| Question | Answer for Australia |
|---|---|
| Document required | Croatian criminal record certificate from the Ministry of Justice (Potvrda iz kaznene evidencije). In some cases also a court certificate of no criminal proceedings. |
| Apostille | We have not seen it asked for in Home Affairs guidance on police certificates. Check the latest instructions from Home Affairs. Our price always includes one. |
| Translation | Yes. A certified translation into English. |
| Validity | Australia decides, not Croatia. Home Affairs generally treats a police certificate as current for 12 months from the date of issue. |
| Who can order | Anyone who lived in Croatia, Croatian citizen or not, from any country. |
If you are applying for an Australian visa or Australian citizenship and you have lived in Croatia, the Department of Home Affairs will usually ask you for a Croatian police certificate.
Who needs a Croatian police certificate for Australia
Home Affairs uses police certificates to check that you meet the character requirement. In general, you need a police certificate from every country where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years, counted from the age of 16. Short stays add up: two stays of 6 and 7 months count as 13 months.
- Permanent and many temporary visas: for example skilled, partner and family visas. Each person in the application who is 17 or older usually needs their own certificate. Check the age limit in the instructions for your visa.
- Australian citizenship: the citizenship forms use their own rule for time spent outside Australia. Check the current citizenship form before you order.
- When to provide it: some applications ask you to attach police certificates when you apply. For others, Home Affairs asks for them later. Follow the instructions for your own visa subclass, or the request letter from your case officer.
Most documents are uploaded to your ImmiAccount as clear colour scans. Home Affairs may ask to see an original, so keep the paper certificate safe.
Which Croatian documents Australia asks for
The main document is the criminal record certificate (Potvrda iz kaznene evidencije). It is issued by the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation in Zagreb. It shows whether you have a criminal conviction recorded in Croatia.
You may also be asked for a certificate of no criminal proceedings (Uvjerenje da se ne vodi kazneni postupak). A municipal court issues it, and it shows that no criminal case against you is open in Croatia. It is more likely to be asked for if you still live in Croatia or left recently. Check the latest instructions from Home Affairs for Croatia to see if you need it. See our page on the certificate of no criminal proceedings.
Some applicants may also be asked for a Croatian misdemeanour record certificate (Potvrda iz prekršajne evidencije). Check the latest instructions from Home Affairs. If they ask for it, contact us before you order.
Apostille and translation
An apostille is an international stamp that makes a document valid abroad. We have not seen an apostille requirement in Home Affairs guidance on police certificates for visa or citizenship applications. Check the latest instructions from Home Affairs for your application. Our price always includes an apostille, so you have one if another Australian body, or your migration agent, asks for it. See our apostille page.
A translation is needed. Croatian certificates are issued in Croatian only, and Home Affairs asks for an English translation of any document that is not in English. In general:
- if the translation is made in Australia, the translator should be accredited by NAATI (the national translator accreditation body);
- if it is made outside Australia, the translator should add their full name, address, phone number and details of their qualifications and experience to the translation;
- you upload both the Croatian certificate and the translation.
We can arrange a sworn translation into English by a Croatian court-certified translator. Please check that this type of translation meets the instructions for your application. It is not part of the online order, so ask us for a price.
How long the certificate is valid
Croatian law does not set an expiry date for the certificate. Australia decides how long it accepts it. Home Affairs generally treats a police certificate as current for 12 months from the date of issue. If your certificate becomes older than that before a decision, or you return to Croatia for a long stay, Home Affairs may ask for a new one.
So order it when you are close to applying, or when Home Affairs asks for it.
How to order through us
You do not need to travel to Croatia. A licensed Croatian attorney applies for the certificate on your behalf.
- Order online. Fill in the order form. The price is €165, with the apostille included. We email you an invoice, and our lawyer starts work when it is paid.
- Sign the power of attorney. You download it, sign it and upload it. It does not need a notary.
- Receive your documents. We email you a scan to upload to ImmiAccount, and send the original by courier if you choose that option.
For costs, see Pricing. For each step and the usual timelines, see How it works.
Frequently asked questions
I lived in Croatia for only 8 months. Do I need a certificate?
Usually not for a visa, if your total time in Croatia in the last 10 years is under 12 months. But Home Affairs can still ask for one, and citizenship uses its own rule.
I am not a Croatian citizen. Can I still get the certificate?
Yes. The certificate is available to anyone, whatever their nationality. An OIB (Croatian personal identification number) helps but is not required.
Can I upload a scan, or do I need to post the original?
Home Affairs usually accepts a clear colour scan uploaded to ImmiAccount. Keep the original, because Home Affairs may ask to see it.
What if I have a criminal record in Croatia?
Please contact the attorney before you order, so your situation can be discussed in confidence.
Official source
Requirements change and differ by visa subclass. Always check the latest instructions from Home Affairs on its overseas police certificates page (choose Croatia) and in your ImmiAccount. We are a private legal service and are not connected to any government.
Ready to start? Order your Croatian police clearance certificate.