The process of Polish citizenship confirmation applies not only to people with Polish roots living abroad but also to any foreigner who has a strong connection with Poland. If you are still not sure whether you can apply for Polish citizenship, stay with us for a moment. We have prepared a short guide to make it all less difficult. What do you need to know about Polish citizenship for foreigners?
Polish Citizenship Requirements – keep that in Mind
The ability to acquire Polish citizenship concerns almost everyone who is connected with Poland. What does it mean? No matter if you have Polish roots but live abroad or your ancestors have lost their Polish citizenship – you can apply for Polish citizenship at any time. All you need to do is complete the needed documents and pay a fee. Of course, it is crucial to have strong present ties to Poland, i.e. be an active member in the Polish community, speak the language, promote Polish culture or have a plan to move to Poland. If you can confirm your connections, you should not worry about the President of the Republic of Poland’s decision on your Polish citizenship application.
There is no requirements list for foreigners applying for Polish citizenship. What’s important, the President of Poland has unlimited power in that case. It means, he is not bound to any deadline and his decision shall be final. You cannot appeal a decision whether it was positive or not. Once the President of the Republic of Poland approves your Polish citizenship application, you will be entitled to call yourself a fully-fledged Polish citizen which means you will also be able to enjoy all the benefits of having a Polish passport.
Still looking for Polish citizenship consultations? Check the FiveToEurope website!
Grant of Polish Citizenship – what is it?
Grant of Polish citizenship is one of the ways to apply for Polish citizenship by a foreigner based on Article 18 of the current Act on Polish citizenship. Why do we mention it? According to the Act, the President of the Republic of Poland may grant Polish citizenship to any foreigner upon the foreigner’s application. It should be emphasized that there is no need for you to have Polish roots! If you have been living here or working for a Polish company for many years but do not have any ancestors holding Polish citizenship – you are still eligible to apply for a Grant of Polish citizenship via the President’s office. This also applies to anyone who is stateless or a foreigner holding another state’s citizenship. What’s important, you just have to prove your eligibility. The President of Poland assesses each case independently, taking into account the indicated arguments.
How to apply for a Grant of Polish Citizenship?
The procedure of Polish citizenship confirmation may take shorter or longer depending on various factors. Before you become a fully-fledged Polish citizen, you have to fulfill several requirements. Firstly, you just need to complete the needed documentation, including your Polish citizenship application and documents that prove your identity. Once you have done that, there is nothing left to do but submit it to the appropriate institution which is the provincial office or consulate, if you are living abroad. Submitting the Polish citizenship application at a consulate will incur a fee of 360 euros. You should also remember that translating your documentation also requires one.
What’s next? If you have already met the basic conditions, you will have to wait for the President of Poland’s decision. Polish citizenship confirmation usually takes one year or more. After that time you will be able to call yourself a Polish citizen. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
