Inheritance in Croatia: What Australians with Croatian Roots Need to Know

For many Australians with Croatian heritage, family ties don’t end with distance. One of the most common situations they face is inheriting property in Croatia. Dealing with inheritance from abroad can be complex. It could involve a house on the coast, agricultural land, or a family apartment. Here’s what you need to know if you’re living in Australia and handling inheritance matters in Croatia.

1. How inheritance works in Croatia

Inheritance in Croatia is governed by the Law on Inheritance (Zakon o nasljeđivanju). If you are listed as an heir in a will, the Croatian court will open an inheritance proceeding. The court will also act if you are a legal heir, such as children, spouse, or siblings, after the death of the property owner.

2. Documents you’ll need from Australia

To prove your identity and family connection, the Croatian court will usually ask for:

• Birth certificate (Australian-issued, apostilled, and translated into Croatian)
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Death certificate of the deceased (if issued abroad, apostilled and translated)
• Proof of citizenship or residence (Australian passport, citizenship certificate, etc.)

All foreign documents must be apostilled in Australia and translated into Croatian by a court-certified translator (sudski tumač).

3. Why work with a certified translator in Croatia

Many Australians first turn to local translation agencies. They soon find out that translations can be much more expensive in Australia than in Croatia. By working directly with a Croatian court-certified translator, you benefit from:

• Lower prices compared to Australian agencies
• Fast turnaround times — often same-day translations for standard documents
• Simple process:
  1. You email a scanned copy of your documents
  2. The translator prepares a certified translation
  3. You receive the scanned translation by email for immediate use
  4. The original certified translation is then sent to you by post

This process is both efficient and reliable, ensuring that you get legally valid translations quickly and affordably.

4. Property registration and taxes

Once the inheritance decision is final, the property must be registered in the Land Registry (Zemljišne knjige). Without proper documentation and translations, this step cannot be completed. Inheritance between close relatives is usually tax-exempt, but distant relatives may face a 4% inheritance tax.

---

✅ If you’re an Australian citizen with Croatian roots and you’ve inherited property in Croatia, we can help. We provide fast and affordable certified translations of your Australian documents. Often, we offer same-day delivery.
Contact us today and let us simplify the process for you.