How to get a Polish citizen

The principle of "blood rights" applies in Poland. According to Article 14 of the Law on Citizenship, a child receives a Polish passport under the following conditions: at least one of the parents is a Polish citizen; the child was born on the territory of Poland, but his parents are unknown or stateless.

All other conditions for acquiring Polish citizenship are described in detail in Article 30 of the Law on Citizenship.

Citizenship based on residence in Poland

Foreigners can obtain citizenship if they have lived in Poland for at least 3 years, having:

• permanent residence permit (Karta stałego pobytu);
• residence permit for a long-term resident of the EU (zezwolenie na pobyt rezydenta długoterminowego UE).

At the same time, you need to have a permanent place of residence and a stable source of income.

Citizenship through marriage or family circumstances

In order to obtain citizenship on these grounds, it is necessary to live in Poland for at least 2 years, if the foreigner has a permanent residence permit or long-term EU resident status, and at the same time has been married to a Polish citizen for at least 3 years; the foreigner is a minor who lives in Poland on the basis of a permanent residence permit or long-term EU resident status, and one of his parents is a Polish citizen, and the other agrees to grant the child Polish citizenship.

Repatriate recognition

According to Article 16 of the Law on Repatriation, foreigners can obtain Polish citizenship by being recognized as repatriates if they:

• have Polish roots;
• until January 1, 2001, permanently lived in the territory of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or the Asian part of the Russian Federation;
• have a permanent residence permit in Poland;
• have a permanent place of residence and a stable income.

You can read more about this law on the government website.

Other possibilities of obtaining citizenship

Citizenship can be obtained by foreigners who have a permanent residence permit or long-term EU resident status and are stateless persons who have lived in Poland for 2 years and have a permanent residence permit obtained on the basis of refugee status.

Citizenship by decision of the president

In all these cases, documents for the recognition of Polish citizenship are submitted to the voivode. However, there is another way - to submit an application through the president (granting of obywatelstwa polskiego - granting of Polish citizenship).

The President is not limited by any conditions regarding the acquisition of citizenship, and the decision is not subject to appeal. The process of acquiring citizenship through the president can take more than a year. To do this, it is necessary to submit an application, where you justify your desire to become a citizen of Poland.

Applying for Polish citizenship: basic steps

To apply for citizenship, you must:

Collect a package of documents.

Submit an application to the voivodeship office or consulate.

Wait for a response.

Necessary documents for submission through the voivodeship:

1. Completed application in Polish.
2. The original of the foreign passport and its copy.
3. One color photograph measuring 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm.
4. A document confirming knowledge of the Polish language.
5. Application with information about departures and returns to Poland.
6. Confirmation of payment of the fee for the decision on the issuance of citizenship.
7. Original and copy of documents confirming a stable source of income.
8. The original and a copy of the document confirming the permanent place of residence.
9. Original birth certificate and marriage certificate.

If a foreigner submits documents through the president, the list of documents is similar.

Dual citizenship in Poland

The law allows for dual citizenship, with Polish citizens having the same rights and obligations as other citizens. Therefore, the Polish authorities do not require renunciation of the first citizenship, but you should make sure that dual citizenship is allowed in your country.

How a lawyer can help in obtaining Polish citizenship

A Migration Lawyer can help at every stage of the process, providing different types of services depending on your needs.

One of the first services is a legal consultation, a consultation with a lawyer, where a specialist will provide general information about the process, requirements and possible risks. For a deeper understanding of your situation, a lawyer can provide a written consultation, which will include a detailed action plan, a list of necessary documents and recommendations for further steps.

If you already have a certain set of documents, the lawyer will conduct  analysis of documents to make sure that they all meet the requirements of Polish law. In case of detection of deficiencies, the lawyer will advise how to correct them, or prepare new documents in accordance with the necessary standards.

For complex and specific situations, a lawyer can prepare a legal opinion that contains a detailed assessment of your situation and possible options for solving the problem. This document can be used for further actions, in particular in case of appealing the decision or submitting additional applications.

Today, an lawyer online  and an lawyer ofline  are gaining more and more popularity - services that allow you to get professional help without the need to visit a lawyer's office. This is especially convenient for those who are outside Poland or have limited time.

What determines the price of a lawyer's services when obtaining Polish citizenship

The cost of a migration lawyer's services depends on a number of factors. 

1. Firstly, it is the complexity of the case: the more documents need to be prepared and the more stages the process includes, the higher the price will be. 
2. Secondly, the level of experience of the lawyer and his specialization are important. For example, a specialist with extensive experience in migration matters may request a higher fee, but at the same time, his services may be more efficient.

Also, the cost of services may depend on whether you only need legal advice, written advice, or full support of the case with preparation and submissiondocuments In addition, the price may vary depending on the need to verification of documents by a lawyer and prepare a legal opinion. Using the services of an online lawyer or an lawyer's help online can also affect the cost, because some specialists offer discounts for clients who choose a remote format of cooperation.

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