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Polish Citizenship by Descent
Polish Coat of Arms
Would you like to obtain a second passport in Poland? If so, you've come to the right place. With over 20 years of experience in helping people like you with genealogy projects all over the world, our team of specialists can assist you in getting your second passport through the process of jure sanguinis, or citizenship by descent.
There are currently around 20,000,000 people of Polish descent living outside of Poland, many of whom are eligible for citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis. The Polish diaspora, known as Polonia, is comprised of people of Polish descent who live outside of the country in places like the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. To determine if you are part of the Polish diaspora, it is important to first understand the country's history in terms of various border changes and other events that may have affected your eligibility for citizenship.
During much of the 19th century, areas of modern-day Poland were under the jurisdiction of various powers, including the German Empire, Prussia, Austria-Hungary, and Russian Empire, when many Poles experienced displacement, political repression, economic hardship, and religious persecution. These circumstances, therefore, caused the flight of many people to countries like the United States, where more freedom and better economic opportunities could be found. For example, the first great wave of Polish immigration to the U.S. happened between 1870 and 1914, when millions of Poles settled in American cities like Detroit, Chicago, and New York City. However, Poles were also some of the earliest Europeans to settle in America, as several skilled craftsman, farmers, and tradesmen were listed in the records of colonial Jamestown in 1608. Immigration to the United States was greatly curtailed between 1921 and 1945, when anti-immigrant legislation was passed limiting the numbers of immigrants coming from countries like Poland and elsewhere. After World War II, from about 1945 to 1989, during communist rule in Poland, a second big wave of immigration happened in the country, and a third wave occurred after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, with the current diaspora population now numbering more than 10 million in the United States.
After being under the jurisdiction of several great powers, Poland gained autonomy and became a republic in 1920. However, the newly born country continued to experience hardship and upheaval, as it was invaded by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939, during a period of time when many Jews were imprisoned and killed during the Holocaust. In the aftermath of these unfortunate events, Poland became a satellite state of the Soviet Union until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which precipitated the unraveling of the former communist order in Poland, Germany, and elsewhere. After this date, the country began to rebuild, joined the European Union, and now enjoys a revived culture and economy rivaling many other nations.
It's worth nothing that during the Second Polish Republic from 1920 to 1939 there were approximately 3,136,000 Jews living in Poland, who made up more than 10% of the population, it being the country with the second largest population of jews after the Soviet Union. This number was greatly reduced, however, during World War II and the Holocaust, when more than 3,000,000 Jews were tragically killed by the Nazis and their collaborators. During this period of time, many Jews had Polish citizenship by residency or birth, which means that their descendants are eligible for Polish citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis.
In Poland, the process of acquiring citizenship through one's ancestors is legally referred to as Confirmation of Citizenship, as descendants of Polish citizens are automatically entitled to citizenship if any of their ancestors were residents of the country when it was founded in 1920. This means that you might already be a Polish citizen, as your citizenship rights were inherited through your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. However, it is important to keep in mind that a person's citizenship rights can also be lost, for example if their ancestors were naturalized in another country, served in a foreign military, or became officials of a foreign government. To get your Polish passport therefore requires gathering a checklist of records that prove your entitlement to citizenship, which comes with many rights and privileges, including the right to live, work, study, and travel in any of the 27 member states of the European Union.
To expedite the process of confirming your citizenship, documentation can be gathered for you with the help of professional genealogists, lawyers, and related professionals who can represent you with your citizenship goals. You will also need the help of professional translators to translate these documents into the Polish language, which can then be submitted to the appropriate voivodeship office or Polish consulate that has jurisdiction in your area.
There are currently around 20,000,000 people of Polish descent living outside of Poland, many of whom are eligible for citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis. The Polish diaspora, known as Polonia, is comprised of people of Polish descent who live outside of the country in places like the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. To determine if you are part of the Polish diaspora, it is important to first understand the country's history in terms of various border changes and other events that may have affected your eligibility for citizenship.
During much of the 19th century, areas of modern-day Poland were under the jurisdiction of various powers, including the German Empire, Prussia, Austria-Hungary, and Russian Empire, when many Poles experienced displacement, political repression, economic hardship, and religious persecution. These circumstances, therefore, caused the flight of many people to countries like the United States, where more freedom and better economic opportunities could be found. For example, the first great wave of Polish immigration to the U.S. happened between 1870 and 1914, when millions of Poles settled in American cities like Detroit, Chicago, and New York City. However, Poles were also some of the earliest Europeans to settle in America, as several skilled craftsman, farmers, and tradesmen were listed in the records of colonial Jamestown in 1608. Immigration to the United States was greatly curtailed between 1921 and 1945, when anti-immigrant legislation was passed limiting the numbers of immigrants coming from countries like Poland and elsewhere. After World War II, from about 1945 to 1989, during communist rule in Poland, a second big wave of immigration happened in the country, and a third wave occurred after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, with the current diaspora population now numbering more than 10 million in the United States.
After being under the jurisdiction of several great powers, Poland gained autonomy and became a republic in 1920. However, the newly born country continued to experience hardship and upheaval, as it was invaded by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939, during a period of time when many Jews were imprisoned and killed during the Holocaust. In the aftermath of these unfortunate events, Poland became a satellite state of the Soviet Union until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which precipitated the unraveling of the former communist order in Poland, Germany, and elsewhere. After this date, the country began to rebuild, joined the European Union, and now enjoys a revived culture and economy rivaling many other nations.
It's worth nothing that during the Second Polish Republic from 1920 to 1939 there were approximately 3,136,000 Jews living in Poland, who made up more than 10% of the population, it being the country with the second largest population of jews after the Soviet Union. This number was greatly reduced, however, during World War II and the Holocaust, when more than 3,000,000 Jews were tragically killed by the Nazis and their collaborators. During this period of time, many Jews had Polish citizenship by residency or birth, which means that their descendants are eligible for Polish citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis.
In Poland, the process of acquiring citizenship through one's ancestors is legally referred to as Confirmation of Citizenship, as descendants of Polish citizens are automatically entitled to citizenship if any of their ancestors were residents of the country when it was founded in 1920. This means that you might already be a Polish citizen, as your citizenship rights were inherited through your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. However, it is important to keep in mind that a person's citizenship rights can also be lost, for example if their ancestors were naturalized in another country, served in a foreign military, or became officials of a foreign government. To get your Polish passport therefore requires gathering a checklist of records that prove your entitlement to citizenship, which comes with many rights and privileges, including the right to live, work, study, and travel in any of the 27 member states of the European Union.
To expedite the process of confirming your citizenship, documentation can be gathered for you with the help of professional genealogists, lawyers, and related professionals who can represent you with your citizenship goals. You will also need the help of professional translators to translate these documents into the Polish language, which can then be submitted to the appropriate voivodeship office or Polish consulate that has jurisdiction in your area.
Eligibility for Polish Citizenship
Map of Poland in 1757
Eligibility for Polish citizenship, as described above, is based on your ancestry, which can be claimed through your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and even more distant ancestors. Unlike citizenship programs and residency permits in other countries, where a donation or investment in a country's government bonds or native businesses might be required, your citizenship in Poland comes through your genealogy. Moreover, there is no language requirement, citizenship test, or term of residency for you to claim citizenship, and the whole process can even be undertaken overseas in places like the United States, Canada, and elsewhere.
To confirm your citizenship, at least one of your Polish ancestors (i.e. your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents) must have been a legal resident of Poland or one of its former territories from at least January 1920, when the modern-day Republic of Poland was founded. In addition, for these citizenship rights to pass on to you, your ancestors must not have lost their citizenship by naturalizing in another country, serving in a foreign military, or accepting public office in another country without the express consent of the Polish government. The exception to this rule would have been during World War II, when many Polish citizens served in the Allied Forces. In addition to these requirements, Polish citizenship for your qualifying ancestor must have been in place on the day of your birth, or up until the day of your ancestor's death.
If your ancestors emigrated prior to 1920, you may still qualify for citizenship if it's proven that they lived in parts of the Principality of Poland, partitioned territories, or Russian Empire, whose jurisdictions are now located in modern-day Poland. To verify your ancestors' places of residence prior to various border changes might thus require in-depth and on-the-ground research at various regional and state archives in places like Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, and elsewhere. To determine Polish residency prior to 1920 often requires gathering records like registers of permanent residents, similar to censuses, which were official directories of families in a given area, as well as vital records, interior passports, military service files, and other records. To be eligible for citizenship through these earlier ancestors also requires that they didn't naturalize in the country they emigrated to, as the Polish nationality law prior to 1920 didn't allow for dual citizenship.
To confirm your citizenship, at least one of your Polish ancestors (i.e. your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents) must have been a legal resident of Poland or one of its former territories from at least January 1920, when the modern-day Republic of Poland was founded. In addition, for these citizenship rights to pass on to you, your ancestors must not have lost their citizenship by naturalizing in another country, serving in a foreign military, or accepting public office in another country without the express consent of the Polish government. The exception to this rule would have been during World War II, when many Polish citizens served in the Allied Forces. In addition to these requirements, Polish citizenship for your qualifying ancestor must have been in place on the day of your birth, or up until the day of your ancestor's death.
If your ancestors emigrated prior to 1920, you may still qualify for citizenship if it's proven that they lived in parts of the Principality of Poland, partitioned territories, or Russian Empire, whose jurisdictions are now located in modern-day Poland. To verify your ancestors' places of residence prior to various border changes might thus require in-depth and on-the-ground research at various regional and state archives in places like Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, and elsewhere. To determine Polish residency prior to 1920 often requires gathering records like registers of permanent residents, similar to censuses, which were official directories of families in a given area, as well as vital records, interior passports, military service files, and other records. To be eligible for citizenship through these earlier ancestors also requires that they didn't naturalize in the country they emigrated to, as the Polish nationality law prior to 1920 didn't allow for dual citizenship.
Benefits of Polish Citizenship
Flag of Poland
There are many benefits relating to Polish citizenship, especially since Poland is one of the 27 member countries of the European Union. As a Polish passport holder, some of the rights, benefits, and privileges you will enjoy include the following:
- Right to visa-free travel within the EU and Schengen Area
- Right to live in any EU member state or Schengen Area
- Right to work or start a business in Poland and other EU countries
- Right to vote in Polish national elections and European Parliament elections
- Ability to purchase property anywhere in the EU
- Access to universal health care
- Reduced or free tuition at the university level in any EU member state
- Constitutional protections of your civil rights
Required Documents
It is not enough to simply supply the Polish government with a few records like birth, marriage, or death certificates to prove your eligibility for Polish citizenship. A large collection of records, along with their associated certifications, apostilles, and translations must be submitted to the Polish consulate or voivodeship office where you're applying to correctly document your heritage. These records would be found at many different locations, including civil registry offices, regional archives, public libraries, national archives, church parishes, and elsewhere. Records that would help substantiate your claim would include many different types of records relating to yourself, spouse, children, parents, grandparents, and other relatives, and might include the following:
Warsaw Coat of Arms
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Where to Apply
countries with Polish diplomatic missions
To process your Polish citizenship application, you would generally need to apply to a Polish consulate which has jurisdiction in your area, or, if living in Poland, to the appropriate voivodeship office associated with your ancestors' last place of residence. If a specific place of residence isn't known, you would need to submit your application to the Masovian Voivodeship, which is responsible for these types of cases.
If applying through one of the consulates, you would need to use their e-booking system to make an appointment with their consular officers, who during your appointment will review your application and dossier of documents as required for confirmation of your citizenship. Any documents found outside of Poland would need to include apostilles for international records, and all of these documents would need to be translated into the Polish language by an official translator. The current charge for processing applications at the consulates is €360. Processing time sometimes takes more than a year, although the research and records collection part of the process usually happens much more quickly. If your application is rejected, you can make an appeal with the Minister of Interior and Administration within 14 business days.
If applying through one of the consulates, you would need to use their e-booking system to make an appointment with their consular officers, who during your appointment will review your application and dossier of documents as required for confirmation of your citizenship. Any documents found outside of Poland would need to include apostilles for international records, and all of these documents would need to be translated into the Polish language by an official translator. The current charge for processing applications at the consulates is €360. Processing time sometimes takes more than a year, although the research and records collection part of the process usually happens much more quickly. If your application is rejected, you can make an appeal with the Minister of Interior and Administration within 14 business days.
Application with Family Members
16th century view of Warsaw
Another great benefit to Polish citizenship is that you can pass it on to your descendants. If you're applying for citizenship with other members of your family, any children 18 and under can be included in your application. However, children between the ages of 16 and 18 must first give their consent to be added to your application, and this must be done by them in person at a Polish consulate or voivodeship office, or in writing to one of these agencies with a notarized signature.
If you have any adult children who would also like to apply, their applications would need to be submitted on their own, and they would need to obtain any relevant documents, certifications, apostilles, and translations separately from your research package.
Spouses of those confirming their citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis are ineligible for Polish citizenship, but through their spouse they would have many of the same rights and privileges to live and work in the European Union. However, after a period of residency, they can apply for citizenship through the standard naturalization process.
If you have any adult children who would also like to apply, their applications would need to be submitted on their own, and they would need to obtain any relevant documents, certifications, apostilles, and translations separately from your research package.
Spouses of those confirming their citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis are ineligible for Polish citizenship, but through their spouse they would have many of the same rights and privileges to live and work in the European Union. However, after a period of residency, they can apply for citizenship through the standard naturalization process.
Getting Your Passport
The Polish passport is one of the strongest in the world and currently ranks seventh globally, along with Canada, Czechia, Hungary, and Malta. It allows visa-free access to 185 countries, making it a highly sought after travel document for those seeking second citizenship. Poland also allows dual citizenship, so citizens of countries like the United States, Canada, and elsewhere would still be able to retain their native citizenship after getting their passport in Poland.
After your application for Polish citizenship has been approved, you can apply for a passport. However, you will first need to register your birth certificate in the Polish civil registry books and obtain a PESEL identification number (similar to a Social Security number). After taking these steps, you would need to apply for your passport with a Polish consulate anywhere in the world. To do this, you'll need to fill out a passport application in the Polish language, and submit two identical photographs, proof of your citizenship confirmation, and copies of your birth and marriage certificates, if married.
After your application for Polish citizenship has been approved, you can apply for a passport. However, you will first need to register your birth certificate in the Polish civil registry books and obtain a PESEL identification number (similar to a Social Security number). After taking these steps, you would need to apply for your passport with a Polish consulate anywhere in the world. To do this, you'll need to fill out a passport application in the Polish language, and submit two identical photographs, proof of your citizenship confirmation, and copies of your birth and marriage certificates, if married.
Polish Citizenship FAQS
What is citizenship by descent?
Citizenship by descent is the process by which an individual attains citizenship in a country through one's ancestry or family tree. The process, known in legal terminology as jus sanguinis or jure sanguinis, would be translated from Latin as the "right of the blood," meaning that one's right to citizenship is based upon their ancestry, regardless of where they were born. This differs from jus soli, or birthright citizenship, where one's citizenship rights are determined by their place of birth.
Does Poland offer citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis, also known as citizenship by descent?
Yes.
How many generations of ancestry does Poland allow for a citizenship by descent application?
Poland allows citizenship by descent up through your great-grandparents and sometimes even further back in time.
Why would I want a second citizenship?
Having a second passport and additional citizenship rights opens a world of possibilities for you and your family in terms of travel, economic opportunities, political freedom, access to high-quality healthcare, and world class education. In an ever-changing political landscape and globalizing world, possibilities also exist for a backup plan if needed for you and your family to begin a new life elsewhere.
How strong is the Polish passport?
The Polish passport is one of the strongest in the world and currently ranks at #7 globally. It is tied with Canada, Czechia, Hungary, and Malta, and allows visa-free access to 185 countries.
Which records are needed for my Polish citizenship application?
You will need to document an unbroken chain of evidence between yourself and your Polish ancestor. To do this, you will need to acquire copies of vital records for each generation of your tree (i.e. birth, marriage, and death certificates). You will also need to locate ships’ passenger lists, naturalization records, and many other types of records.
Is there a language requirement for confirming my Polish citizenship?
No. Your citizenship rights are derived from your heritage and don't require proficiency in the Polish language. However, it is recommended that you learn the language if your goal is to live in Poland and better integrate into the society there.
Is there a residency requirement for confirming my Polish citizenship?
No. Confirmation of Polish citizenship is an automatic process, and your citizenship will be recognized even if your are living or applying from overseas.
How many hours does it take to do a Polish citizenship case?
Every project is unique, but most citizenship cases take on average between 40 to 80 hours of work from start to finish.
Can I apply for Polish citizenship along with my spouse, children, and other members of my family?
Yes. When submitting your citizenship application, you will be required to submit primary source records for yourself and other members of your family. However, only children 18 and under can be naturalized with you, and your spouse would not be granted citizenship under your application. Adult children over 18 years of age would need to gather their own records and submit applications separately. Although spouses are not automatically granted citizenship during the confirmation of citizenship process, as a spouse of a Polish citizen they would still have many of the same rights and privileges of a Polish passport holder, including the right to live and work in Poland and the European Union.
Will the Polish consulate accept digital or printed copies of my genealogy records?
No. All records submitted with your application must be paper documents with the appropriate certifications and apostilles for international records originating outside of Poland.
Do I have to renounce my current citizenship?
No. Poland allows dual citizenship.
How long have you been doing citizenship cases?
Our current research team, which includes many genealogists, attorneys, and other experts in the field, have been doing citizenship cases for more than 20 years. We have helped many clients get second passports in places like Poland, Ireland, Italy and elsewhere.
Where are you located?
We are currently in the process of opening a new office in Dublin, Ireland, which gives us direct access to the European Union, United Kingdom, and Schengen Area. Our company headquarters, which falls under the umbrella of MyGenealogist.com, is located in Salt Lake City, USA, where we have access to the world's largest collection of genealogical records at the Family History Library. We also have on-the-ground contacts in many major international cities, including New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., London, Rome, Madrid, and elsewhere.
I can only budget a small amount of money for this. What are the cheapest options available for people with limited resources?
Citizenship cases are generally much more challenging than standard genealogy projects, as on-the-ground research is usually required at multiple archives and in multiple geographic jurisdictions and countries. Unlike standard family history projects, you are also required to get translations and special certifications of records during this type of project, which requires much more labor and time-management in terms of editing, records ordering, report-writing, letter-writing, and overall administration. This is the reason we generally recommend working in either a 40-hour or 80-hour block of research time, as most projects like this take around 80 hours total from start to finish. However, if you'd like assistance doing research on your own, we offer hourly consultations at €150 an hour, as well as research plans that take about 5 hours to put together, since we have to review all of your past research, records, and eligibility for citizenship based upon your current documentation. The price for this service would be €700. However, even if you are saving money on a smaller block of research time, you will still need to order certified copies and translations of the records needed for your case, which oftentimes ends up costing several hundred euros even when doing your own research.
If I only need a few records for my citizenship application, why would it take so many hours to complete my project?
Although you might only need a few records to help solve your case, gathering those individual records will be a labor-intensive and time-consuming process as these records will no doubt be found at multiple archives, libraries, public health departments, courthouses, registry offices, churches, cemeteries, and elsewhere. In addition, and especially for clients in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, records will need to gathered in more than one country, and records in Europe will need to found during onsite visits to a variety of government agencies and archives overseas. In addition to this, there is a huge amount of records review, analysis of evidence, editing, report-writing, and other tasks that must be completed during a citizenship case, which means that these projects are much more challenging than standard family history projects where research can be completed online at websites like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage from the comfort of home.
How much does a standard standard Polish citizenship cases cost?
As noted above, we recommend starting with at least a 40-hour block of research time for citizenship cases, although some cases take 80 hours or more to complete. It's possible that your case could be completed in 40 hours, but it might take up to 80 hours or more if we're encountering a lot of brick walls during the search for your ancestors, or if we're doing research in a lot of different jurisdictions. Our hourly rate for a standard 40-hour project would be €135/hour, so a project of this size and scope would cost €5,400. If the 80-hour project fits into your budget, there would be a €1,200 discount on the larger project, which would come out to €9,600. Although these projects might be out of the range of affordability for some people, it's important to keep in mind that the process of acquiring a second citizenship is a huge investment in you and your family's future, with all of the associated rights, responsibilities, privileges, and benefits that would accrue not only to yourself, but also to your descendants. Genealogy research can be a substantial investment, but it is also a great value in terms of what you'd ultimately be getting with affordable health care, educational opportunities, property ownership, freedom of movement, and citizenship rights in Poland and the 27-member block of the European Union.
What is the current turnaround time on citizenship projects?
Depending on your situation, most projects take an average of 10-12 weeks to complete. However, if brick walls are encountered in finding your documentation, the project could take considerably longer. In addition, some government agencies are notoriously slow in responding to record requests, which is the primary reason we recommend larger projects where we have enough time to do on-the-ground research in the places of interest, where we can often get records on the same day, thus saving time and labor, as opposed to waiting for records requests to come in from overseas, where you could sometimes end up waiting for several months or longer. The other thing to take into consideration in terms of timing and completion of your overall citizenship case, is that we will attempt to complete your project in 2-3 months, but you would still most likely need to make an appointment with your new country's consulate near your current place of residence. For example, if doing a Polish citizenship case, where you're currently residing in New York City, you will need to take your package of documentation to them during your appointment, and with the various consulates getting booked up many months in advance, the Polish government may take several months or more than a year to process your application, even after all of the research work and document gathering has been completed.
How long does it take to acquire citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis (AKA citizenship by descent)?
As earlier discussed, the genealogical research required for citizenship cases usually takes a couple of months. However, the entire process of confirming your citizenship can sometimes take a year or two because there are additional steps that must be completed in terms of your new country processing your application, and interviews with various consulates and government agencies might be required before your final papers are processed. Many countries, Poland being a good example of this, are literally swamped with requests for citizenship from people overseas in places like the United States, Canada, Argentina, and Australia, so processing time on the government side of things can often take a bit of time and patience for the person applying.
Will I have the contact information of the genealogists assigned to my case?
Yes. You will be in contact with a project manager from start to finish of your case. All projects are worked on collectively as a team, with researchers working in many different geographic areas and with different specialties. The project manager is responsible for handling all aspects of your case and would be collaborating with researchers, libraries, lawyers, archives, and government agencies as needed for completion of your case.
Why do records need to be certified?
Official copies of records would be needed for your citizenship case, which means that these records must be paper copies (not photocopies or digital copies) with the proper certifications or embossed seals as proof of official certification. For example, you can't print out copies of vital records, passenger lists, or census records from websites like FamilySearch or Ancestry.com and present them to the Polish government as evidence for your case. For these types of records, you would need to obtain official copies from many different repositories including libraries, archives, health departments, courthouses, and civil registry offices. In addition, you would need to get a separate certification, or apostille, for all international records.
What is an apostille?
An apostille is an internationally recognized certification as defined by the Hague Treaty of 1961. Countries like Poland require that records found outside the country have this certification in addition to that provided by local health departments, government archives, and other agencies.
I now have all of the records required for my citizenship application. Which consulate or government agency do I need to contact for submission of my application?
You will need to visit the Polish consulate closest to your place of residence. If living in Poland, you would need to apply to the voivodeship office where your ancestors lived in the past.
Do my documents need to be translated into the Polish language for my citizenship application?
Yes. Any records found outside of Poland will need to be translated into the Polish language by a certified translator or Polish consul.
Do I need an attorney to help with my case?
You may need the help of an attorney with your case if you are going before a court to apply for citizenship in Poland. However, if you are submitting your documentation to a consulate and were able to gather all of your required records by yourself or through the help of a genealogist, this might be unnecessary. For example, the consulate through which you're applying will be reviewing a checklist of documents needed for your case. If you have everything needed as required by the Polish nationality law, your citizenship will be confirmed based upon this checklist of records. Citizenship cases are generally handled by Polish consulates and voivodeship offices, and not handled in court.
Can I live anywhere in Europe after acquiring my Polish passport?
Yes. after confirming your citizenship, you can not only live in Poland, but also in countries like Germany, Spain, France, or elsewhere. As a Polish and EU citizen, you have the right to live, work, study, and travel in all 27 EU member states.
How many countries are there in the European Union?
There are 27 member countries in the European Union.
What is the Schengen-Area?
The Schengen Area is associated with the European Union but not under its jurisdiction. The Schengen Treaty allows visa-free travel and residency in EU member states, as well as the Schengen Area countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Can I also live, work, or study in other countries in the Schengen Area but outside of the EU?
Yes, as a European citizen you would have all the rights and privileges to live, work, travel, and study in Schengen countries outside of the European Union. These countries include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, so you will have access to 31 countries total with your Polish passport.
Can I live, work, or study in the UK after getting Polish citizenship?
No, after the United Kingdom left the European Union in 2018, European citizens no longer have any rights or privileges to reside, work, or study in the United Kingdom without a residency permit. The exception to this would be Ireland, which has a reciprocal agreement with the UK.
Will I be subject Polish income taxes after acquiring my citizenship?
No. You will only become a tax resident of Poland if you live there for more than 183 days a year.
Can my children or grandchildren attend university in the European Union after getting Polish citizenship?
Yes, unlike the United States where premier universities like NYU, Harvard, or Princeton charge upwards of $50,000-$60,000 per year in tuition, European institutions of a similar pedigree often charge much less or are even free for EU citizens. However, your children or grandchildren would first need to confirm their Polish citizenship through your application, if under 18 years of age, or on their own if they have reached adulthood.
Am I eligible for healthcare in the European Union after getting citizenship in a member country?
Yes. Health care in Europe is considered a human right, unlike countries like the United States, where people often go into bankruptcy because of high medical expenses.
Can I buy property in the EU after getting second citizenship there?
Yes, as a European citizen you can acquire property in any of the 27 member states, but there generally aren't many restrictions on foreigners buying property in most EU countries. However, having rights to ownership differ from rights to residency, so if you plan on living in your new property, you will need to get a residency visa or second citizenship in your country of choice.
Citizenship by descent is the process by which an individual attains citizenship in a country through one's ancestry or family tree. The process, known in legal terminology as jus sanguinis or jure sanguinis, would be translated from Latin as the "right of the blood," meaning that one's right to citizenship is based upon their ancestry, regardless of where they were born. This differs from jus soli, or birthright citizenship, where one's citizenship rights are determined by their place of birth.
Does Poland offer citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis, also known as citizenship by descent?
Yes.
How many generations of ancestry does Poland allow for a citizenship by descent application?
Poland allows citizenship by descent up through your great-grandparents and sometimes even further back in time.
Why would I want a second citizenship?
Having a second passport and additional citizenship rights opens a world of possibilities for you and your family in terms of travel, economic opportunities, political freedom, access to high-quality healthcare, and world class education. In an ever-changing political landscape and globalizing world, possibilities also exist for a backup plan if needed for you and your family to begin a new life elsewhere.
How strong is the Polish passport?
The Polish passport is one of the strongest in the world and currently ranks at #7 globally. It is tied with Canada, Czechia, Hungary, and Malta, and allows visa-free access to 185 countries.
Which records are needed for my Polish citizenship application?
You will need to document an unbroken chain of evidence between yourself and your Polish ancestor. To do this, you will need to acquire copies of vital records for each generation of your tree (i.e. birth, marriage, and death certificates). You will also need to locate ships’ passenger lists, naturalization records, and many other types of records.
Is there a language requirement for confirming my Polish citizenship?
No. Your citizenship rights are derived from your heritage and don't require proficiency in the Polish language. However, it is recommended that you learn the language if your goal is to live in Poland and better integrate into the society there.
Is there a residency requirement for confirming my Polish citizenship?
No. Confirmation of Polish citizenship is an automatic process, and your citizenship will be recognized even if your are living or applying from overseas.
How many hours does it take to do a Polish citizenship case?
Every project is unique, but most citizenship cases take on average between 40 to 80 hours of work from start to finish.
Can I apply for Polish citizenship along with my spouse, children, and other members of my family?
Yes. When submitting your citizenship application, you will be required to submit primary source records for yourself and other members of your family. However, only children 18 and under can be naturalized with you, and your spouse would not be granted citizenship under your application. Adult children over 18 years of age would need to gather their own records and submit applications separately. Although spouses are not automatically granted citizenship during the confirmation of citizenship process, as a spouse of a Polish citizen they would still have many of the same rights and privileges of a Polish passport holder, including the right to live and work in Poland and the European Union.
Will the Polish consulate accept digital or printed copies of my genealogy records?
No. All records submitted with your application must be paper documents with the appropriate certifications and apostilles for international records originating outside of Poland.
Do I have to renounce my current citizenship?
No. Poland allows dual citizenship.
How long have you been doing citizenship cases?
Our current research team, which includes many genealogists, attorneys, and other experts in the field, have been doing citizenship cases for more than 20 years. We have helped many clients get second passports in places like Poland, Ireland, Italy and elsewhere.
Where are you located?
We are currently in the process of opening a new office in Dublin, Ireland, which gives us direct access to the European Union, United Kingdom, and Schengen Area. Our company headquarters, which falls under the umbrella of MyGenealogist.com, is located in Salt Lake City, USA, where we have access to the world's largest collection of genealogical records at the Family History Library. We also have on-the-ground contacts in many major international cities, including New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., London, Rome, Madrid, and elsewhere.
I can only budget a small amount of money for this. What are the cheapest options available for people with limited resources?
Citizenship cases are generally much more challenging than standard genealogy projects, as on-the-ground research is usually required at multiple archives and in multiple geographic jurisdictions and countries. Unlike standard family history projects, you are also required to get translations and special certifications of records during this type of project, which requires much more labor and time-management in terms of editing, records ordering, report-writing, letter-writing, and overall administration. This is the reason we generally recommend working in either a 40-hour or 80-hour block of research time, as most projects like this take around 80 hours total from start to finish. However, if you'd like assistance doing research on your own, we offer hourly consultations at €150 an hour, as well as research plans that take about 5 hours to put together, since we have to review all of your past research, records, and eligibility for citizenship based upon your current documentation. The price for this service would be €700. However, even if you are saving money on a smaller block of research time, you will still need to order certified copies and translations of the records needed for your case, which oftentimes ends up costing several hundred euros even when doing your own research.
If I only need a few records for my citizenship application, why would it take so many hours to complete my project?
Although you might only need a few records to help solve your case, gathering those individual records will be a labor-intensive and time-consuming process as these records will no doubt be found at multiple archives, libraries, public health departments, courthouses, registry offices, churches, cemeteries, and elsewhere. In addition, and especially for clients in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, records will need to gathered in more than one country, and records in Europe will need to found during onsite visits to a variety of government agencies and archives overseas. In addition to this, there is a huge amount of records review, analysis of evidence, editing, report-writing, and other tasks that must be completed during a citizenship case, which means that these projects are much more challenging than standard family history projects where research can be completed online at websites like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage from the comfort of home.
How much does a standard standard Polish citizenship cases cost?
As noted above, we recommend starting with at least a 40-hour block of research time for citizenship cases, although some cases take 80 hours or more to complete. It's possible that your case could be completed in 40 hours, but it might take up to 80 hours or more if we're encountering a lot of brick walls during the search for your ancestors, or if we're doing research in a lot of different jurisdictions. Our hourly rate for a standard 40-hour project would be €135/hour, so a project of this size and scope would cost €5,400. If the 80-hour project fits into your budget, there would be a €1,200 discount on the larger project, which would come out to €9,600. Although these projects might be out of the range of affordability for some people, it's important to keep in mind that the process of acquiring a second citizenship is a huge investment in you and your family's future, with all of the associated rights, responsibilities, privileges, and benefits that would accrue not only to yourself, but also to your descendants. Genealogy research can be a substantial investment, but it is also a great value in terms of what you'd ultimately be getting with affordable health care, educational opportunities, property ownership, freedom of movement, and citizenship rights in Poland and the 27-member block of the European Union.
What is the current turnaround time on citizenship projects?
Depending on your situation, most projects take an average of 10-12 weeks to complete. However, if brick walls are encountered in finding your documentation, the project could take considerably longer. In addition, some government agencies are notoriously slow in responding to record requests, which is the primary reason we recommend larger projects where we have enough time to do on-the-ground research in the places of interest, where we can often get records on the same day, thus saving time and labor, as opposed to waiting for records requests to come in from overseas, where you could sometimes end up waiting for several months or longer. The other thing to take into consideration in terms of timing and completion of your overall citizenship case, is that we will attempt to complete your project in 2-3 months, but you would still most likely need to make an appointment with your new country's consulate near your current place of residence. For example, if doing a Polish citizenship case, where you're currently residing in New York City, you will need to take your package of documentation to them during your appointment, and with the various consulates getting booked up many months in advance, the Polish government may take several months or more than a year to process your application, even after all of the research work and document gathering has been completed.
How long does it take to acquire citizenship through the process of jure sanguinis (AKA citizenship by descent)?
As earlier discussed, the genealogical research required for citizenship cases usually takes a couple of months. However, the entire process of confirming your citizenship can sometimes take a year or two because there are additional steps that must be completed in terms of your new country processing your application, and interviews with various consulates and government agencies might be required before your final papers are processed. Many countries, Poland being a good example of this, are literally swamped with requests for citizenship from people overseas in places like the United States, Canada, Argentina, and Australia, so processing time on the government side of things can often take a bit of time and patience for the person applying.
Will I have the contact information of the genealogists assigned to my case?
Yes. You will be in contact with a project manager from start to finish of your case. All projects are worked on collectively as a team, with researchers working in many different geographic areas and with different specialties. The project manager is responsible for handling all aspects of your case and would be collaborating with researchers, libraries, lawyers, archives, and government agencies as needed for completion of your case.
Why do records need to be certified?
Official copies of records would be needed for your citizenship case, which means that these records must be paper copies (not photocopies or digital copies) with the proper certifications or embossed seals as proof of official certification. For example, you can't print out copies of vital records, passenger lists, or census records from websites like FamilySearch or Ancestry.com and present them to the Polish government as evidence for your case. For these types of records, you would need to obtain official copies from many different repositories including libraries, archives, health departments, courthouses, and civil registry offices. In addition, you would need to get a separate certification, or apostille, for all international records.
What is an apostille?
An apostille is an internationally recognized certification as defined by the Hague Treaty of 1961. Countries like Poland require that records found outside the country have this certification in addition to that provided by local health departments, government archives, and other agencies.
I now have all of the records required for my citizenship application. Which consulate or government agency do I need to contact for submission of my application?
You will need to visit the Polish consulate closest to your place of residence. If living in Poland, you would need to apply to the voivodeship office where your ancestors lived in the past.
Do my documents need to be translated into the Polish language for my citizenship application?
Yes. Any records found outside of Poland will need to be translated into the Polish language by a certified translator or Polish consul.
Do I need an attorney to help with my case?
You may need the help of an attorney with your case if you are going before a court to apply for citizenship in Poland. However, if you are submitting your documentation to a consulate and were able to gather all of your required records by yourself or through the help of a genealogist, this might be unnecessary. For example, the consulate through which you're applying will be reviewing a checklist of documents needed for your case. If you have everything needed as required by the Polish nationality law, your citizenship will be confirmed based upon this checklist of records. Citizenship cases are generally handled by Polish consulates and voivodeship offices, and not handled in court.
Can I live anywhere in Europe after acquiring my Polish passport?
Yes. after confirming your citizenship, you can not only live in Poland, but also in countries like Germany, Spain, France, or elsewhere. As a Polish and EU citizen, you have the right to live, work, study, and travel in all 27 EU member states.
How many countries are there in the European Union?
There are 27 member countries in the European Union.
What is the Schengen-Area?
The Schengen Area is associated with the European Union but not under its jurisdiction. The Schengen Treaty allows visa-free travel and residency in EU member states, as well as the Schengen Area countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Can I also live, work, or study in other countries in the Schengen Area but outside of the EU?
Yes, as a European citizen you would have all the rights and privileges to live, work, travel, and study in Schengen countries outside of the European Union. These countries include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, so you will have access to 31 countries total with your Polish passport.
Can I live, work, or study in the UK after getting Polish citizenship?
No, after the United Kingdom left the European Union in 2018, European citizens no longer have any rights or privileges to reside, work, or study in the United Kingdom without a residency permit. The exception to this would be Ireland, which has a reciprocal agreement with the UK.
Will I be subject Polish income taxes after acquiring my citizenship?
No. You will only become a tax resident of Poland if you live there for more than 183 days a year.
Can my children or grandchildren attend university in the European Union after getting Polish citizenship?
Yes, unlike the United States where premier universities like NYU, Harvard, or Princeton charge upwards of $50,000-$60,000 per year in tuition, European institutions of a similar pedigree often charge much less or are even free for EU citizens. However, your children or grandchildren would first need to confirm their Polish citizenship through your application, if under 18 years of age, or on their own if they have reached adulthood.
Am I eligible for healthcare in the European Union after getting citizenship in a member country?
Yes. Health care in Europe is considered a human right, unlike countries like the United States, where people often go into bankruptcy because of high medical expenses.
Can I buy property in the EU after getting second citizenship there?
Yes, as a European citizen you can acquire property in any of the 27 member states, but there generally aren't many restrictions on foreigners buying property in most EU countries. However, having rights to ownership differ from rights to residency, so if you plan on living in your new property, you will need to get a residency visa or second citizenship in your country of choice.