Polish Citizenship by Presidential Grant

Polish Citizenship by Grant of the President of Poland

Polish citizenship may be granted by the President of the Republic of Poland to a foreign national upon application. Unlike some other procedures for acquiring Polish citizenship, a presidential grant is not based on a fixed list of statutory requirements such as a specific period of residence in Poland.

This route may therefore be particularly relevant for people who have strong family, personal, professional or cultural ties to Poland, but do not qualify for Polish citizenship through another procedure.

Who can apply for Polish citizenship by presidential grant?

A foreign national may apply to the President of Poland for Polish citizenship.

There is no general requirement to have lived in Poland for a specific number of years, to hold permanent residence in Poland, or to obtain a Polish language certificate before filing the application.

However, this does not mean that such circumstances are irrelevant. The application should present the applicant's individual situation and explain why Polish citizenship should be granted.

Relevant factors may include, for example:

• Polish ancestry and family ties to Poland,
• previous residence in Poland,
• knowledge of the Polish language,
• professional or business activity connected with Poland,
• education in Poland,
• social or cultural involvement,
• close family members who are Polish citizens,
• plans to maintain or develop long-term ties with Poland.

A properly prepared statement of reasons is therefore an important part of the application.

Presidential grant vs. recognition as a Polish citizen

A presidential grant should not be confused with recognition as a Polish citizen.

Recognition as a Polish citizen is an administrative procedure handled by a Polish voivode. It requires the applicant to meet specific statutory conditions, which may include an appropriate period of legal residence in Poland, a particular residence status, stable income or knowledge of the Polish language.

By contrast, granting Polish citizenship by the President of Poland is discretionary. There is no automatic entitlement to citizenship merely because particular conditions have been fulfilled.

Before filing an application, it is therefore worth determining which procedure is appropriate in a particular case. In some situations, a person may already be a Polish citizen and should apply for confirmation of Polish citizenship instead.

Where is the application submitted?

An applicant residing in Poland generally submits the application through the competent Voivode.

An applicant residing abroad submits the application through the competent Polish consul.

The application and supporting documents are subsequently forwarded for consideration by the President of the Republic of Poland.

For applicants living in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia or other countries, the procedure can therefore usually be initiated through the relevant Polish consulate.

What documents are required?

The exact list of documents depends on the applicant's personal and family circumstances.

Depending on the case, the application may include:

• birth and marriage certificates,
• documents relating to Polish parents, grandparents or other ancestors,
• documents confirming residence or legal status,
• evidence of education or employment,
• documents confirming professional or social activity,
• documents showing ties with Poland,
• a current photograph,
• other documents supporting the reasons stated in the application.

Foreign documents may also require appropriate certification, registration in Poland or translation into Polish.

Where Polish ancestry is relevant, it may also be necessary to obtain archival records, civil-status documents, military records or other historical documents.

How should the application be justified?

The justification should be individual and specific.

It is usually not sufficient simply to state that the applicant feels connected to Poland. The application should clearly explain the applicant's relationship with Poland and present the most important facts supporting the request.

For a person of Polish descent living abroad, the justification may focus on family history, Polish ancestry, maintaining Polish traditions, knowledge of the language, visits to Poland and continuing family connections.

For a person who lives or works in Poland, other factors may be more important, such as long-term residence, employment, business activity, family life or participation in Polish society.

The supporting documents should correspond with the circumstances described in the application.

How long does the procedure take?

There is no statutory deadline within which the President of Poland must decide an application for the grant of Polish citizenship.

For this reason, the procedure may take a considerable amount of time.

The President may either grant Polish citizenship or refuse to grant it. A presidential decision in this matter is discretionary, and there is no ordinary administrative appeal against a refusal.

If citizenship is granted, the applicant becomes a Polish citizen on the date specified by the applicable rules governing the presidential decision.

Can a lawyer help with a Polish citizenship application?

Yes. Legal assistance can be particularly useful where the case involves foreign civil-status records, Polish ancestors, missing documents, historical records or uncertainty as to the correct citizenship procedure.

Piotr Kopeć Law Firm provides legal assistance in Polish citizenship matters to clients living both in Poland and abroad.

Legal assistance may include:

• assessment of the applicant's situation,
• determining the appropriate citizenship procedure,
• review of documents relating to Polish ancestry,
• identifying missing documents,
• assistance with obtaining Polish and archival records,
• preparation of the application for a presidential grant of Polish citizenship,
• preparation of the statement of reasons,
• assistance with registration of foreign civil-status records in Poland,
• coordination of certified translations,
• assistance throughout the citizenship procedure.

Do you want to apply for Polish citizenship?

If you are considering an application for Polish citizenship by grant of the President of Poland, you can send a short description of your situation together with copies of the documents you already have.

We can first assess whether a presidential grant is the appropriate procedure or whether another route — such as confirmation of Polish citizenship, recognition as a Polish citizen or restoration of Polish citizenship — may be more suitable.

Contact the Law Firm to have your Polish citizenship case reviewed.