Living and working in the EU as a Croatian citizen from Australia or NZ

For many Australians and New Zealanders with Croatian roots, citizenship is about family and identity. For many it is also about Europe. Croatia is a member of the European Union, so becoming Croatian makes you an EU citizen too. Here is what that means in practice, drawn from the EU's own citizen guidance, Your Europe.

Moving to another EU country

Your Europe states that EU citizens have the right to move to any EU country to live, whether to work, study, look for a job or retire. You need a valid national identity card or passport, which for you means your Croatian passport.

That right is not limited to Croatia. A Croatian citizen from Melbourne can live in Lisbon, Berlin or Dublin on the same footing as any other EU citizen moving there.

The first three months

According to Your Europe, you can stay in another EU country for up to three months without registering as a resident, although some countries ask you to report your presence. Beyond three months you might need to register your residence, and the conditions depend on why you are there: working, studying, looking for work or retiring.

Working without a permit

Your Europe says EU nationals generally don't need a work permit to work in another EU country. That is one of the most practical differences a Croatian passport makes: you can accept a job offer in Europe without first securing a permit.

Studying in Europe

As an EU citizen you are entitled to study at any EU university under the same conditions as nationals of that country, according to Your Europe. The same page notes that rules on university fees and grants differ from country to country, so check with the university you are interested in before you assume a fee.

Staying for good

After living legally in another EU country for a continuous period of five years, Your Europe says you automatically acquire the right of permanent residence there.

What you keep at home

Becoming Croatian does not cost you your Australian or New Zealand citizenship. Australia ended automatic loss of citizenship on taking another in 2002, New Zealand allows dual and multiple citizenship, and Croatia does not ask emigrants' descendants to give up their other citizenship. Our dual citizenship guide sets out all three positions.

New Zealand's travel advice adds two practical points for dual citizens: consular help generally comes from the country whose passport you used to enter, and you should understand what each country expects of its citizens, such as compulsory military service. It also suggests checking whether you can use the public health system of a country as a citizen there, and taking out travel insurance where you cannot.

Before you go

• Get the passport first. The right to move rests on a valid Croatian passport or identity card. Our page on the Croatian passport explains how to apply once you hold your Domovnica.
• Check the host country's registration rules if you will stay longer than three months.
• Check healthcare and tax arrangements with the authorities of the country you move to; this guide does not cover them.

Important: Your Europe is the EU's official guidance, but each country applies the rules in its own way. Check the host country's requirements before you move.

How to get there

It starts with citizenship. Most Australians and New Zealanders with Croatian roots apply under Article 11 as the descendant of someone who emigrated before 8 October 1991. Our eligibility guide explains who qualifies, and the step-by-step guide shows the process from documents to passport.

A short planning checklist

If Europe is the reason you are applying, it helps to plan backwards from the move:

1. Confirm you qualify and start the application; it is the longest part.
2. Plan for the timeline. Our guide allows 16 to 36 months from first documents to passport.
3. Apply for your Croatian passport as soon as you have your Domovnica.
4. Choose your country and read its rules for registering residence after three months.
5. Sort the practical side with that country's authorities: housing, healthcare and tax.

Three common misunderstandings

• “I would have to live in Croatia.” No. Citizenship by descent does not require residence in Croatia, and the EU rights apply in every member state.
• "I would lose my Australian or New Zealand passport." No; all three countries allow you to hold both.
• "EU citizenship means free university everywhere." Not necessarily. You study under the same conditions as nationals, but fees and grants depend on the country.

Why the passport, not just the citizenship

The EU rights described here rest on proving that you are an EU citizen, and in practice that means a valid Croatian passport or identity card. Citizenship approval and your Domovnica come first, then the passport, which you apply for in person at a Croatian consulate with your Domovnica, birth certificate, proof of address and a biometric photo. Building that last step into your plans avoids arriving in Europe with citizenship but no travel document. Our step-by-step guide shows where it sits in the overall timeline.

The short version

Croatian citizenship makes you an EU citizen, free to live, work, study and eventually settle in any EU country, while keeping your Australian or New Zealand citizenship. If you would like help getting there, our Premium service handles the application for you.