Apostilles for Croatian Citizenship: Which Documents, Which Office, What Order

Which documents need an apostille

Every foreign-issued document in your application. For a single applicant that means:

Your own birth certificate
Birth certificates for each generation between you and your Croatian ancestor
Marriage certificates for each generation
Your ancestor's death certificate
Proof of your ancestor's naturalisation abroad, if it applies
Your FBI Identity History Summary (Canada: the RCMP certified criminal record check; Australia: the AFP National Police Check)

Applying with a spouse adds your own marriage certificate, your spouse's birth certificate and your spouse's police check. Your ancestor's Croatian birth or baptismal record does not need one; it's a Croatian document already.

One more that catches people later: after approval, registering your birth in Croatia needs an apostilled copy of your foreign birth certificate that is less than six months old. Order more certified copies than you think you need, up front.

United States: state or federal?

This is the mistake that costs the most time. The apostille comes from whichever authority issued the underlying document.

FBI Identity History Summary: the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. (If a State Police issued your check because you lived overseas, that state apostilles it.)
State-issued birth and marriage certificates: the state. Some states offer online ordering for state-issued documents; the National Association of Secretaries of State (nass.org) lists each state's office.

Three ways to get the federal apostille

Route	Time	Cost
Mail-in	Roughly five weeks or more	Cheapest
Walk-in drop-off at the D.C. office	Typically about a week	Low, if you can get there
Paid expedited courier service	Fastest	I paid about $500

If you use a courier, compare prices and confirm they're legitimate: real reviews, a clear process, a real D.C. address.

Why applications get rejected

An apostille issued for the wrong underlying document. A document sent to the wrong authority (state instead of federal, or the reverse). A missing certified copy underneath the apostille.

Canada

Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention in January 2024, so Canadians now get a true apostille rather than the old authentication-and-legalisation route. Which authority depends on which province issued or notarised the document.

Alberta: Ministry of Justice, mail only, about $25 per document, 7–10 business days
British Columbia: Ministry of Attorney General, mail only, about $20 per document, 4–6 weeks
Ontario: Official Document Services, mail or in person in Toronto, about $16–32 per document, around 15 business days by mail
Saskatchewan: Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, mail only, several business days
Quebec: Ministère de la Justice du Québec, mail only, about $66.50 per document, at least 10 working days
Everything else, including federal documents: Global Affairs Canada. Mail only, no in-person service, no expediting, free, about 20 business days. No third party needed.

Canadian apostilles don't expire, but the underlying document might: the six-month rule on a background check still applies.

Australia

Only DFAT issues apostilles. No state government, no post office, no JP. You'll typically apostille the AFP police check, your birth certificate and your marriage certificate. Some documents (photocopies, certain formats) need a notary public first, not a JP.

Apply by mail or in person at some DFAT offices. The fee is about AUD $102 per document, with priority at extra cost; processing takes two to four weeks, and the apostille is a physical certificate only. Batch all your documents together. The AFP certificate has no printed expiry, but consulates and MUP want one issued within the last six months, so the order that works is: police check first, then vital records, then apostille everything in one batch.

Then, and only then, the translation

Apostille first, translate second. A translation done before the apostille can be invalidated, and you pay for it again. Use a sworn translator on your consulate's approved list (konzularniportal.mvep.hr) or the EU e-Justice Portal; documents translated by anyone outside that list will likely be rejected.

You don't send originals to the translator. Send scans as one multi-page PDF with the apostille attached. Expect €20–€30 per page, which works out to roughly €100–€200 for a single applicant and €200–€400 for a couple. Get two or three quotes. Both the document and the apostille itself get a translation package: copy, Croatian translation, translator's certificate.

The full process, with the country-specific detail

The Complete Guide covers every step from first records to a filed application, with addendums for Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and Chile included. $19.

See the Complete Guide

Questions people ask

Who apostilles my FBI check?

The U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Only a check issued by a State Police (if you lived overseas) is apostilled by that state.

How long does a federal apostille take?

Mail-in is roughly five weeks or more. Walk-in drop-off at the D.C. office is typically about a week. A paid courier service is the fastest and most expensive; I paid about $500.

Should I translate before or after the apostille?

After. The apostille goes on first. Translating first can invalidate the translation and mean paying for it twice.

Does the apostille itself need translating?

Yes. The apostille gets its own translation package: a copy, the Croatian translation and the translator's certificate, alongside the one for the document.

How long is the FBI check good for?

Generally about six months, so request it with your timeline roughly mapped out.

Where do Canadians get apostilles?

Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Quebec issue their own. Everything else, including federal documents, goes through Global Affairs Canada: free, mail only, about 20 business days.

Can an Australian JP or state office apostille my documents?

No. Only DFAT issues apostilles in Australia, about AUD $102 per document, two to four weeks, and it's a physical certificate only.

Can I use any certified translator?

No. Use a sworn translator on your consulate's approved list. Translations from anyone else will likely be rejected.