Polish Passport for Descendants of Polish Jews
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There is no generational limit on Polish citizenship – meaning even if your great-grandfather immigrated from Poland, his great-grandchildren can still obtain Polish citizenship based on this ancestry. However, it’s not possible to skip generations – that is, you must prove continuous eligibility for the grandfather, father, and grandchild without any loss of eligibility over the generations. Additionally, there are some restrictions on Polish Jews who received a foreign citizenship before 1951, especially if they served in a foreign army or became a public employee.
The law firm Decker, Pex, Levi specializes in immigration to and from Israel. We assist clients in obtaining passports based on ancestry or investment in the US, Canada, Germany, Austria, and more. A Polish passport offers numerous advantages as an additional passport for those ligible, but it can be complicated to gather and submit the necessary documents to prove ancestry and eligibility without the help of specialized lawyers and genealogical researchers.
Who is Eligible for a Polish Passport?
Like in most countries around the world, Polish citizenship is inherited – meaning that if one of your ancestors was a Polish citizen, you may also be eligible for citizenship, as long as every generation between you and the original Polish Jew can also obtain citizenship. You can acquire the passport as a second or additional passport alongside your current one – Poland now allows for double citizenship, so there is no requirement to renounce your current citizenship when obtaining a Polish passport.
Poland’s borders changed many times throughout the 20th century, so it’s possible that your ancestors were born in areas that weren’t considered Polish at the time of their birth (for example, as part of the Russian Empire) but which became a part of Poland after it gained independence or at a later date. If your ancestors still resided in that territory when it became part of Poland, it’s very likely that they and their descendants are eligible for Polish citizenship.
Many Jews emigrated from the region to Russia after the 1917 revolution, which finally removed restrictions on where Jews could live. Others emigrated to America from the late 19th century until the 1920s when immigration to the US became restricted. Finally, some arrived in Eretz Israel during the British Mandate and especially after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.
Most Polish Holocaust survivors who escaped in time or found that their neighbors were not welcoming upon their return from the camps ended up in Israel. Those who didn’t immigrate in the chaotic years following World War II were allowed to immigrate in 1956, and the vast majority of those who survived both the Holocaust and communist rule were expelled in 1968.
Who is Not Eligible for Polish Citizenship?
Even if your grandfather was a Polish citizen, and you have documents confirming this face, it does not necessarily mean you are eligible for Polish citizenship.
Some residents of Poland before it gained independence in 1918 were not eligible for citizenship in the independent Polish republic, especially if they emigrated abroad before the declaration of independence. Our firm does not handle attempts to obtain Polish citizenship for descendants of Poles who emigrated to Palestine, the US, or Russia in the 19th century.
Some Polish citizens who emigrated to another country renounced their Polish citizenship or lost it due to actions taken during or after their emigration. This includes people who left Poland before it became independent and those who lost their citizenship under Polish citizenship law as it was written at the time.
Loss of Polish Citizenship:
Under the citizenship law that was in effect from 1920 to 1951, Poles who emigrated abroad and obtained citizenship in another country, as well as those who served in a foreign country’s military (except for the Allied forces during World War II) or held public office in a foreign country, lost their Polish citizenship.
Does this mean that if your grandfather arrived in Israel from the camps in 1946, obtained Israeli citizenship in 1948, or was drafted into the IDF, he lost his Polish citizenship, and you as his descendants are not eligible to obtain it?
Not exactly.
Article 11 of the Polish Citizenship Law makes two seemingly contradictory statements:
- A person who obtains citizenship from another country loses their Polish citizenship.
- A person who is subject to mandatory military service in Poland cannot obtain citizenship from another country and continues to be considered a Polish citizen, even if he had in fact become the citizen of a different country.
As a result, if a Polish man of military age received citizenship from another country, that citizenship would not be considered valid under Polish law, and therefore, his Polish citizenship would be preserved.
Polish Citizenship and Military Service – Practical Limitations:
If a Polish citizen served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) between 1948 and 1951 (or was a government employee), they indeed irrevocably forfeited their Polish citizenship. However, obtaining foreign citizenship without military service does not automatically result in the loss of citizenship for men of conscription age. As long as the immigrant was between the ages of 18 and 50 (or 60 if he was an officer in the Polish army before leaving or if he received said citizenship between September 2, 1938, and May 28, 1950, during which the maximum conscription age was 60), meaning if he was born after 1900 and can prove that he did not serve in the IDF (or any other army), his Polish citizenship remains intact, and his descendants can reclaim it.
However, this applies to Polish male citizens who were subject to military service, not to women. If only the grandmother was Polish and acquired a foreign citizenship between 1920 and 1951, the right to Polish citizenship was lost for her and her descendants. Additionally, since the law during that period determined citizenship inheritance through the father, inheriting the citizenship from the female line is only possible if the couple was not married or the father’s identity is unknown. It is important to emphasize that a woman’s citizenship depended on her husband’s citizenship – meaning if the grandfather lost his citizenship, so did the grandmother, even if she, for example, immigrated separately at a later time.
One last complication – there is a situation where the father of the family did lose his Polish citizenship, but he immigrated with a son who was of conscription age for the Polish army and did not lose citizenship for one reason or another. In this case, Polish citizenship can be obtained based on this family connection.
After 1951, the citizenship law was amended, and those who left Poland in the immigrations of 1956 and 1968 (when nearly all the remaining Jews in Poland after World War II and the Holocaust were expelled) can reclaim their Polish citizenship even if they acquired a foreign citizenship or served in the foreign army.
How to Confirm Your Eligibility for Polish Citizenship:
Here is the information required for an initial eligibility check, which is free and without obligation:
- Proof that your grandfather, great-grandfather, or other ancestor (“forefather”) from whom the applicants are descended was a Polish citizen: passport, Polish ID card (Polish card or Karta Polaka), military service record, Polish birth or marriage certificate. Our office’s genealogists can help locate these documents for an additional fee if they are not in your possession but you have relatively precise information.
- The emigration date of the forefather.
- Family lineage from that forefather, including all important dates (naturalization, marriage, birth) showing the family connection between the forefather and the applicant(s).
How Does the Process for Obtaining a Polish Passport Work?
In most cases, the process of obtaining a Poland passport begins with submitting an application for confirmation of citizenship, declaring that you are Polish citizens based on ancestry and that you meet the conditions for obtaining a Polish passport.
If it turns out that your family lost Polish citizenship not under the conditions outlined in the citizenship law of that time, you can submit a request for the restoration of citizenship that was lost and begin the process of obtaining Polish citizenship.
Both the recognition of citizenship and the restoration of citizenship assume there is evidence that the forefather was indeed a Polish citizen. If you do not have documents proving this, we can investigate the family connection to Poland and determine whether and how evidence of Polish roots can be found.
How Long Does It Take to Obtain Polish Citizenship?
Every citizenship application is unique, and the waiting time for a decision may vary depending on personal circumstances. Generally, an initial approval is received within approximately six months, while a final approval may take up to a year in most cases.
However, it’s important to remember that the process may differ for each individual, and we are here to facilitate and guide you every step of the way until you receive your Polish citizenship.
How Much Does a Polish Passport Cost?
The costs of obtaining a Polish passport vary depending on the individual circumstances of each client, making every case unique. If you already have all the necessary documents about your Polish ancestors, the process will be simpler, quicker, and cheaper. However, even if you do not have the required documents, we are here to help! We can search the Polish archives using basic details you provide, such as name, place of residence, or estimated year of birth – helping to move the process forward.
The price is influenced by specific circumstances, but not only that! The need for translating documents into Polish by our lawyers is also taken into account. The translations will be performed and verified by a translator authorized by the Polish Embassy.
When it comes to an investment that will open doors for you to Europe, it is advisable to seek a professional and experienced lawyer who specializes in foreign citizenship. This way, you can ensure that you obtain the desired passport and avoid wasting unnecessary time and money on technical mistakes that could lead to a negative response from the Polish authorities.
Polish Passport Advantages:
Since 2004, Poland has been a member of the European Union, and Polish passport holders can enjoy all the benefits of having a European passport. These include the ability to live and work across Europe or the Schengen Area without the need for an additional visa. Additionally, holding a European passport allows entry to over 180 countries worldwide, including those that do not permit entry to Israeli citizens.
Obtaining Polish citizenship offers many significant advantages. Below is a summary of what Polish citizenship provides:
Living in Europe – As Polish citizens, you can live in any of the 27 EU member states without a time limit. These countries include the Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, and more. Altogether, the 27 member states make up the majority of the European economy.
Business or Real Estate Investment – You can establish a business or invest in real estate within the EU, without the restrictions that apply to foreign nationals. In some cases, you may even be eligible for financial assistance from local authorities to start a business.
Relocation and Employment – As Polish citizens, you can legally work in any EU country without the need for a foreign worker visa.
Access to Countries Restricted to Israelis – In addition to visa-free entry to EU countries, you will also be able to enter certain countries in the Middle East or South America that do not allow entry to Israelis.
Freedom of Movement – You will have the freedom to move between EU countries as well as those countries that are signatories to the Schengen Agreement, including non-EU countries like Switzerland, Ireland, Romania, Iceland, and others.
Higher Education – As EU citizens, you will be eligible to study in higher education institutions in advanced countries like Germany, Italy, and France, and you may also qualify for various scholarships.
Consular Protection – You will be able to benefit from consular protection offered by EU consulates in locations where there is no Polish or Israeli consulate.
Finally, while Polish citizenship is not automatically inherited if you do not move to live in Poland, once a parent has obtained citizenship, applying for a Polish passport for your children becomes much easier. In this case, there is no need to prove family connections several generations back or to provide proof of non-service in the IDF. Even if a Polish passport’s advantages do not appeal to you, your children may benefit from eligibility for a Polish passport.
Contact a Polish Passport Lawyer for Assistance with Obtaining Polish Citizenship:
Our office specializes in obtaining additional European passports for Israelis and Jews abroad based on ancestry. Thousands of our clients have already obtained German or Austrian passports, and hundreds have reclaimed Polish citizenship for their family members.
Whether you need assistance with checking your eligibility for a Polish passport, obtaining, translating, and submitting the required documents, or legal support throughout the entire application process—from the initial request to receiving the passport—our Polish citizenship lawyer is at your service.
Even if it turns out that you are not eligible to obtain a Polish passport for various reasons, we can explore other avenues for obtaining a European passport based on ancestry or investment. Contact us to schedule an initial meeting at our offices in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
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