Legal aid in Croatia

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If you need legal counselling, aid and/or representation and you do not have money, you can use free legal aid.

Who can get free legal aid?

In Croatia, you can access free legal representation before an administrative court if you are asylum seeker or get free legal advice and access to information as person granted international protection. Foreigners usually use free legal aid when they have problems with status rights, labour rights, discrimination or violence.

You are entitled to free legal aid only if you have no means to support yourself.

If you are asylum seeker, Ministry of Interior will inform you on your right to free legal aid if your asylum request is denied in the first instance. Your case officer will give you the list of lawyers who can represent you, free of charge, before the administrative court. When you decide on the lawyer, Ministry will inform them and then they will contact you.

If you are granted international protection or foreigner with other status, you can contact civil society organizations which are registered as free legal aid providers with the Ministry of Justice (https://pravosudje.gov.hr/istaknute-teme/besplatna-pravna-pomoc/ovlastene-udruge-i-pravne-klinike-za-pruzanje-primarne-pravne-pomoci/6190).

Legal aid providers will inform you on your rights and possibilities to exercising them, explain the procedure you are about to participate in and if needed, they will contact other institutions regarding your case (for example, Ombudsperson’s offices or other available mechanisms).

Where can I get free legal aid?

There are several organizations that provide free legal aid for refugees:

There are also others who provide free legal aid to foreigners: