|
|
Post by jamesmb on Jan 12, 2018 14:47:44 GMT 1
Hi everyone
Right, so I'll put it all on the table and I'll sit back and accept any advice/brickbats that come flying my way!
My dad (and family) fled when Yugoslavia was still in existence - it was over 60 years ago that he left. He claimed asylum and was granted it in Oz, where he was also naturalised. He never renounced his citizenship. He moved to the UK and got married and I popped up. His time as a child and his family came up in conversation from time to time but rarely and it clearly wasn't something that he wanted to talk about so it was something I did not ask about.
Since independence, it has been in the back of my mind that I want to regain the link with Croatia and apply for citizenship. This isn't about living there (I now live in France) but it is about righting a wrong (if that doesn't seem like an odd thing to say). I'd like to do this while he is still around and he isn't very young any more. He speaks about Croatia now and we've been there on holiday. It's not such a closed subject. Also, my 'back of my mind' idea has been brought forward by the Brexit thing.
I spoke with one of the embassies and their view is:
1 - I might be able to claim citizenship but may not.
2 - My dad may not actually be Croatian because he has never asked for any documents from Croatia (?!)
The two options seem to be
- Article 11 (in which I will need to learn Croatian) or
- Article 16 (in which I don't need to)
but both of these seem to be difficult/impossible because how do I prove that I have (in the words of the embassy) 'lived my life as a Croat' when circumstances meant that talking about my dad's background was effectively off limits.
I feel really frustrated by this because, in reality, I am Croatian by blood and, if that is meant to be one of the over-riding criteria, the others are being blocked by something that seem particularly unfair in the circumstances.
What can I do?
Thanks
James
|
|
|
|
Post by capo on Jan 13, 2018 22:53:25 GMT 1
found that in another forum hope it help
I just became a member on here tonight. <br /><br />I also two years ago received Croatian Citizenship. This was through my Great Grandparents. They were born in Yugoslavia in 1890's. They immigrated in the 1910's. All I had to do was get their birth certificates from the Lika County Archives to prove my direct line. Although I had to get birth certificates, marriage certificates, for those in my direct line. I also personally had to get a police background check. After a full year I finally heard back (actually 15 minutes after I called them to see what was taking so long) and picked up my Resenje. Looks like they were sitting on it for months at the consulate in Chicago. Then I applied for my Passport. The Domovnica is just a certificate that you can 'buy' if you want if it makes you feel more Croatian after you get your Resenje, but is unnecessary. When I have an extra $85 USD I'll probably get it, but it's not a high priority right now. <br /><br />I did this, so did my younger brother and mother all at the same time, at age 34. My mother was 59 so there is no age limit. However I read somewhere that if you are under 27 you will have to serve in a term the military there. Not sure if that was true or not.<br /><br />If I did this through dead great grandparents, anyone that has ancestors that were born on what is present day Croatian land boundaries are eligible. My closest consulate is Chicago. Unfortunately I do not speak Croatian, I've just began to learn, and they spoke poor English. I had better information plainly spelled out from the embassy in New Zealand's publications. So obviously you do not need to speak Croatian to get Citizenship. However all of your records must be translated by a Croatian Court Approved translator. I found one in Varaždin at a very good price.<br /><br />The US doesn't care if you have dual Citizenship but whichever country you are in, you are considered a citizen there only. <br /><br />I cannot find the link to the basic info that New Zealand has plainly spelled out at this minute, but if you contact me I can email it to you. <br /><br />This basically is what I had to do:<br />1. Obtain my Birth certificate and everyone in your direct line back. If in the US, it has to be obtained from the STATE Health Department of Vital records, make sure it is the 'long version.' A County version won't work. Also Marriage certificates if there is a female in the line.<br />2. A biography explaining personal data, family history, reason for applying, dated, signed and Notorized.<br />5. State Police Background check, with fingerprints<br />6. And of course the applications, I had four to fill out. They really needed to streamline those, half the questions for each were repeated.<br /><br />All the birth certificates, biography and background checks have to be issued within the last six months, be notarized by the government office supplying them AND then all sent off to the State Department for Apostille Stamps in your state's capital. The Apostille Stamps make the documents good for International use. Once you get all that back they all need to be translated into Croatian as I described above. Call the Embassy or Consulate a few days before to make sure if they will be open and go the short interview. When they reviewed all the documents they were surprised I had all the stuff and so well documented considering I had four generations of paperwork. It was a lot of work but worth it. If you are closer generational wise, you will have less paperwork to obtain. <br /><br />Hope the best for everyone!
|
|
cjc
New Member
Posts: 2 
|
Post by cjc on Jan 14, 2018 5:42:53 GMT 1
I applied through article 11 and the Croatian language requirement means that you have to fill out the citizenship application in Croatian at the embassy and take a multiple choice test about Croatian language and culture. I used google translate for the application (It can be found online and is two pages with about 20 easy questions). I found the questions for the citizenship test online and used google translate to translate them and google to find the answers. (Since I took the test in 2013, someone has made an app to help!) I made flashcards and spent a weekend memorising them. I got 14/15 on the test. (You only need 10/15 right). I had zero Croatian language skills before this. You really only need your father's birth certificate from Croatia, your parent's marriage certificate and your birth certificate. The last two will have to translated into Croatian by a court approved translator and appostilled. You also need a police report from where you live now (in France). The embassy can tell you where to get that in France. My experience is that children of Croatian citizens get a decision much faster than grand children and great grandchildren. If they really won't let you just get a passport for being the child of a Croatian citizen, then I recommend the article 11 route.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ribaric on Jan 14, 2018 12:12:20 GMT 1
By way of encouragement, immigration into HR of people with any tenuous ling with Croatia is probably going to be seen in a positive light. People are leaving in droves and it is a worry for everyone. It looks even I will get citizenship (one day) and I have absolutely no family connection with Croatia at all. ruralpropertycroatia.com |
|
|
|
Post by prkbrk on Jan 22, 2018 13:32:47 GMT 1
By way of encouragement, immigration into HR of people with any tenuous ling with Croatia is probably going to be seen in a positive light. People are leaving in droves and it is a worry for everyone. It looks even I will get citizenship (one day) and I have absolutely no family connection with Croatia at all. ruralpropertycroatia.comMarch 2019 Ribaric😁 |
|
