For decades, people emigrated from Poland abroad seeking a better life, and escaping political persecution and poverty. Now, Poland is an attractive place to live, an exciting country of opportunities.
Polish citizens are members of the EU. They have access to a 500-million-strong European market. There is free movement of people, goods, and services. That means that a Polish passport lets you travel, live, and work visa-free all over Europe. Becoming a citizen of the Republic of Poland can be a fantastic way to change your life. If your ancestors were Polish citizens or had Polish nationality, you are eligible to obtain Polish citizenship by descent.
Fancy an EU passport?
See if you can get it!
You’ve gathered some information about your Polish ancestry and you know your great-grandparents were born in Poland. Seems it’s a done deal. Well… not really.
When your ancestors were born is a factor.
When they emigrated can also matter.
Whether they were naturalized or served in the Army does affect your case as well.
There are situations that you qualify for Polish citizenship, but your cousins don’t… Or the other way around.
There are many details that you need to consider. It’s like putting bits of information about your ancestors in a complex algorithm. The key is you must prove the uninterrupted line of Polish citizenship through descent.
Documents
To prove that you have the right to Polish citizenship, you need the right documents. Some of them are in family papers. The other you have found yourself…
-These can include an application for naturalization, where your great-grandmother’s Polish passport number is entered…
-They are also your grandfather’s military documents, as he fought in World War II in the Polish Armed Forces…
-Additionally, your grandfather’s diploma from completing studies in Poland is included…
These are great documents.
But besides that, you must attach birth certificates of these people. Include documents of marriages and the births of their children. These are your direct ancestors.
Documents proving that they lived in Poland.
Documents stating when and where they left.
The more the better.
These documents must be found in Polish archives. Very often in several ones. And it is not enough to take a photo. You need a copy confirmed by the archive that stores the document.
You need a genealogist who knows which documents are accepted in the Polish office. One also needs to know where to look for them.
how Apply for Polish citizenship
Legally in Poland, there are two roads to Polish citizenship: administrative procedure and through the President of Poland.
The President has the right to grant citizenship to anyone. It feels like it’s a quick and simple process, but don’t be fooled. Even celebrities have to wait – Jesse Eisenberg wont for 18 months to get his Polish passport.
The reality is that, if you would like to live in Poland, you would using the administrative way.
Going through this process without an attorney can end in disappointment. An attorney knows exactly how to successfully apply for Polish citizenship.
Going solo would be like fixing a car with a hammer – most the result won’t be great.
Just dropping an application at the Polish consulate won’t do the trick…
A lawyer is the best choice
- 1. All applications from abroad are sent to the governor in Warsaw. At this stage, it turns out that a legal representative in Poland is needed. This is because correspondence about citizenship … is not sent outside the country!
- 2. The application must be written in Polish, on the appropriate form and properly formulated. If you are not proficient in writing Polish, it is safer to give the task to someone skilled in it.
- 3. All documents attached to the application must be originals or certified copies. Those that you have in original can be certified by a lawyer. Thanks to this, you will preserve a priceless legacy and attach certified copies to the application.
We will take care of it for you
Certified translations
You must attach your documents to the application, for instance, birth certificate, parents’ marriage certificates, death certificates. Nevertheless, all documents must be translated into Polish by a sworn translator. It is possible that your application will contain documents in several languages. Before World War I, the Polish state did not exist. Civil documents, like birth or marriage certificates, were issued in the official language of the given area. This was either Russian or German.
We will also be happy to help you translate documents into Polish.
How long does it take to obtain Polish citizenship?
As with all official matters – it is difficult to predict. Each case of obtaining citizenship is different, but it takes from a few to a dozen or so months.
A correct application greatly impacts how quickly this process completes. Including good attachments and providing a solid legal justification also contribute significantly.
Polish Passport
Once you have confirmed your Polish citizenship by origin, you can apply for a Polish passport. A Polish passport is highly rated because it gives you permissions or rights available to all European Union citizens. It takes up to a month to get it. A lawyer can also handle your passport application.
What about your spouse and children?
If you get Polish citizenship, your children automatically have the right to apply for it. You can include applications for your children in your application.
It is a different story for spouses. If they are not of Polish descent, they can apply for citizenship while living in Poland. Though, this is a different legal procedure, but being married to a Polish citizen would strengthen their case.
TRUST US
We are a team of experts in citizenship law and genealogy. We leave no stone upturned to make sure you can send your application and be successful.
We look after you throughout the entire process. Our support begins with the first consultation. Then we help in gathering the documents.
Finally, we guide you all the way to receiving your Polish passport.
If you want to know what your chances are for Polish citizenship, write here.
First consultations are free.
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