U.S. Embassy in Croatia

GENERAL INFORMATION

For the most up-to-date and complete information on marriage requirements, please contact the records registry office (Matični Ured) in the municipality where the marriage will take place. The following is an unofficial summary of the requirements for a U.S. citizen to marry in Croatia (the U.S. Embassy in Croatia assumes no legal liability for the accuracy of this information). You will need:

• Valid U.S. passport.
• U.S. birth certificate translated into Croatian by a sworn court interpreter (PDF 249 KB); the U.S. birth certificate must bear the Apostille seal of the competent authority of the issuing U.S. state and must be a new copy issued within the past 90 days. Obtaining the Apostille  and/or new birth certificate may require several days or weeks, depending on the state. For addresses of relevant state apostille authorities, click here .
• A marriage affidavit, made by yourself before a U.S. Consular Officer, stating that you are a U.S. citizen, that you are free to marry, and that the marriage performed in Croatia will be regarded as valid by U.S. authorities. This document (Marriage Affidavit) and notarial service are available at the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb by appointment only. You can download the Marriage Affidavit, complete and print the form but please DO NOT sign the form, as you will sign it in presence of the consular officer.  You must bring your U.S. passport to the appointment. The fee is $50, payable in cash (U.S. Dollars or Euro equivalent) or by major credit card. The Marriage Affidavit supplied by the U.S. Embassy also must be authenticated by the International Legal Assistance Service of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, located at Trg Petra Petretića 2, 10000 Zagreb. The contact number at the Ministry is +385-1-4599-410. The Croatian government fee may be needed to be paid. Their office hours are Monday – Thursday, 9 AM – 11 AM and 1 PM – 3 PM and Fridays 9 AM – 12 PM.
• If you do not speak Croatian, you will need to obtain the services of a court-appointed translator for the marriage ceremony. A list of court interpreters is available by clicking here (PDF 249 KB).
• If one of the marriage partners is divorced or widowed, proof of the dissolution of previous marriage (i.e. divorce decree or death certificate) is required; similarly, an Apostille is required on those documents.

Marriages in Croatia are performed before an appropriate local official (matičar) associated with each municipality. A church or other religious ceremony can be performed only if the religious community has a contract with the Government of Croatia where the marriage will be recognized as valid. You will still need to see the registrar (matičar) to legally prepare for the church marriage.

A U.S. citizen entering Croatia to get married, who does not intend to stay more than 90 days, does not require any special visa. However, if a U.S. citizen intends to reside in Croatia longer than 90 days in a six-month period, he/she must abide by Croatian entry and residence requirements for foreigners. Additional information is available at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs’ website  or the Ministry of Interior’s FAQ website.