Confirmation of Polish citizenship on the basis of descent is, next to naturalisation, one of the two main ways of acquiring Polish citizenship. However, while both result in the possibility of applying for a Polish passport and becoming a citizen of an EU member state, the acquisition of Polish citizenship on the basis of descent brings additional benefits, which will be mentioned later.
Polish citizenship is transmitted by the right of blood. What does this mean? If one parent has Polish citizenship, this citizenship is also passed on to the child, regardless of whether the child was born in Poland or abroad. If you are of Polish origin and meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for confirmation of your Polish citizenship and apply for a Polish passport. We assure you that such a process will be seamless and as smooth as possible. After all, for many people who have Polish roots or family ties to Polish citizens, obtaining Polish citizenship is an important goal. It provides many benefits, such as freedom to travel within the European Union, the right to reside and work in Poland and Europe and access to social benefits. There are two main ways of obtaining Polish citizenship: by naturalisation and by descent.
Obtaining Polish citizenship by naturalisation
Naturalisation of Polish citizenship is possible for persons who have family ties with Polish citizens or have other legitimate grounds for applying for citizenship. It is worth remembering that naturalisation only leads to the acquisition of Polish citizenship from the moment the naturalisation act is issued. Fulfillment of the legally required prerequisites for granting Polish citizenship by law and blood, and the absence of circumstances of its loss, must result in confirmation of Polish citizenship, whereas naturalisation in the form of a presidential grant is entirely discretionary – that is, regardless of the motivation and justification, the decision of the President of the Republic of Poland is fully sovereign. If you meet requirements such as speaking the Polish language, having residential rights in Poland, residing in Poland due to work or family ties, you can go through the process of recognition as a Polish citizen. Here are the steps to apply for Polish citizenship by recognition:
Step 1: Collect all documents
In order to apply for recognition of Polish citizenship, you need to provide relevant documents such as:
- Birth certificate or other document confirming your relationship with a Polish citizen.
- Marriage certificate (if you are married to a Polish citizen).
- Proof of legal residence in Poland (if you are a foreigner).
- Other documents confirming family ties or other reasonable grounds, Polish language certificate, source of income, proof of address ect.
Step 2: Contact the relevant office
The next step is to contact the relevant Voivodeship office appropriate to your place of residence in Poland that is responsible for Polish citizenship matters. There we have the opportunity to submit an application and provide the required documents. Let’s make sure we have a good understanding of the procedure and the required documents to avoid delays and mistakes.
Step 3: Waiting for the application to be processed
Once the application has been submitted, we have to wait for it to be processed by the relevant authorities. The waiting time may vary depending on a number of factors, such as the administrative burden and the number of applications submitted in a given period. It is worth being patient and providing any additional documents if required.
Obtaining Polish citizenship by descent
The alternative way of obtaining Polish citizenship is through descent. If you have Polish family roots, you can apply for Polish citizenship on this basis. If you want to learn more about what obtaining Polish citizenship is and what it entails, please see the subpage https://fivetoeurope.com/polish-citizenship-by-descent/.
Here are the steps to apply for Polish citizenship by descent:
Step 1: Proving Polish ancestry
To apply for Polish citizenship by descent, we must first prove our Polish roots. This may include providing an ancestor’s birth certificate, family documents, evidence of Polish community membership, Polish ids or other evidence of Polish ancestry.
Step 2: Collecting the required documents
Once you have proven your Polish ancestry, you next need to collect the required documents, such as:
- Ancestor’s birth certificate and birth certificates of other family members proving kinship.
- Marriage certificate (if applicable).
- Other documents confirming Polish ancestry.
Step 3: Contact the relevant office
As in the case of obtaining citizenship by recognition, it is necessary to contact the relevant Voivodeship Office in Poland or Polish consulate according to your place of residence that deals with matters of Polish citizenship. There we will have to submit an application and the required documents.
Step 4: Waiting for the application to be processed
Once the application has been submitted, it remains for us to wait for the authorities to process it. The waiting time may vary, and it can take from 3 to 12 months. It depends whether you submitted enough evidence proving your Polish ancestry or additional records and information will be requested by the Polish Government.
Sharon Howe is a creative person with diverse talents. She writes engaging articles for WonderWorldSpace.com, where she works as a content writer. Writing allows Sharon to inform and captivate readers. Additionally, Sharon pursues music as a hobby, which allows her to showcase her artistic abilities in another creative area.