Croatia Lists 4 Ways Foreigners Can Get Citizenship Without a Residence Permit
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- Croatia's government website officially listed the categories of people who can obtain citizenship without a regulated residence permit
- Emigrants and their descendants are among those who qualify, alongside members of the Croatian people and those deemed to serve national interest
- Minor children are also covered under specific conditions depending on the citizenship status of their parents
Croatia has outlined four distinct categories of foreigners who are eligible to obtain Croatian citizenship without first fulfilling the country's standard residence requirements.
The information is published directly on the Croatian government's official website, which poses the question: "How can a person who does not have a regulated residence permit in the Republic of Croatia acquire Croatian citizenship?" The answer covers four specific groups.
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1. Emigrants and their descendants
The first category covers emigrants, their descendants, and their spouses under Article 11 of the Croatian Citizenship Act. This provision is particularly relevant for members of the Croatian diaspora scattered across the globe, as it creates a pathway to citizenship that does not depend on physical residency in the country.
2. Croatia's national interest
Under Article 12 of the Act, a person whose admission to Croatian citizenship is considered to serve the interests of the Republic of Croatia may also qualify. This category is broader and more discretionary, allowing Croatian authorities to grant citizenship on a case-by-case basis where an individual's background, expertise, or contribution is seen as beneficial to the state.
3. Minor children of qualifying parents
The third category involves minor children in several specific situations. A child qualifies if both parents acquired Croatian citizenship by birth. A child where one parent obtains citizenship by birth under Article 11, paragraph 1, or Article 16 of the Act is also eligible.
Additionally, a minor child whose one parent acquired Croatian citizenship by birth, while the other parent is stateless or of unknown citizenship, and the child lives abroad, falls within this group under Article 13, paragraph 1, item 3 of the Act.
4. Members of the Croatian people
The fourth category, covered under Article 16 of the Act, applies to persons who identify as members of the Croatian people. This provision extends the possibility of citizenship to individuals of Croatian ethnic heritage who may have been born and raised entirely outside Croatia.
It is worth noting that all adults who acquire Croatian citizenship through naturalisation must still satisfy the conditions set out in Article 8, paragraph 1, item 5 of the Croatian Citizenship Act, regardless of which of the above categories they fall under.
Croatia names groups exempt from work permits
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Croatia listed 15 categories of third-country nationals who can legally work in the country without obtaining a separate work permit.
The categories include people with certain family, humanitarian, research, and long-term residence statuses, as well as students who can work up to 20 hours per week.
Source: Legit.ng
