelling out the one circumstance that can bring a person's Croatian citizenship to an end.
According to information published on the official Croatian government website, a person stands to lose their Croatian citizenship if they apply to become a citizen of another country.
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What Croatia's official policy states
This applies whether the individual is a foreigner who already holds Croatian citizenship alongside another nationality, or a Croatian national who is seeking admission into a foreign country's citizenship programme and is required to renounce their Croatian status as part of that process.
The Croatian government's published position reads:
"The application for the termination of Croatian citizenship shall be submitted if the applicant holds another citizenship together with Croatian citizenship or if the termination of Croatian citizenship is a requirement for admission to foreign citizenship."
In practical terms, this means two categories of people may find themselves filing for termination. The first group includes those who currently hold dual citizenship, with Croatia being one of the two nationalities, and who voluntarily choose to give up their Croatian status. The second group covers individuals who are in the process of naturalising in a foreign country that does not permit dual citizenship, making the surrender of Croatian citizenship a precondition for completing that application.
How this differs from other countries
The contrast with countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Germany, and Austria is notable. Those nations have invested significant effort in communicating pathways through which foreigners can earn citizenship, detailing residency requirements, language tests, and integration criteria. Croatia, by contrast, has drawn attention by clearly defining the exit condition rather than the entry route.
For Nigerians and other Africans exploring options in Europe, understanding the citizenship rules of individual countries remains essential, particularly as the Japa wave continues to push many towards relocation. Knowing not just how to gain citizenship, but also the conditions under which it can be lost, is a critical part of making informed decisions about where to settle permanently.
Germany announces reasons foreigners may lose citizenship
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Germany outlined one category of foreigners who are permanently barred from obtaining citizenship.
The government stated that foreigners convicted of offences motivated by racism, antisemitism or other forms of contempt for humanity cannot obtain German citizenship.
Source: Legit.ng
