Confirmation of Polish citizenship is an important process that allows people with an ambiguous citizenship history to legally ascertain their status. The procedure also allows families to formally recognise their ties to Poland and exercise their rights. Many people live for many years in unawareness of their Polish connections. It is often many years later that it turns out that one of our parents, grandparents or even more distant ancestors was Polish. Then you are entitled to Polish citizenship. But how to apply for it successfully? Below we will try to help you with the whole process.
What are the Methods of Acquiring Polish Citizenship?
There are several possibilities:
- By descent: If at least one parent has Polish citizenship, the child can obtain it. Regardless of the place of birth – whether in Poland or abroad – Polish citizenship is transmitted on the basis of the principle of blood law.
- By adoption: Children under the age of 16 can acquire Polish citizenship through adoption.
- By presidential ‘grant’: The President of the Republic of Poland has the right to grant Polish citizenship to a foreigner without any restrictions or conditions, if this is his/her wish and he/she submits an application to this effect.
- By naturalisation: The process of naturalisation enables persons living in Poland to obtain Polish citizenship. An application for naturalisation is submitted to the provincial governor. However, this is a complicated process and we can assist you throughout the process, especially if you plan to obtain Polish citizenship while residing in Poland.
How is Polish citizenship inherited between generations?
Polish citizenship is passed on by blood law. If at least one parent has Polish citizenship, it is passed on to their offspring, regardless of whether the child was born in Poland or abroad. This means that if we find out that our grandfather or grandmother had Polish citizenship, there is a chance that the same citizenship applies to us as well. In practice, this means that our Polish grandfather managed to pass on his citizenship to his child, and that child in turn passed on that citizenship to us. Of course, for this citizenship to remain in the family, neither generation should lose its Polish citizenship. If we need assistance in verifying whether we are entitled to acquire Polish citizenship by inheritance, we encourage you to contact your consul or visit https://fivetoeurope.com/faqs/polish-citizenship-confirmation-process/, where you will find a lot of useful information related to confirmation of Polish citizenship.
Confirmation of Polish Citizenship – Step by Step
- Step 1: Collecting identity documents and submitting an application
The first step is to gather all the necessary documents to prove your identity and family connections. Such documents primarily include:
- copy of birth certificate;
- documents proving marital status;
- an invalid Polish passport – this applies to both the personal data page and the expiry date unless they are on the same page of the document;
- military booklet issued by the Polish authorities,
- invalid Polish identity card,
- certificate of Polish citizenship of the parent (if you have such a document);
- deed of change of name or surname,
- deed of acquisition of foreign citizenship,
- certificate of last place of residence in Poland with a note about the identity card issued.
Original documents or certified copies thereof must be attached to the application. A copy of the document may be certified as being a true copy of the original by a notary public, by a Polish consul or by a representative of the party acting in the case who is an advocate, legal adviser, patent agent or tax adviser. Furthermore, all documents drawn up in a foreign language should be submitted together with their translation into Polish by a Polish sworn translator or a consul of the Republic of Poland.
- Step 2: Sending the documents and waiting
Once the application and documents have been submitted, we proceed to the waiting phase. The waiting time may vary depending on the workload of the office and the complexity of the case – it is by no means top-down. During this time, however, it is advisable to remain patient and ready to provide any additional information that may be required.
- Step 3: Document verification and case study
At this stage, the officials will review the documents provided and carefully analyse your case. If necessary, they may ask for additional documents or clarifications, which will speed up the case. This is a very important phase that impacts on the final decision.
- Step 4: Receive the decision and receive confirmation of citizenship
After the case study is completed, you will receive an official decision on the confirmation of citizenship. If the decision is positive, you will receive detailed information on the next steps. Having Polish citizenship may open up many new opportunities for you. You can collect the confirmation documents in person or they can be sent to the address indicated by the consul.
What are the next steps after obtaining confirmation of Polish citizenship and receiving the certificate?
When your Polish citizenship is confirmed, you will receive, in the original form, the certificate confirming your Polish citizenship we mentioned above and your Polish birth certificate. However, this is only the beginning of the next steps. This is because the next step is to submit a personal application for a Polish passport to the nearest Consulate General of the Republic of Poland. You must carry out this process in person, as your fingerprints will be taken during the application process – the Polish passport is, after all, a biometric document.
After receiving your Polish passport, new opportunities open up for you as a Polish citizen. You are now entitled to travel, live, and work within the European Union. What is more, remember that you also gain the right to pass Polish citizenship on to your children.
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