I am an American who acquired Polish citizenship. The purpose of this post is to explain the rules of Polish citizenship and how I obtained it. I hope this information will be of value to you.
If your a good hardworking, honest person of Polish decent then here is a chance to get the best citizenship in the world, Polish citizenship and prepare for repatriation.
Rules for Polish citizenship
- Polish citizen by birth – Confirmation by having one parent that is a Polish citizen. This is clear and not a problem no matter where you are born in the world. It is interesting if you were born in Poland but not of Polish blood you might not get a obywatelstwo polskie.
- Polish citizenship by naturalization – This is having lived legally with a permanent karta pobytu (Polish green card or visa) for 5 1/2 years in Poland. This can be accelerated by marriage but do not count on it.
- Polish citizen by descent - If you are Polish blood you are Polish. If your grandfather was Polish, prove it and there is a chance you could get citizenship from Poland. Note is you are from the East like Ukraine or Belurus you can get a Karta Polaka to confirm membership to the Polish nation pretty easy.
Polish citizenship my Polish passport
How to obtain a Polish citizenship
My simple answer is you have to work for it. It took me a lot of work, but it was fun and the people in the Polish Uzad were great. Poland is a great country and many people want to live in Poland. Therefore, the office of foreigners affairs is over worked with applications.
Do not expect to just pick up a citizenship or visa because you are American or have an Aunt that was Polish. Poland is an Eu country and has a rich legal system. It is like trying to get in the USA, it requires work and patience.
The law and the constitution connected to who is a Polish citizen gets complex for cases with people that came before Poland was a country. However, because of Polish history who is defined as Polish is based on ancestry rather than boarders.
Do some work, do not be lazy, learn Polish (although it is not required it will make your life easier as it is the official language of Poland and the only language they official will speak) and fill out paper.
You might need to get official translations of American documents. And no the US embassy does not care you are applying for another citizenship, they will even help you.
Concrete steps to get Polish citizenship
If you can not get citizenship confirmed because your parents are Polish or if you are not married to a Polish citizen then here are the steps and similar to the steps I followed.
- Polish nationality is based on jus sanguinis. Make a family tree. Do this in Excel and include dates and citizenship information. Be honest and detail, basically tell your family story.
- Put together folder for the important people on your family tree. For example get birth certificates of your parents, marriage certificates, baptismal certificates. If you mention that your grandmother had a Polish passport, if you can get it copy it. Show it to the Polish office. I actually had it from 1921. I went to the priest in my family village and got vital records etc. I backed up what I had on my family tree with everything I could. Put it on paper and prove it, even if you have to fly to Poland. The Polish government has great records and will help you.
- Create your own personal story. Include education, work history.
- Create a document showing your ability to support yourself via bank accounts and income, tax documents anything.
- Now create a document stating why you want Polish citizenship and all good things about Poland and what you can do for Poland.
These are the pre steps to get Polish citizenship. Next go to the Uząd or Polish consulate and pick up and application ask 1000 questions to the people and keep coming back. I was at the Polish office maybe 100 times, no exaggeration, building a case.
Polish citizenship as a legal case
The bottom line is citizenship will be based on some law on paper. If they can not trace a direct line of citizenship then, get a green card, as stated in the Polish constitution for Poles around the world. Then build your case even further. With time they can make a case more based on special consideration, than exact transference of Polish citizenship.
Dual US Polish citizenship - these are my passports - I mostly live in Poland.
Dual Citizenship
I am a dual US and Polish citizen. When I am in Poland I enter on my Polish passport and obey Polish law. When I am in the US I enter on my US passport and obey US law. I am responsible for taxes and pay taxes to the USA and Poland. However, because I make a pittance and there is an exclusion allowance it is not a major issue for me (For example, the US allows you to exclude 90k USD foreign income or expats). If I was making six figures it would start to be an issue.
Dual citizens are allowed but not recognized by both countries. It means you just have to be a good guy and pay taxes and obey the law and no problems.
Being a Polish national and loving it
It is pretty cool having two passports. Although the main document in Poland is a Dowód Osobisty (Republic of Poland identity card) two passports and a draw full of EU and US currencies makes you feel a little like some international many of mystery or Jason Bourne if you will.
You will also get a you get a PESEL a NIP and a Nasza Klasa account. You will learn about theses latter.
I am very happy and proud that I have a Polish citizenship. Many people say this is an EU citizenship and you can live anywhere. I want to live in Poland.
Questions about becoming a Polish citizen
I am waiting for your questions. I am not an expert or a lawyer but I know a lot about the process as I went though it myself. So please leave a question or reply.
Tags: Polish citizenship
61 responses to Polish citizenship
Hello there
I am an Indian passport holder. My wife is Polish and we have a 1 year old daughter with a Polish passport. We live in the Czech Republic. Can I get a Polish passport or citizenship? How long will it take? And will this require me to live in Poland for a certain period. ( I have never lived in Poland till date) If I do get a Polish citizenship will I be allowed to work in the UK with it?
Thanks for your help.
I am from India,Bangalore. I am going to study my Master Degree, Warsaw University of Technology, in Poland for 22 months from October 2010 and I am an Exchange Student. I am on student Visa (Type D). Is it possible for me to work in Poland after I complete my Course for few years and then get a Poland Citizenship?. Nobody in my family have earlier lived in Poland.Please tell me what I have to do to get Poland Citizenship.
I am from Canada
My Father came from Poland in approximately 1955.
I am looking to get a Polish citizenship for my son so he may play hockey in Poland. My Father has passed away. What direction should I go to achieve this?
Thanks
Ed of Canada
I think you need to go to the Polish embassy and they will guide you. You basically need proof and documentation and this will not be a major problem.
You need to wait about three and a half years and you can apply, after that it will be about 2 years, I think it will not be a problem if you are married to a Polish citizen.
Hello,
I just returned from travelling Europe, mainly Poland after 3 months. I am a Canadian Citizen and my grandfather was born in Poland in 1902. I have his Polish Passport, his WWI journal issued by the government and a copy of when he landed in Canada in 1929 via ancestry.ca.
My initial reason for the trip was to find the village he came from and to find if any of his relatives survived WWII. With the help of a lovely family I had met in Krakow they are checking in to this for me (as luck would have it, the ladies best friend is from the same village). I am waiting patiently and I am very hopeful to find my family roots.
I fell in love with Poland. Europe has always felt like home to me, but the beauty of Poland captured my heart.
Please help me find a way to make my way “back home”
Sincerely,
Romayne
I have Polish bloodlines. Can I apply for citizenship from Poland? And can I get a green card while in Poland (rather than U.S)? What is it called, the green card?
Thanks
Hello,
I am an Israeli citizen that got his Polish citizenship about two years ago. I have my passport but for now it is still empty because I haven’t been in Poland since I became a citizen.
I have a question: According to Polish law, is it possible to have another two other citizenships? Let’s say that I will become a Canadian citizen, for example. Will the Polish “side” have a problem with me having additional two citizenships?
Thank you.
I love Poland also, it is a very special place. The bottom line is if you have Polish blood you can get a green card. All you have to do is prove it with paper. If you have his passport there is even a chance you can get confirmed as citizen if it is from your father’s side. Go to the Polish embassy and they can start the process or the next time you are in Krakow and I show you where to go here. There is a complex of government offices at the main Rondo in Krakow.
Karta Pobytu is what it is called in the short form. Yes just get all the documents you can in order, mostly birth and marriage and create and family tree. Then you have to apply. I need to expand this post with more detail as I get a lot of questions from people who love Poland like me.
Dual citizenship is no problem. It is just that when you are in Poland you are Polish, when in Israel you are Israeli and in Canada you are Canadian etc. That means you are responsible for the laws of the country you reside. So even if it not recognized officially, it is allowed. I have a dual citizenship and the USA and Poland are aware of it. I just have to pay my taxes.
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