Our law firm, which specializes in Polish citizenship, provides legal assistance to Polish descendants who wish to acquire European Polish citizenship. This passport grants a variety of benefits, since Poland is a member of the European Union (EU). Some examples of such benefits are the right to live and work in all EU countries, receive medical care, establish a business, receive subsidized studies, and other benefits detailed below.<\/p>\n
![\"Obtaining](\"https:\/\/lawfirmbackup_200125.k1uagm.ap-southeast-2.wpstaqhosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/aerial-view-of-old-town-in-warsaw-poland-300x200.jpg\")
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Obtaining Polish Citizenship\u2014Conditions<\/strong><\/h4>\nEligibility by\u00a0Jus sanguinis:<\/strong>\u00a0The Polish citizenship law is based on the \u201cright of blood\u201d\u00a0(Jus sanguinis<\/a>). This means that any descendant born to a Polish parent may acquire Polish citizenship regardless of their place of birth. If you wish to obtain Polish citizenship, you will not need to renounce your previous citizenship.<\/p>\nHowever, if only your grandparent was a Polish citizen, you must first show that your parent was eligible to become a citizen and did not lose said eligibility, and only then will you be able to lawfully inherit Polish citizenship yourself. This applies to any number of generations of ancestry, since, as stated above, the eligibility is by Jus sanguinis.<\/p>\n
The two ways to receive citizenship:<\/strong> Descendants of past Polish citizens are eligible both to confirm and to restore citizenship. Even if they live outside of Poland, these descendants may confirm their citizenship directly, since the Polish authorities recognize them as lawfully Polish by birth. However, as stated above, you cannot skip a generation to receive citizenship.<\/p>\nMilitary past:<\/strong> If your ancestors left Poland before 1951 and later served in the Israel Defense Force (IDF) or any other foreign army (with the exception of the armies of the Allies during WWII), you will not be allowed to receive Polish citizenship. A non-minor person who has worked at a governmental \\ public office before the enactment of the law that took place in 1951, loses their citizenship automatically, as do the person’s wife and minor children (under the age of 18). Serving in the Polish army does not lead to loss of citizenship.<\/p>\nLeaving Poland between 1920 and 1951:<\/strong> If your ancestors left Poland before 1951 and you wish to confirm your citizenship based on descent from one or more of them, you must prove that they left Poland after the first regulation entered into force in 1920. If they left before that time, it will be more difficult to prove their citizenship. If the parents of the ancestor remained in Poland after the ancestor left, it may be easier to prove their citizenship.<\/p>\nImportant Points\u2014Eligibility to Polish Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\nEligibility due to having a Polish father:<\/strong>\u00a0Regarding the period before the changes that were made to the law in 1951, which corrected the discrimination against women, military graduates, and past workers at public offices, the Polish authorities still recognize descendants as eligible to a Polish passport only by their father. In other words, if your parents left Poland\u00a0before<\/strong> 1951, your eligibility depends solely on your father’s status. If the father’s identity is unknown or if the couple were unmarried, or if you don’t have evidence that they were married, the mother’s citizenship is what will determine eligibility for the descendant.<\/p>\nWomen’s loss of citizenship:<\/strong> Until 1951, women’s Polish citizenship was included in their husband’s citizenship. If the husband lost his citizenship, his wife immediately lost it, as well.<\/p>\nPolish citizenship for a spouse:<\/strong>\u00a0In the case of a married couple, if one of the spouses has Polish citizenship, the other spouse may also receive citizenship. However, this is only possible if the non-Polish spouse moves to Poland for two years after being married. In addition, the non-Polish spouse must pass a test examining the spouse’s control of the Polish language.<\/p>\nThe Citizenship Law that was Amended in 1962<\/strong><\/h4>\nImportantly, before the 1962 law entered into force, the Polish citizenship law was very strict, over the years, since Poland experienced waves of changing and overturned regimes that opposed the encouragement of immigration. However, after 1962, the law became more flexible. From then on, it became possible to lose or renounce citizenship only on special request by the citizen. Moreover,\u00a0starting<\/strong>\u00a0from 1962, the Polish law recognizes past citizens as more eligible than others to receive citizenship, which was not the case before 1962.<\/p>\nThe Changing Polish Borders Over the Years\u2014Obtaining Polish Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\nAs a result of the change in the Polish borders after the Second World War and until 1951, thousands of people received another citizenship in addition to their Polish citizenship. If your forefathers had Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, or any other citizenship, you will not be recognized by the Polish authorities today as eligible to receive citizenship. However, if your forefathers returned to Poland during the late 1940s or early 1950s, in accordance with the various agreements that took place between Russia and Poland regarding repatriation (returning to the homeland), and lawfully restored their citizenship, you, too, will be eligible to receive citizenship.<\/p>\n
How Do You Receive Polish Citizenship? Obtaining Polish Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\nWhen submitting a client’s application to the Polish authorities, we first ask the client to provide us with one of two necessary documents. The\u00a0first<\/strong>\u00a0document is a family tree showing that the applicant’s relatives lived in Poland. This document must include dates of birth, places of birth, family names, and other important details.<\/p>\nThe\u00a0second<\/strong>\u00a0document is an original copy of any official paper that the relative living in Poland received. This may be a birth certificate, marriage certificate, military document, academic diploma, ID card, student card, or any other document showing that its holder\u2014the past Polish relative\u2014was officially connected to Poland.![\"Obtaining](\"https:\/\/lawfirmbackup_200125.k1uagm.ap-southeast-2.wpstaqhosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/old-town-motlawa-river-gdansk-poland-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Three Ways to Receive Citizenship\u2014How Do You Obtain Polish Citizenship?<\/strong><\/h4>\nThere are three different procedures for obtaining Polish citizenship:<\/p>\n
\n- Being granted citizenship: Citizenship may be granted by the discretion of the Polish president.<\/li>\n
- Restoring citizenship: Citizenship may be restored by decision of the Polish Minister of Interior, in accordance with the new 2012 law.<\/li>\n
- Confirmation of citizenship that was never lost: Requests to confirm citizenship are brought before a Polish district governor or decided at the Ministry of Interior or the courts.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Only by obtaining citizenship in one of these three ways will it be possible to pass the citizenship on to the next generations, as well.<\/p>\n
Polish Citizenship Advantages\u2014<\/strong>Polish Citizenship Benefits<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\nAs a member of the EU, Poland can offer you a variety of unique advantages that are only available in EU countries. Besides the fact that it is always good to have more than one citizenship, Polish citizenship opens many advanced possibilities to its holders. With a European Polish passport, you will be able to immigrate to Europe and lawfully live there permanently. In addition, you will be able to work in EU countries (such as Germany, Italy, France, Holland, Sweden, and\u00a0other countries<\/a>) like every legal European citizen. You will enjoy free passage between the various EU countries and the countries that are signatories to the\u00a0Schengen acquis<\/a>.<\/p>\nEuropean citizens are also allowed to study at leading higher academic institutions in Europe at the price paid by local citizens. In some countries the studies are even fully subsidized by the state. You will also be eligible to full social services, including health and welfare services. With a European passport, you will be allowed to establish a business or purchase real estate. You will also be able to enter countries from which Israelis are banned, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The Price of Obtaining Polish Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\nThe costs involved in issuing a Polish passport depend on the specific circumstances of each applicant. If the client has in their possession all the required documents from their Polish ancestors, the process will probably be shorter and cheaper. If they do not, we will be able to search for the documents in the Polish archives using basic information provided to us by the client (such as a person’s name, city of residence, or approximate year of birth). Therefore, the price often depends on the applicant’s specific circumstances, and no two cases are alike.<\/p>\n
However, if only your grandparent was a Polish citizen, you must first show that your parent was eligible to become a citizen and did not lose said eligibility, and only then will you be able to lawfully inherit Polish citizenship yourself. This applies to any number of generations of ancestry, since, as stated above, the eligibility is by Jus sanguinis.<\/p>\n
The two ways to receive citizenship:<\/strong> Descendants of past Polish citizens are eligible both to confirm and to restore citizenship. Even if they live outside of Poland, these descendants may confirm their citizenship directly, since the Polish authorities recognize them as lawfully Polish by birth. However, as stated above, you cannot skip a generation to receive citizenship.<\/p>\n Military past:<\/strong> If your ancestors left Poland before 1951 and later served in the Israel Defense Force (IDF) or any other foreign army (with the exception of the armies of the Allies during WWII), you will not be allowed to receive Polish citizenship. A non-minor person who has worked at a governmental \\ public office before the enactment of the law that took place in 1951, loses their citizenship automatically, as do the person’s wife and minor children (under the age of 18). Serving in the Polish army does not lead to loss of citizenship.<\/p>\n Leaving Poland between 1920 and 1951:<\/strong> If your ancestors left Poland before 1951 and you wish to confirm your citizenship based on descent from one or more of them, you must prove that they left Poland after the first regulation entered into force in 1920. If they left before that time, it will be more difficult to prove their citizenship. If the parents of the ancestor remained in Poland after the ancestor left, it may be easier to prove their citizenship.<\/p>\n Eligibility due to having a Polish father:<\/strong>\u00a0Regarding the period before the changes that were made to the law in 1951, which corrected the discrimination against women, military graduates, and past workers at public offices, the Polish authorities still recognize descendants as eligible to a Polish passport only by their father. In other words, if your parents left Poland\u00a0before<\/strong> 1951, your eligibility depends solely on your father’s status. If the father’s identity is unknown or if the couple were unmarried, or if you don’t have evidence that they were married, the mother’s citizenship is what will determine eligibility for the descendant.<\/p>\n Women’s loss of citizenship:<\/strong> Until 1951, women’s Polish citizenship was included in their husband’s citizenship. If the husband lost his citizenship, his wife immediately lost it, as well.<\/p>\n Polish citizenship for a spouse:<\/strong>\u00a0In the case of a married couple, if one of the spouses has Polish citizenship, the other spouse may also receive citizenship. However, this is only possible if the non-Polish spouse moves to Poland for two years after being married. In addition, the non-Polish spouse must pass a test examining the spouse’s control of the Polish language.<\/p>\n Importantly, before the 1962 law entered into force, the Polish citizenship law was very strict, over the years, since Poland experienced waves of changing and overturned regimes that opposed the encouragement of immigration. However, after 1962, the law became more flexible. From then on, it became possible to lose or renounce citizenship only on special request by the citizen. Moreover,\u00a0starting<\/strong>\u00a0from 1962, the Polish law recognizes past citizens as more eligible than others to receive citizenship, which was not the case before 1962.<\/p>\n As a result of the change in the Polish borders after the Second World War and until 1951, thousands of people received another citizenship in addition to their Polish citizenship. If your forefathers had Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, or any other citizenship, you will not be recognized by the Polish authorities today as eligible to receive citizenship. However, if your forefathers returned to Poland during the late 1940s or early 1950s, in accordance with the various agreements that took place between Russia and Poland regarding repatriation (returning to the homeland), and lawfully restored their citizenship, you, too, will be eligible to receive citizenship.<\/p>\n When submitting a client’s application to the Polish authorities, we first ask the client to provide us with one of two necessary documents. The\u00a0first<\/strong>\u00a0document is a family tree showing that the applicant’s relatives lived in Poland. This document must include dates of birth, places of birth, family names, and other important details.<\/p>\n The\u00a0second<\/strong>\u00a0document is an original copy of any official paper that the relative living in Poland received. This may be a birth certificate, marriage certificate, military document, academic diploma, ID card, student card, or any other document showing that its holder\u2014the past Polish relative\u2014was officially connected to Poland. There are three different procedures for obtaining Polish citizenship:<\/p>\n Only by obtaining citizenship in one of these three ways will it be possible to pass the citizenship on to the next generations, as well.<\/p>\n As a member of the EU, Poland can offer you a variety of unique advantages that are only available in EU countries. Besides the fact that it is always good to have more than one citizenship, Polish citizenship opens many advanced possibilities to its holders. With a European Polish passport, you will be able to immigrate to Europe and lawfully live there permanently. In addition, you will be able to work in EU countries (such as Germany, Italy, France, Holland, Sweden, and\u00a0other countries<\/a>) like every legal European citizen. You will enjoy free passage between the various EU countries and the countries that are signatories to the\u00a0Schengen acquis<\/a>.<\/p>\n European citizens are also allowed to study at leading higher academic institutions in Europe at the price paid by local citizens. In some countries the studies are even fully subsidized by the state. You will also be eligible to full social services, including health and welfare services. With a European passport, you will be allowed to establish a business or purchase real estate. You will also be able to enter countries from which Israelis are banned, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Indonesia.<\/p>\n The costs involved in issuing a Polish passport depend on the specific circumstances of each applicant. If the client has in their possession all the required documents from their Polish ancestors, the process will probably be shorter and cheaper. If they do not, we will be able to search for the documents in the Polish archives using basic information provided to us by the client (such as a person’s name, city of residence, or approximate year of birth). Therefore, the price often depends on the applicant’s specific circumstances, and no two cases are alike.<\/p>\nImportant Points\u2014Eligibility to Polish Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Citizenship Law that was Amended in 1962<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Changing Polish Borders Over the Years\u2014Obtaining Polish Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\n
How Do You Receive Polish Citizenship? Obtaining Polish Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\nThe Three Ways to Receive Citizenship\u2014How Do You Obtain Polish Citizenship?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Polish Citizenship Advantages\u2014<\/strong>Polish Citizenship Benefits<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n
The Price of Obtaining Polish Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\n