| Question | Answer for Germany |
|---|---|
| Document required | Croatian criminal record certificate (Potvrda iz kaznene evidencije) from the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation |
| Apostille | Croatian citizens: not required, because of EU rules. Everyone else: the German authority may ask for one |
| Translation | Usually a certified German translation. Croatian citizens without a conviction can attach a multilingual EU form, which can make a translation unnecessary |
| Validity | Set by the German authority, not Croatia. Some authorities want it no more than 3 months old when you submit it |
| Who can order | Anyone who has lived in Croatia, Croatian citizen or not, from anywhere in the world |
If you have lived in Croatia and now need documents for Germany, a German authority may ask for a Croatian police clearance certificate. This guide explains when, what the apostille and translation rules are, and how we get the certificate for you.
Who needs a Croatian certificate for Germany
The German authority that handles your application decides whether it needs a foreign police certificate and from which countries. Cases where one may be asked for include:
- Recognition of health professions. Nurses, doctors and other health workers who want their foreign qualification recognised may need a certificate of good conduct from their home country, and sometimes from the country where they studied or worked. If that country is Croatia, you need the Croatian certificate.
- Naturalisation (Einbürgerung). The naturalisation authority checks the German federal register. Some authorities also ask for a certificate from a country where you lived before. Check the latest instructions from your naturalisation authority.
- Jobs and licences. Some employers and licensing offices also ask for a foreign certificate.
The authority tells you which countries it needs. If you are not sure, ask it before you order.
Which Croatian document you need
In most cases you need the criminal record certificate (Potvrda iz kaznene evidencije), often called a “certificate of no convictions”. It is issued by the Ministry in Zagreb.
If a German authority asks for a document that shows no criminal proceedings are pending, in Croatia this is a separate certificate of no criminal proceedings from a municipal court. Get it only if the German authority asks for it. It is not part of the online order, so ask us for a price.
The certificate is issued in Croatian only. A licensed Croatian attorney applies for it on your behalf with a signed power of attorney, so you do not need to come to Croatia or contact the embassy. The free e-Citizens version (e-Građani) has no handwritten signature or stamp and cannot be apostilled, so it may not be accepted where a paper original or an apostille is needed.
Apostille and translation
An apostille is an international stamp that makes a document valid abroad. For Germany, the rule depends on your nationality:
- Croatian citizens. EU Regulation 2016/1191 covers certificates that show the absence of a criminal record, when Croatia issues them for its own citizens. Under this regulation, a German authority cannot ask for an apostille on it.
- Everyone else. The EU regulation does not cover a Croatian certificate issued for someone who is not a Croatian citizen, so the German authority may ask for an apostille. If you are, for example, a citizen of Nepal, India or the Philippines, you may need it. Our price always includes the apostille.
A translation is usually needed, because German authorities work in German. Many of them ask for a translation by a translator who is sworn or authorised in Germany. Check this before you order. Our sworn translation is made by a Croatian court interpreter (stalni sudski tumač). If you need a sworn translation, ask us for a price. It is not part of the online order. For Croatian citizens, if a translation is needed, Germany must accept a certified translation made by a qualified translator in another EU country. For others, the authority decides.
Multilingual EU form. Croatian citizens with no conviction can get a multilingual standard form with the certificate. It is a translation aid, and with it the German authority should ask for a translation only in exceptional cases. If you need it, contact us before you order.
How long the certificate is valid
Croatian law does not set an expiry date for the certificate. The German authority decides how recent it must be. Some authorities, for example Berlin’s office that recognises health qualifications, want it to be no more than 3 months old when you submit it. Check the latest instructions from your authority and plan your order so the certificate arrives shortly before you submit.
How to order through us
- Order online. Fill in the form on the Order page. The price is €165, with the apostille included. We email you an invoice, and our lawyer starts work when it is paid. See Prices.
- Sign the power of attorney. You download it, sign it and upload it. It does not need a notary.
- Receive your certificate. We send you a scan by email and, if you choose it, the paper original by courier. Ask the German authority whether it needs the paper original or a certified copy.
Read how it works for realistic timelines and what can cause a delay.
Frequently asked questions
I am not a Croatian citizen. Do I need an apostille?
It may be needed. The EU rules that remove the apostille apply only to Croatian citizens, so check with the German authority. You do not need to decide: our price always includes the apostille on the paper original.
I do not have an OIB. Can I still order?
Yes. The OIB (Croatian personal identification number) is not required for this certificate. Add it on the order form if you have one.
What if I have a criminal record in Croatia?
The certificate shows what is in the Croatian criminal records. We cannot give general advice about this. Please contact the attorney before you order.
Official source
Requirements differ between German authorities and can change, so check the latest instructions from the authority that handles your application. See the EU summary of Regulation 2016/1191 on public documents, section 30b of the German Federal Central Register Act (in German), a Berlin example for recognising a health qualification (in German) and the Croatian government page on the criminal record certificate.
Ready to start? Order your Croatian police clearance certificate.