A civil wedding is the only form of wedding ceremony that is legally binding. Questions about the required documents for a civil wedding in Croatia are among the most frequent inquiries our newlyweds ask us. Many newlyweds love to organize their destination weddings in Croatia, but they prefer their wedding to be legally binding, unlike a symbolic wedding. Thus, newlyweds often want to know the requirements to have a civil wedding ceremony in Croatia. This blog aims to provide answers to the most common questions about civil weddings in Croatia, one of the world’s best destinations for your wedding.
A Symbolic wedding does not require any documents, making it much simpler to organize. However, a symbolic wedding is not legally binding.
Paperwork and bureaucracy often give everyone a headache, especially when legal documentation is included. It can be complicated to determine what documents are needed, how to acquire it, and what to do with it. Additionally, documentation requirements vary depending on the newlyweds’ nationality. When planning a destination wedding in a foreign country, most newlyweds have no idea even where to start or whom to contact. Even if they do, reaching out to the relevant authorities in charge via phone or email can often be a daunting task.
So, let’s get started and simplify the whole process for you.
Where can a civil wedding ceremony be conducted?
Croatia does not impose strict limitations on venues for a civil wedding. It can be organized in the town hall or on any other wedding venue, except in a church. Unlike church wedding, a civil wedding ceremony can be organized outdoors. Outdoor ceremonies have a special flair compared to indoor ceremonies. When choosing a destination wedding venue, the majority of newlyweds decide to hold their ceremony outdoors. The wedding celebration and dinner can be held at a different and more suitable venue than ceremony. Ceremonies are organized at beautiful venues such as Istrian islands, rustic Istrian villas, venues with a wonderful sea view, directly on the beach or next to the sea, or overlooking amazing Istrian vineyards.
A church wedding is considered a religious type of ceremony. However, if, as foreign citizens, you do not have a previously registered marriage, i.e. you don’t have a marriage certificate, then for a church wedding in Croatia, you must obtain the same documents as you would for a civil wedding. This step is required to ensure that you meet all the necessary conditions for marriage in either a civil or religious ceremony.
Costs of the civil wedding ceremony in Croatia
Wedding budget is an important factor when planning any destination wedding. The cost of administrative fees for a civil wedding is fixed at €27.87, and covers the preparation of the statement of intent to marry.
However, the total cost of a civil wedding depends on many factors. The choice of wedding venue has a major impact on the final price of the civil wedding ceremony. If the newlyweds agree to host the civil wedding ceremony at the town hall, the marital registrar incurs no additional charges. However, if the newlyweds wish for an outdoor ceremony, additional charges apply. The exact amount of the additional fee depends on:
- the distance of the ceremony location from the registrar’s official premises,
- the time of the wedding ceremony (morning ceremonies are less expensive than appointments after 4pm) and
- the day of the week (ceremonies taking place on Sundays, or national, bank or religious holidays are more expensive).
Language barriers at civil weddings in Croatia
A civil wedding ceremony takes approximately 20 minutes. It is legally required for the ceremony to be conducted in the Croatian language. The ceremony needs to be officiated by a registrar from the competent registry office of the chosen wedding venue’s county. The wedding ceremony must be attended by the newlyweds, the registrar, and two witnesses. A witness at the wedding can be any adult and legally capable person. Witnesses are typically newlyweds’ maid of honor and best man. If any of the couple or witnesses is not fluent in Croatian, a certified court interpreter must be present at the civil ceremony and during the official record.
Some of these requirements may seem overly strict, but we must remember that getting married is actually a legally recognized agreement between two parties. Therefore, it must comply with Croatian laws on concluding contracts.
Documents required for a destination civil wedding ceremony in Croatia
Foreign citizens are allowed to marry in the Republic of Croatia. To do so, the newlyweds and their witnesses (maid of honor and best man) must submit the following documents.
Newlyweds must submit:
- Extract from the birth register, issued in the country of birth according to international agreements and conventions along with a Croatian translation,
- Single status certificate, issued pursuant to international agreements and conventions, along with a Croatian translation,
- Certificate of No Impediment (CNI), which confirms that there are no obstacles to the conclusion of marriage for the foreign citizens in the Republic of Croatia, and that the marriage will be recognized in the state of their citizenship, along with a Croatian translation (CNI can be included as an integral part of the single status certificate),
- Identity card (with a photo) and
- Proof of citizenship (passport).
The copy of the birth certificate, Single status certificate, and Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) cannot be older than 3 months on the wedding date. They all need a Croatian translation. Additionally, depending on the country of the newlyweds’ citizenship, these documents may also need to be authenticated with an apostille stamp by the competent authority of the issuing country.
Below is a list of countries whose documents only need a Croatian translation, and those that also require an apostille stamp. The list comprises countries from which most of our newlyweds have arrived. If your country is not listed, we, as your wedding planners, will specifically check requirements for your country before confirming the civil wedding ceremony.
Documents from following countries only require the Croatian translation:
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- France
- Italy (for regions in Istria which are bilingual, such as Rovinj, you don’t need translation, documents on Italian language is accepted)
- Germany
- Poland
- Romania
- Russia
- Slovakia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Documents from following countries require both a Croatian translation and an apostille:
- Australia
- Canada (documents need to be fully legalized – this usually takes time much longer than 3 months)
- Norway
- Philippines
- United States of America
- Scotland
- United Kingdom
- Ukraine
Newlyweds’ witnesses must submit:
- Proof of citizenship (passport) or
- Identity card if they are Croatian citizens.
A wedding witness is a person who observes the wedding ceremony and signs the paperwork afterwards. While we traditionally call them maid of honor and best man, these roles are not gender-specific. A bride can choose to have a male attendant and a groom may choose a female attendant. Witnesses were historically relied upon to ensure that the wedding was conducted legally, that neither party was being forced into the marriage and that the officiant carried out their job diligently.
Some newlyweds have more than 2 witnesses. However, it is important to note that in Croatia, exactly one witness can legally sign the paperwork for the bride and one witness for the groom.
If you decide to have an elopement wedding in Croatia without witnesses, your wedding planners will be pleased to step in as your witnesses.
Wedding certificate
After the civil wedding ceremony, depending on the newlyweds’ country of citizenship, they will receive either a Croatian wedding certificate or an International wedding certificate. The International wedding certificate will be recognized in the newlyweds’ country without any further steps.
If the newlyweds’ wedding certificate requires an apostille stamp, then they will receive a Croatian wedding certificate. A court interpreter will need to translate it into English, or another required language. With both the original and translated wedding certificates, newlyweds must visit the Court located in the city where the wedding ceremony took place. There they will obtain the apostille stamp. With the wedding certificate attested by apostille, newlyweds will have everything required for their marriage to be legally recognized in their home country.
Timeline for planning a civil wedding ceremony in Croatia
- Choose the date and venue of the wedding ceremony (the exact time of the wedding ceremony can only be confirmed in the current year of the wedding, when the registry office begins taking wedding reservations).
- Inform yourself about the necessary documents based on your citizenship. A wedding planner will gladly inform you about the requirements for the civil wedding ceremony. Alternatively, you can also seek this information from the local registrar’s office.
- Collect the necessary documents, but no earlier than 3 months before the wedding date. Otherwise, the documents may be considered expired.
- Declare your intention to marry to the registrar. The registrar’s office will then prepare the meeting minutes for your wedding ceremony. The minutes need to be prepared between 30 and 45 calendar days before the wedding date. In exceptional circumstances, when justified reasons exist, the minutes can be prepared less than 30 days before the wedding. For example, if newlyweds live outside Croatia and are prevented from visiting Croatia within a given timeframe, the minutes meeting can be held during the same week as the wedding (this must be approved by the registrar’s office).
- Decide on your surnames.
- Choose two witnesses for the wedding ceremony.
- Send your documents to the registrar or to the wedding planner. To ensure that you have collected all the correct documents, send them well before arriving in Croatia.
- Enjoy the pre-wedding period knowing that everything is prepared on time. 😊
Wedding planner’s role in planning a civil wedding ceremony in Croatia
When hiring a wedding planner in Croatia, you will receive guidance through the entire process of having your civil wedding ceremony in Croatia. Destination weddings can be challenging to organize, and dealing with documentation adds to complexity. However, with advice from a professional local wedding planner, having a civil wedding ceremony in Croatia as a foreign citizen will become much simpler for you.
A wedding planner’s expertise is invaluable in several ways:
- Saving time and effort – they know where to start and how to efficiently plan your dream ceremony.
- Local knowledge – they have established connections with local vendors and venue owners, potentially saving you money through their arrangements.
- Attention to detail – no detail is too small for a dedicated wedding planner, ensuring all your wishes are remembered and implemented.
- On-site coordination – they oversee all arrangements and preparations, addressing any issues that may arise during the planning process or on the wedding day itself. If you wish to know more about the difference between wedding planning and coordination, read our blog.
- Stress reduction – with a planner handling the schedule and coordination, you can focus on enjoying your special day with family and friends.
If you are ready to start planning your legally recognized civil destination wedding in Croatia, then don’t hesitate to contact us. Our expertise can make the process smoother and more enjoyable, allowing you to focus on the excitement of your upcoming wedding day.