DFAT apostilles every Australian document in a Croatian citizenship file. Here is what it costs, how long to allow, and the mistakes that cause hold-ups.
Key takeaways
- DFAT issues apostilles for Australian public documents such as birth and marriage certificates and police checks.
- Allow about 10 to 15 business days including postage, at about A$102 per document.
- Submit original certificates from the state or territory registry; the ceremonial wedding certificate is not accepted.
- Get the apostille first, then the certified Croatian translation.
Every Australian certificate in a Croatian citizenship file needs an apostille before the consulate will accept it, and in Australia that means the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The apostille itself is routine. The delays come from sending the wrong document, at the wrong time, in the wrong order. Here is how to get it right first time.
What an apostille is, and who issues it
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document that confirms it is genuine. Australia has been a party to the Apostille Convention since 1987, and Croatia accepts apostilled Australian documents. DFAT issues apostilles for Australian public documents, as the Australian Embassy in Germany's guidance puts it, once it has confirmed the signature or seal on the document. Our apostille guide covers both Australia and New Zealand.
How long to allow
Our apostille guide gives 10 to 15 business days for DFAT, including postage, at about A$102 per document. Treat that as a planning figure and check DFAT's own page for the current fee and processing time before you send anything, because both change.
Two weeks is short next to the whole application, but it sits at an awkward point: after you have ordered your certificates and before you can translate them. A hold-up here pushes back your translation and, behind it, your consulate appointment.
Which documents you send
For a typical application lodged in Australia, the Croatian foreign ministry's page lists these Australian documents as needing an apostille:
- your birth certificate, and those of the generations between you and your Croatian ancestor;
- marriage certificates, where you or an ancestor changed name;
- your police check.
Send originals. The Australian Embassy in Germany's guidance asks for the original birth or marriage certificate issued by the state or territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
The mistakes that cause delays
Sending the ceremonial marriage certificate
The decorative certificate handed over on the wedding day is not accepted. Order the registry certificate instead.
Sending a digital police check
The Australian Embassy in Ireland notes that the AFP restricts printing of National Police Certificates and that a hard copy must be requested from the AFP for an apostille or authentication. Ask for it when you apply for the check.
Ordering too early
An apostille does not expire, but the consulate asks for birth and marriage certificates and police checks issued no more than six months before you lodge. Order a year early and you may pay for both the certificate and the apostille twice.
Translating before the apostille
The translation should cover every stamp and seal, including the apostille. Apostille first, then translation. Our translation guide explains the order.
Names that do not match
The ministry requires names and birth details to agree across your documents. Spot a misspelling before you pay for the apostille, not after.
Important: DFAT cannot tell you what Croatia requires. Check the Croatian consulate's document list, or our document checklist, before you send anything.
A sensible order of work
- Confirm your path and the documents it needs.
- Order every certificate in the last few months before your appointment.
- Request a hard-copy police check.
- Send the batch to DFAT for apostilles.
- Send the apostilled documents for certified Croatian translation.
- Book or confirm your consulate appointment with originals in hand.
A worked timeline
Here is how the apostille step fits a typical schedule for an application lodged in Australia. The dates are illustrative; your own will depend on your appointment.
| Weeks before your appointment | Task |
|---|---|
| 16 to 12 | Order birth and marriage certificates from the state or territory registries |
| 14 to 12 | Apply for a hard-copy police check |
| 10 to 8 | Send the batch to DFAT for apostilles (allow 10 to 15 business days) |
| 7 to 5 | Send apostilled documents for certified Croatian translation |
| 4 to 1 | Check every name and date, assemble originals, confirm the appointment |
Working backwards like this keeps every certificate inside the six-month window the consulate asks for, with time to spare if a document needs to be reordered.
If you live overseas
Australians living abroad can also have Australian documents authenticated through an Australian embassy. The Australian Embassy in Germany, for example, explains that its notarial officers handle in-person applications and that DFAT issues the apostille once the document is verified. Check the guidance of the embassy where you live.
Before you post anything
Run through this list before the envelope goes to DFAT:
- Is every certificate an original from the registry, not a copy or a ceremonial certificate?
- Is the police check a hard copy?
- Do the names and dates on each certificate match the others, and your ancestor's Croatian records?
- Will every document still be inside six months on the day you lodge?
- Have you checked DFAT's current fee, processing time and lodgement instructions on its own page?
Five minutes here can save weeks later, and the same questions apply to New Zealand documents going to the Department of Internal Affairs.
The short version
Allow about two to three weeks for DFAT apostilles, send originals from the registry, ask the AFP for a hard copy, keep everything within six months of lodging, and translate only after the apostille. If you would rather someone else managed the sequence, our Premium service does.
Frequently asked questions
Does an apostille expire?
No, an apostille does not expire. But the consulate asks for certificates and police checks issued no more than six months before you lodge, so time your orders.
Can I apostille an AFP police check?
Yes, but ask the AFP for a hard copy. The Australian Embassy in Ireland notes that the AFP restricts printing, and a hard copy is needed for an apostille.
Do New Zealand documents go to DFAT?
No. New Zealand documents are apostilled by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Sources
- Apostilles and authentications, Australian Embassy, Germany
- How to obtain a police and character clearance report from Australia, Australian Embassy, Ireland
- DFAT apostilles and authentications, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Applying for Croatian Citizenship (Australia), Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
The CroatianByDescent team
Croatian descendants who went through the process themselves
We are a small team of Croatian descendants who went through the citizenship process ourselves, and we now help Australians and New Zealanders with Croatian roots do the same.
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