Polish citizenship is undoubtedly a great privilege which gives us many benefits, such as the right to move and settle freely in the European Union, the right to vote and stand for election, to benefit from public services and consular protection. However, it is worth remembering that not everyone can easily obtain Polish citizenship. This is because there are various criteria and procedures that need to be fulfilled and passed in order to be finally recognised as a Polish citizen. Below we will try to present 5 most common situations in which one may be granted Polish citizenship. We will also present the conditions and requirements to be met in each of them.
You can read even more about the possibility of confirming and obtaining Polish citizenship at https://fivetoeurope.com/polish-citizenship-confirmation/, where by filling in the form you can check whether you are eligible for a Polish passport.
1. Polish citizenship by descent
The simplest way to obtain Polish citizenship is, of course, to be born and have at least one parent who was a Polish citizen at the time of the child’s birth. This is known as blood law, which means that citizenship is inherited from the parents, regardless of where the child was born. Polish citizenship by descent also does not require any additional formalities or applications. However, a person who wishes to confirm his or her Polish citizenship must submit an appropriate application to a wojewoda or consul to obtain a certificate of possession or loss of Polish citizenship.
2. Polish citizenship by grant
Another way of obtaining Polish citizenship is to apply for Polish citizenship to be granted by the President of the Republic of Poland. This is a power of the President which may be exercised at the request of the interested person or ex officio. This is because the President is not bound by any criteria or deadlines in considering applications. He may also refuse to grant Polish citizenship without stating a reason. Most often, the President takes into account such factors as the applicant’s connection with Poland, their personal and family situation, the time and manner of their stay in Poland, their knowledge of the Polish language, their social and professional integration, as well as the absence of any threat to state security.
In order for us to apply for Polish citizenship by the President, the following conditions must be met:
- have no Polish citizenship,
- submit the application to the relevant voivodship office or consulate,
- pay a consular fee if the application is submitted abroad,
- attach all necessary documents, such as
o birth certificate,
o proof of identity
o certificate of civil status
o certificate of current nationality,
o proof of income and right to occupy a dwelling,
o other possible documents proving your connection to Poland, e.g. employment certificate, school diploma, language certificate, etc.
3. Polish citizenship by recognition
Another way of obtaining Polish citizenship is by submitting an application for recognition as a Polish citizen to the competent voivode. This is an administrative procedure which, of course, requires fulfillment of certain criteria and conditions. A foreign national may submit an application to be acknowledged as a Polish citizen if they fulfil any one of the following criteria:
- Lives in Poland legally without interruption for a minimum of three years with either a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident permit, or permanent residence rights, possesses a stable and regular income in Poland, and has housing rights.
- Resides in Poland without interruption for at least two years under a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident permit, or permanent residence rights, and is either married to a Polish citizen for three years or more, or is stateless.
- Has resided in Poland continuously for at least two years under a residence permit granted due to refugee status in Poland.
- A minor living in Poland legally with a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident permit, or permanent residence rights, with one parent holding Polish citizenship and the other parent consenting to the child’s Polish citizenship.
- A minor legally residing in Poland with a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident permit, or permanent residence rights, where at least one parent has reacquired Polish citizenship and the non-Polish citizen parent consents to the child being recognized as a Polish citizen.
- Has legally lived in Poland for a continuous period of at least ten years with a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident permit, or permanent residence rights, maintains a stable and regular income, and has the right to live in housing in Poland.
- Has been living in Poland legally and continuously for a minimum of one year with a permanent residence permit granted based on Polish heritage or through holding the Card of the Pole.
4. Polish citizenship through adoption
Another way to obtain Polish citizenship is adoption by Polish citizens. This is a situation in which a minor foreigner is adopted into a family of Polish citizens on the basis of a final decision of a Polish or foreign court, which has been recognised or confirmed in Poland. In such a case, the foreigner acquires Polish citizenship by operation of law, i.e. automatically, without the need to submit any applications or fulfill additional conditions.
5. Polish Citizenship by Restoration
The last way of acquiring Polish citizenship is to restoration Polish citizenship by a person who lost it before 1 January 1999 as a result of a change of citizenship to foreign citizenship or renunciation of Polish citizenship. This is possible if the person meets at least one of the following conditions:
- has Polish ancestry or is a descendant of a Polish citizen,
- has a Pole’s Card or held it in the past,
- holds a permanent residence permit in Poland or a long-term resident’s EU residence permit in Poland,
- is legally residing in Poland for an uninterrupted period of at least 2 years on the basis of a residence permit due to humanitarian circumstances granted in Poland.