Foreign citizens who move to Poland have the right to apply for permanent residence after living for sufficient years in this country and after meeting certain criteria. However, there are also other ways through which one can obtain a Polish passport.
Out of all the means through which it is possible to obtain Polish citizenship, the descent is available for foreign citizens with Polish ancestors.
Below, our immigration lawyers in Poland explain the procedure of acquiring citizenship by descent in this country. You can rely on us for assistance in applying for a Polish passport.
Table of Contents
What are the main ways through which foreigners can obtain Polish citizenship?
Luckily, there are several ways through which it is possible to become a Polish citizen when relocating here. Foreign citizens who had family members with origins in this country can apply for citizenship by descent in Poland.
The main ways through which Polish citizenship can be obtained are:
- by naturalization which is one of the most employed means by foreign citizens;
- by marriage which is one of the fastest ways of obtaining citizenship in Poland;
- by investment or business which targets high net worth individuals from non-EU countries;
- by descent which is mainly a right that can be obtained by those with Polish origins on request.
Obtaining citizenship by descent in Poland is not a difficult procedure, however, it requires attention as there are various documents that need to be provided in order to prove one’s Polish ancestry. However, with the help of immigration lawyers in Poland.
Our specialists are at the service of those interested in acquiring Poland citizenship by descent after living outside the country for many years.
We are at your disposal if you want to apply for Polish citizenship by ancestry. For this, you need to document your relationship with at least one Polish citizen, who can be a grandparent or parent. Contact us and obtain the required information on what it takes to become a citizen of this country.
Qualifying for citizenship by descent in Poland
Just like in the other ways through which Polish citizenship can be obtained, descent also has certain requirements to fulfill. More precisely, the foreign citizen must prove he or she has or has had blood relatives that are/were Polish citizens.
Here are the main requirements enabling a foreign citizen to apply for Polish citizenship by descent:
- people who have parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents can apply for Polish citizenship without any problem;
- those whose ancestors were born and had lived in Poland after 1920 can apply for citizenship by descent;
- foreigners’ whose ancestors have left Poland before 1920 but whose address can be found in local registers;
- foreign citizens with ancestors who have maintained Polish citizenship by the day of the birth of the foreign applicant.
There are no difficult formalities to apply for citizenship by descent in Poland, however, in the case of those who have ancestors dating back to 1920, finding the necessary documents to prove a family connection can take some time. This is even more difficult when it comes to those who have left Poland and whose Polish addresses can be found in Russian, Prussian, or Austro-Hungarian civil registers. We can also assist those who want to obtain permanent residency in Poland.
If you want to migrate to Poland based on your local origins, we kindly invite you to first get in touch with our lawyers who can start the formalities ahead. If you have any questions on Poland citizenship by descent, our lawyers will answer them.
The procedure of claiming Polish citizenship by descent
The process of applying for citizenship by descent in Poland must start by finding all your relatives who live or have lived in Poland by the time of the application. This implies collecting data like dates of births and residential addresses from all your ancestors. Also, if you had family members who have completed military service in Poland, their names and ranks must be added in the biography next to your personal information.
The biography must be filed with the Polish embassy or consulate in your current home country alongside various application forms and your valid passport.
The search of Polish relatives must be completed with the Vital Records in Poland. Our immigration law firm in Poland can guide you through the procedure of applying for citizenship by descent.
You can apply for Polish citizenship in a number of ways with the assistance of our attorneys. Only if you decide to relocate here and intend to stay a while do you have the option of obtaining citizenship. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions concerning the requirements for entering or leaving the country.
Poland citizenship by descent vs. naturalization
Foreign citizens who want to relocate to Poland have the possibility of acquiring citizenship after living here for a specific number of years, which is one of the downsides of this means of obtaining full rights as a Polish citizen. In the case of citizenship by descent in Poland, one is no longer required to live for such long time in the country to have all the benefits that come with a Polish passport.
When seeking a path for permanent immigration to Poland, it must also be noted that not all foreign citizens have the privilege of having Polish ancestors or close relatives and based on their blood ties descent can be invoked to obtain a passport.
Each means of obtaining Polish citizenship has its advantages, and when it comes descent, some of the most important refer to:
- the waiting period which implies the timeframe until the authorities verify the documents;
- the fact that once obtained the Polish passport, the applicant is not required to complete any other procedure.
On the other hand, Poland citizenship by descent implies a thorough verification when the ancestors whose origins one relies on for gaining a passport have passed away a long time ago. This is not only time-consuming, but it can also be difficult to find all the documents proving the kinship between the Polish citizen and the applicant. Our immigration lawyers in Poland can provide assistance when it comes to tracing down ancestors and filing for citizenship.
If you have Polish origins and need guidance in claiming citizenship, our law firm is at your service with tailored advice, no matter how long your ancestry goes.
Feel free to get in touch with us if you are interested in permanent residency in Poland. We can help non-EU citizens who are first-time comers to Europe and do not know the exact procedure to follow. Make sure you contact us before your arrival, so that you can benefit from our services as soon as you get here.
Can a foreign citizen with Polish origins obtain citizenship by naturalization?
Many persons born from foreign parents who moved to another country want to find their origins and relocate back to their home countries, which is often the case of those with Polish origins who want to move here based on their blood heritage.
When a natural connection cannot be established, and thus, citizenship by descent in Poland cannot be claimed, the safest way to go is naturalization. This way, the foreign citizen can come to Poland, obtain a residence permit or not, if he or she relocates from an EU or EEA country, and wait for the period required to be able to apply for citizenship.
This is often the most employed path for foreign citizens who want to live in Poland with full rights, including for those with Polish ancestors who do not want to go through long-time searches with old archives to find their relatives.
No matter the way you choose to obtain citizenship in Poland, our immigration law firm can help you prepare the necessary documents and establish yourself here through any means you decide.
Citizenship by descent in Poland vs. residency by investment
Foreign citizens from non-EU and non-EEA countries have many advantages when relocating to Poland, as they can set up businesses here or apply for citizenship by investment and thus obtain the security they need to lead a stress-free life. However, the disadvantage of this program is the rather amount of money under which a Polish passport can be obtained.
On the other hand, for foreign citizens who were born in a non-EU or non-EEA country from parents who were once citizens of this state, obtaining Poland citizenship by descent can be simpler and cheaper, as they are no longer required to make a significant investment.
Our immigration lawyers in Poland can support you no matter the decision you make. We recommend citizenship by descent if you have Polish ancestors, however, we can also help you draft the dossier for immigration by investment.
Tailored support in obtaining citizenship by descent
Applying for Poland citizenship by descent is not complicated from a documents’ point of view, as the authorities only need the papers through which you can prove your relationship with the Polish citizens. However, when your ancestors have lived here a long time ago or they have left the country before 1920 and the registers you need to search are old, our lawyers can help you trace down your roots by making extensive searches that will help you.
Obtaining citizenship by descent is not difficult, yet it requires attention and accuracy, which is why the services of immigration specialists are recommended, our lawyers are at your disposal no matter where you currently live. You can also watch our video below:
What are the advantages of applying for Polish citizenship by descent?
Applying for citizenship by descent in Poland is one of the safest ways of ensuring obtaining a Polish passport. Even if the procedure can take longer, you will not need to wait for a necessary timeframe for acquiring citizenship through the other means.
By comparison, it is worth noting that:
- Polish citizenship by naturalization can be obtained after 3 years of legally living here as a permanent resident;
- citizenship by marriage can be obtained in nearly 3 years, as it resembles the naturalization option;
- citizenship by investment requires 5 years of living in Poland plus a significant financial contribution to the national economy.
If you need assistance in applying for citizenship by descent in Poland, please contact our immigration law firm.
