How to know if I am eligible for Polish citizenship?
This infographic serves as a quick guide to check if you are entitled to Polish Citizenship. It is important to reach out to us to discuss each case in order to establish your eligibility with certainty, regardless of whether the guide suggests that you are eligible or not.
Now I will explain each point of the infographic.
- If you do not have a Polish ancestor then you are not eligible for Polish citizenship by descent. Simple.
- If your family emigrated before 1920 it means that they left before Poland approved the first Polish citizenship law, therefore they were not Poles and are not entitled to Polish citizenship. Most likely they traveled with a Russian, Austro-Hungarian, or German passport.
- If your ancestor was a woman, it is important to know if she was married or not. If she got married, she may have lost her Polish citizenship. It heavily depends on the nationality of her husband. Ask us about your particular case.
- If she was married she could not pass on Polish citizenship to her children before 1951 since it was only passed on by the father. The child must have been born on or after this year for the Polish bloodline to continue.
- If she was not married, then it is necessary to check if the father recognized the son or not. This must be analyzed with the child’s birth certificate. If it is determined that the father recognized the child, citizenship may not be transmitted from the mother’s side. These are cases that must be analyzed carefully, ask us about your particular case.
- If she was married and her child was born after 1951, then Polish citizenship could already be passed on through the mother’s line by that time therefore the Polish bloodline continues.
- If the woman became a citizen of a foreign country (not Poland) before 1951 she lost her Polish citizenship. Her offspring also lost it unless her son was already of legal age when this happened.
- If your ancestor was a man, you also need to check if he was naturalized (became a foreign citizen) or not. If he was not naturalized, there is no problem.
- If he naturalized before 1951, you must request military records. If he was in the foreign army prior to 1951 then he lost his citizenship. If he naturalized after 1951, no additional documents is required.
- If your ancestor was born before 1901 and was naturalized before 1951, it is necessary to analyze if he lost Polish citizenship, which will depend on his exact date of birth as well as that of his children.
- If he had adult children before he lost his Polish citizenship then the Polish bloodline still continues.
- If any man was in a foreign (non-polish) army before 1951 he lost Polish citizenship and the Polish bloodline was ended.
- If your ancestors lived in another country before 1951 and before arriving in your country it becomes a more complex process. It is necessary to prove that they were not naturalized in that country and that they did not join the army in that country. Ask us about your case.
This guide covers the majority of the most common cases. It is important to speak with us about your case to confirm your eligibility with certainty. In the meantime you can complete the Polish citizenship assessment and get in touch to discuss the feasibility of obtaining your Polish citizenship by click HERE.
In order to obtain Polish citizenship, it is important to prove that your ancestor was indeed a Polish citizen by means of original Polish documents.
- If you do not have any of the Polish documents mentioned in their original state then it is imperative to search the appropriate records, which today can be found in Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, and Ukraine. Reach out to us to carry out the extensive search to be able to proceed with obtaining your Polish citizenship.
- Presenting a passport issued in Poland is sufficient evidence to prove that your ancestor was Polish.
- Presenting the Polish military book is also sufficient.
- Submitting a voting record is also sufficient.
- If you have a passport issued by a Polish consulate outside of Poland, additional documents may be required. If you have a Polish birth certificate, it is also possible that the Polish government requires additional documents to determine if your ancestor was indeed a Polish citizen. If you have this type of Polish documents or others that are not mentioned in the infographic, you can contact us to analyze it for free.
The first step to obtain Polish citizenship is to complete the Polish Citizenship Assessment to determine your eligibility by clicking HERE .