Legal Requirements per nationality

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Croatia has different dokument-requirements depending on Nationality


"Make sure to check your paperwork carefully and remember...
if you are an expatriate you might have to collect extra paperwork."

Other Nationalities
Find out the legal Procedure for civil weddings

Germany , Australia, Holland and Norway.
Explains which paperwork is needed to marry in Croatia.

Click HERE now!



UK Citizens
Procedure for residents and expatriats

ALL documents must be originals issued max. 90 days
and min. 45 days prior to the wedding day.

Legal Paperwork


  • Certificates of no Impediment

    Contact your local UK registrar and give notice of marriage.
    The certificate of no impediment is issued after 21 days.

  • Long Birth Certificates

    Issued in the city in which you were born
    Contact the office of births, deaths and marriages.

  • Passport Copies

    Do not require apostile, just make sure they inlcude the same middle names as are mentionned on your birth certificate.
    You need passport scans or copies for the both of you and your 2 witnesses.

  • No Impediment

    As you are living in the United Kingdom you may obtain the certificate of no impediment by going to your local UK registrar. You give what is called Notice of Marriage to the registrar and after 21 days have elapsed, if no impediment is shown, the certificate is issued. The second step you have to take is to have this document (called FORM 268) verified by stamp apostille.

  • Passport copies

    Do not require apostile, just make sure they inlcude the same middle names as are mentionned on your birth certificate.
    You need passport scans or copies for the both of you and your 2 witnesses.

  • The Stamp Apostile

    Can be gotten by post or in person at The Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes:
    Costs: approx. £28.8 per document
    Phone: 03700 00 22 44 (Monday to Friday 10:30-13:30)
    Email: legalisationoffice@fco.gov.uk

  • Certificate of no Impediment

    Contact the UK consulate in the city where you currently reside.
    This document is issued after 21 days. Once you have it, it must be forwarded to the UK consul in Croatia.

  • Long Birth Certificates

    Issued in the city in which you were born.
    Contact the office of births, deaths and marriages.
    It requires verification by stamp apostile in Milton Keynes.

  • Certificate of Law

    Contact the UK consulate in Croatia.
    After the consulate has received the certificate of no impediment they will issue 2 documents which require verification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Zagreb.



Irish Citizens
Procedure for residents and expatriats

ALL documents must be originals issued max. 90 days
and min. 45 days prior to the wedding day.

Legal Paperwork


  • Certificat de Coutume

    Contact the Department of Foreign Affairs - Consular Section.
    This document is issued after 21 days.

  • Long Birth Certificates

    Issued in the city you were born in.
    Contact the office of births, deaths and marriages.

  • Passport copies

    Of yourselves and both your witnesses.

  • Certificate de Coutume

    Contact the Consular Section - Dept of Foreign Affairs Dublin 2
    Phone:(01) 408 2682 (between 10.00h - 13.00h)
    For the Munster area: contact the Consular Section in Cork
    Phone: 021 4944763 / 021 4944777 (between 10.00h - 13.00h)
    Download the PDF questionnaire on their website to request this certificate.

  • Passport copies

    Do not require apostile, just make sure they inlcude the same middle names as are mentionned on your birth certificate.
    You need passport scans or copies for the both of you and your 2 witnesses.

  • The Stamp Apostile

    The Consular Services Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs has responsibility for the Authentication of documents.
    Costs: approx. 20€ / document
    You can post or present your document at the Dept. of Foreign affairs, check carefully on their website which is the right address.
    Both the Birth certificate as well as the Certificat de Coutume require apostile verification.

  • Certificat de Coutume

    Contact the Embassy of Ireland in the city where you currently reside.
    Have it forwarded to the Embassy of Ireland in Slovenia (they are reponsable for Croatia as well). They will issue 2 more documents which require verification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Zagreb.

  • Long Birth Certificates

    Issued in the city you were born in.
    Contact the office of births, deaths and marriages.
    It requires verification by stamp apostile in Ireland.

  • Passport Copies

    Do not require apostile, just make sure they inlcude the same middle names as are mentionned on your birth certificate.
    You need passport scans or copies for the both of you and your 2 witnesses.



US citizens
Procedure for residents and expatriats

Birth Certificates must be originals issued max. 90 days
prior to the wedding day.

Legal Paperwork


  • Sworn Statement

    Contact the U.S. Consular office in Zagreb.
    You will need to go there in person prior to the wedding.

  • Long Birth Certificates

    Issued in the city you were born in,
    NOT in any US embassy.

  • Passport copies

    Of yourselves and both your witnesses.
    These not require apostile, just make sure they inlcude the same middle names as are mentionned on your birth certificate.

  • Sworn Statement

    The sworn statement is made by the American citizen before a U.S. Consular office in Zagreb, stating that the person in question is an American citizen, that he/she is free to marry, and that the marriage contracted in Croatia will be regarded as valid by U.S.

    The US Embassy closes at 12.00 pm, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs closes at 16.00pm, so be sure to go to the US Embassy early in the morning.
    The fee is $30.

  • Legalisation of the Sworn Statement

    The document supplied by the US Embassy also must be authenticated at the Consular Section of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, located at Petreticev trg 2, 10000 Zagreb.
    The contact number at the Ministry is +385-1-4599-263.
    The government fee (biljeg) is 60 kunas (approximately $10).
    The Croatian government makes an exception for the statutory declaration issued in Zagreb (with verification stamp): this can be gotten few days prior to the wedding.

  • The Stamp Apostile

    You can get the stamp apostile for your birth certificate at the respective secretaries of state in America, not in Zagreb!
    There are now also possibilities to apply for your apostile online in the US.

  • Expatriats

    You have exactly the same procedure as described for US residents.
    There are NO differences.



Canadian citizens
Procedure for residents and expatriats

ALL documents must be originals issued max. 90 days
prior to the wedding day.

Legal Paperwork


  • Statutory Declaration of single status

    Contact a notary or sollicitor.

  • Long Birth Certificates

    Issued in the city you were born in,
    This certificate requires double legalisation.

  • Passport copies

    Of yourselves and both your witnesses.
    These not require apostile, just make sure they inlcude the same middle names as are mentionned on your birth certificate.

  • Legalisation of the Birth Certificate

    The birth certificate needs to be legalised first at the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then at the Croatian Embassy in Canada, which is in Ottawa.
    All this has to be completed within 60 to 45 days prior to the wedding day.

  • Legalisation of the Sworn Statement

    The document must be stamped and signed by a solliciter / notary.

  • The passport copies

    Do not require any form of legalisation.

  • Long Birth Certificates

    Issued in the city you were born in,
    This certificate requires double legalisation by the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then at the Croatian Embassy in Canada

  • Declaration of the Embassy

    The Canadian Embassy in Zagreb will issue two documents: one is the "ability to marry" and the other is a document regarding "the recognition in Canada of marriages performed abroad".

    The Canadian Embassy closes at 12.00 pm, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs closes at 16.00pm, so be sure to go to the Embassy early in the morning.
    You must have both documents validated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

  • Timeframe

    The birth certificate and legalisation stamps must be issued between 90 to 45 days prior to the wedding.
    The Croatian government makes an exception for the 2 documents issued in Zagreb (with verification stamp): this can be gotten few days prior to the wedding.