Advice needed: Citizenship application (Article 16, para. 3 – interpretation of evidence of national declaration)
Hi everyone,
I am currently in the process of applying for Croatian citizenship as a member of the Croatian people (pursuant to Article 16 of the Law on Croatian Citizenship).
I have already visited the Croatian Embassy, but my request was orally rejected on the grounds that I did not provide evidence of my own "national declaration" in legal proceedings (e.g., old birth certificates or similar documents), even though my mother's status as a member of the Croatian people is indisputably proven by her birth certificate and a certificate issued by the registry office in Croatia.
I believe that, under Article 16, paragraph 3 of the Law on Croatian Citizenship, I am exempt from providing my own evidence of declaration, as proof of a parent's origin should be sufficient. However, I am facing difficulties with the embassy's interpretation. I have sent an official inquiry to drzavljanstvo@mup.hr requesting a formal interpretation, but I would like to ask if anyone here has experience with this situation:
Has anyone successfully obtained citizenship based solely on proof of their parents' origin, without prior personal evidence of national declaration?
How did you resolve the issue if you were rejected by an embassy for "lack of personal evidence"?
Do you have any tips on how to ensure the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) takes the inquiry seriously?
Any advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!