At a glance
| Question | Answer for Canada |
|---|---|
| Document required | Croatian criminal record certificate from the Ministry of Justice (Potvrda iz kaznene evidencije). If you lived in Croatia in the last 6 months, also a court certificate of no criminal proceedings. |
| Apostille | Not asked for in the IRCC police certificate instructions. |
| Translation | Yes. A certified translation into English or French. |
| Validity | Canada decides, not Croatia. The certificate must be issued after your last long stay in Croatia. |
| Who can order | Anyone who lived in Croatia, Croatian citizen or not, from any country. |
If you are applying to live, work or become a citizen in Canada and you have lived in Croatia, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will usually ask you for a Croatian police certificate. This guide explains which documents IRCC wants, how to prepare them and how we can get them for you without a trip to Croatia.
Who needs a Croatian police certificate for Canada
IRCC asks for police certificates for permanent residence (including Express Entry), citizenship and International Experience Canada. Some other temporary residence applications may also need one. Depending on the program, you and each family member aged 18 or older may need one.
- Permanent residence: usually from every country where you lived for 6 months or more in a row since the age of 18.
- Citizenship (adults): from every country outside Canada where you stayed for 183 days or more in a row in the 4 years before you apply, counting only time since the age of 18. Check the current citizenship form and checklist for exceptions.
- Express Entry: after you receive an invitation to apply, you have 60 days to submit your application with police certificates. IRCC advises starting the police check early.
Time spent in Croatia before you turned 18 does not count. Always follow the document checklist for your own application.
Which Croatian documents Canada asks for
The IRCC page for Croatia lists two documents:
- Criminal record certificate from the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation (Potvrda iz kaznene evidencije, often called potvrda o nekažnjavanju). This is the main document everyone needs.
- Certificate of no criminal proceedings from a Croatian municipal court (Uvjerenje da se ne vodi kazneni postupak). According to IRCC, you do not need it if you have lived outside Croatia for the last 6 months or longer. Read more on our certificate of no criminal proceedings page.
IRCC also says you will need a copy of your passport or Croatian identity card to apply.
Avoid the e-Citizens printout. A certificate downloaded from e-Građani cannot be apostilled, and IRCC’s Croatia page does not say whether it accepts this electronic version. We order the paper certificate, signed and stamped at the Ministry, so you have a proper original to scan.
Apostille and translation
An apostille is an international stamp that makes a document valid abroad. IRCC’s police certificate instructions for Croatia do not ask for one. Other Canadian bodies, such as employers or professional regulators, sometimes have their own rules, so ask them if the certificate is not only for IRCC. Our price always includes an apostille.
Croatian certificates are issued in Croatian only, so you do need a translation. IRCC’s rules are:
- The translation must be into English or French.
- It must be done by a translator who is accredited in the country where the translation is made. In Croatia, the officially appointed translator is the court-sworn translator (stalni sudski tumač).
- You upload a colour scan of the original certificate together with the translation. Stamps and seals must be translated too.
- You, your family members and your representatives or consultants cannot do the translation.
We can arrange a sworn translation by a court-sworn translator, attached to the original. It is not part of the online order, so ask us for a price.
How long the certificate is valid for Canada
Croatian law does not set an expiry date on the certificate. Canada decides how recent it must be. Under IRCC’s current instructions:
- If you now live in Croatia, the certificate must be issued no more than 6 months before you submit your application.
- If you no longer live in Croatia, the certificate must be issued after your last stay of 6 months or more in a row there.
- IRCC may ask for an updated certificate while your application is being processed.
IRCC asks for colour scans of the original certificates. Plan your order so the certificate arrives in time for your deadline.
How to order through us
You can apply yourself online or through a Croatian embassy or consulate. If you prefer not to, a licensed Croatian attorney can apply for you with a power of attorney. You do not need to travel to Croatia, and you do not need an OIB.
- Fill in the order form. The price is €165, with the apostille included. Ask us for a price for the sworn translation.
- Sign the power of attorney and upload it with a scan of your passport.
- Pay the invoice we email you. Then our lawyer starts work.
- Receive the certificate as a colour scan by email and, if you choose it, the paper original by courier.
See how it works for the full process and usual timelines, and Prices for the price.
Questions about Canada
Do I need a Croatian certificate if I only lived in Croatia as a child?
No. IRCC does not ask for police certificates for time before the age of 18.
Can I upload the certificate, or must I post the original?
IRCC asks you to upload colour scans of the original certificate and its translation. Keep the paper original safe in case IRCC asks to see it.
I live in Croatia now. What do I need?
You need both the Ministry certificate and the court certificate of no criminal proceedings, and they must be issued no more than 6 months before you submit your application. Contact us and we will tell you how we can help.
What if I have a criminal record in Croatia?
The certificate will show it. Please contact the attorney before you order so your case can be looked at individually.
Official source
This guide summarises the instructions from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Rules can change, so check the latest instructions from IRCC before you apply: Police certificates: Croatia (canada.ca).
Ready to start? Order your Croatian police clearance certificate for Canada.