Poland attracts many foreigners with its culture, history and opportunities for personal and professional development. Polish citizenship – having it can be a key solution for those who want to officially become a part of our country’s society. The benefits of having citizenship include the possibility of living, working, studying, participating in the political and social life of Poland, as well as other European Union countries. Often, Recognition as a Polish citizen is the culmination of long-term contacts, living and working in our country, confirmation of friendly ties with its inhabitants. Citizenship, which should be understood as belonging to the community living in the country, gives us rights, but also imposes obligations towards this country.
Art. 34 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland states, among other things, that:
- In Poland, the so-called right of blood applies, i.e. citizenship is inherited;
- other cases of acquisition of citizenship are precisely determined by regulations;
- It is impossible to lose Polish citizenship otherwise than by an act of renunciation.
Polish and EU citizenship
For all residents of the European Union, EU citizenship means, among other things: the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States (Article 21 TFEU) (4.1.3), the right to participate in elections to the European Parliament and in local elections, the right to equal treatment.
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For a Polish citizen, and therefore also an EU citizen, this means, among other things:
- freedom of movement and residence,
- participation in the political life of the European Union,
- consular and diplomatic protection,
- the right to reimbursed treatment in the event of a sudden illness within the European Union,
- access to education.
Polish citizenship: who grants it and how to obtain it?
Polish citizenship can be acquired:
- by operation of law;
- by grant;
- by recognition;
- by restoration.
Acquisition by operation of law applies to children whose at least one parent is a Polish citizen, as well as children born in Poland if they have no parents or their parents are stateless.
How to apply for Polish citizenship?
If you want to become a Polish citizen, you must submit an application to the provincial office responsible for your place of residence or to a consulate if you live abroad. You submit the application in person, through a proxy or in writing with a certified signature. You are required to provide a number of information, including your family situation, current employment, ability to speak Polish, social and political activities. After submitting the application, you wait for the decision of the President of the Republic of Poland – positive or negative – which will be sent to the body that accepted the application (i.e. the governor or consul) in order to forward it to the applicant.
The decision on granting is issued by the President of the Republic of Poland at the request of a foreigner or, in the case of minors, at the request of their legal representatives.
Recognition of citizenship, pursuant to Art. 30.1 of the Act of 2 April 2009 on citizenship, is made at the request of a foreigner, after he/she meets a number of criteria, including the length of uninterrupted residence, stability of income, marital status, origin, age, as well as the legal basis for residence.
The regulations require the applicant to meet certain conditions, e.g. have a permanent residence permit in Poland, good knowledge of the Polish language and no contraindications from state authorities.
The decision on recognition is issued by the voivode and may be appealed to an administrative court.
Restoration of Polish citizenship applies (under certain conditions) to persons who lost this citizenship before 1 January 1999.
What do you need to do to obtain Polish citizenship?
If you meet the requirements, you can start the process of applying for Polish citizenship. The process includes the following steps:
- preparation and submission of necessary documents (e.g. application, civil status certificates, declarations, visa certificates, etc.);
- passing interviews or tests confirming knowledge of the Polish language and knowledge about Poland;
- waiting for the decision of the authorities.
Tips for communicating with authorities
Dealing with the authorities can be difficult and frustrating, but the right approach can make the process much easier. That’s why it’s more convenient for you to entrust us with this mission, because thanks to our experience, we can easily complete it.
Waiting to obtain Polish citizenship
The waiting time to obtain citizenship may vary depending on the individual situation. The process of obtaining it through recognition takes on average about 4-5 months. The President of the Republic of Poland, on the other hand, is not bound by a deadline; in practice, the waiting time for his decision to grant citizenship currently exceeds a year. It should be remembered, however, that in the case of a complicated situation or lack of documents, the waiting time may be significantly longer.
Possibility of dual citizenship
Those who obtain the status of a Polish citizen can retain their current nationality and even hold multiple citizenships. It is worth being aware, however, that not all countries recognize dual citizenship, so it is advisable to consult the appropriate authorities beforehand.
Consequences of renouncing citizenship
A holder of Polish citizenship who decides to renounce it will lose the rights to which he is entitled as a Polish citizen, and will no longer be obliged to perform duties to the state. However, he may face various consequences of such a decision, depending on the individual situation.
Further conditions for applying for citizenship
To be recognized as a Polish citizen, you must know Polish at least at B1 level and have official confirmation of this. Information on how to obtain a language certificate can be found on the website http: //certyfikatpolski.pl/.
The validity date of your passport or other recognised travel document and your residence card must not expire earlier than three months after the date of delivery of your application.
Documents produced in a foreign language must be submitted together with their translation into Polish, prepared by a Polish sworn translator or a Polish consul. Civil status records should be transcribed, e.g. by a consul. You can easily find the current list of translators on the website of the Ministry of Justice.
Before you start filling out the application, make sure that your personal data is recorded in the same way in all documents. When filling out the form, you enter exactly the personal data that appears in the transcripts of civil status records issued by the domestic Civil Registry Office. The records contained in Polish birth or marriage records, residence card and foreign passport must be identical. Similarly, the data entered in Polish extracts from records must be unambiguous (e.g. the spelling of the first and last name must be identical in all presented records).
Once the application has been accepted, you may be asked to submit additional documentation or information necessary to determine the actual state of affairs. The governor will refuse to consider the application if he or she considers that there is a threat to the defense or security of the state or the protection of public order. Documents submitted to the office are not subject to return after the case has been considered.
If you are a holder of the Pole’s Card, at the moment of receiving the document confirming the acquisition of citizenship you are obliged to return it, as of that date it will lose its validity.
What are the costs of initiating proceedings for recognition as a Polish citizen?
- for accepting the application – PLN 219;
- for a power of attorney, if you are acting through a proxy other than your spouse, ancestor, descendant or sibling (the relationship should be documented) – PLN 100.
The fees for the office to accept an application for citizenship vary depending on the circumstances and the manner of conducting the procedure.
Can you buy citizenship?
Polish citizenship cannot be bought. There is also no legal act – act or regulation – that would allow one to obtain citizenship, or at least a permanent residence card in exchange for making an investment in the territory of the Republic of Poland. Polish legislation strictly and precisely regulates all citizenship issues.
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