Eligibility quiz
Was at least one of your parents or grandparents of Polish ethnic origin?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Polish passport and ID
Polish citizens can get an identity card and passport.
A passport is generally valid for 10 years, or 5 years for a child under 13.
Live in Poland for life
You become a Polish citizen on entry and can live in Poland indefinitely.
You can enter and return to Poland.
Study in Poland
Polish citizens can study and use public education under the ordinary rules.
Work in Poland
Polish citizens can work without a foreign-worker permit and start a business under the ordinary rules.
Those unable to find work independently may receive job support within five years of becoming citizens.
Each type is available once and may cover training, employer or employment costs.
Get help abroad
Polish citizens can get consular help abroad under the ordinary rules.
A Polish consulate can issue a passport or temporary passport abroad.
Get housing help
Eligible holders may get housing assistance for up to 10 years for rent, student housing fees or buying a home.
The basic ceiling is PLN 25,000 per holder and immediate-family household member, plus a possible total surcharge of up to PLN 25,000.
Vote in elections
Polish citizens can vote from age 18 in referenda and presidential, parliamentary and local elections.
A final court decision can remove voting rights or legal capacity; local and European elections have additional conditions.
Use public healthcare
Public healthcare is available for up to 90 days after entry using your entry visa, paid for by the state.
After that, Polish citizens use healthcare under the ordinary rules, including insurance requirements.
Get settling-in support
Eligible holders may get centre accommodation and support, including meals, hygiene facilities, internet and language, settling-in and job classes.
A stay can reach 180 days in special circumstances.
Polish citizens living and staying in Poland may also apply for social assistance if they meet the ordinary conditions.
How to apply
From outside PolandFrom outside Poland
Find your consulate
Find the Polish consulate responsible for the place where you live.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Polish consulate covers your city for a repatriation visa application?”
Download the application form
Download the application for a national visa for repatriation.
Download the formSearches DuckDuckGo for “Where can I download the Poland national visa for repatriation application form?”
Fill in the form
Fill in and sign the application in Polish. A parent or legal guardian applies for a child or a person who is fully incapacitated.
Find form instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the Poland national visa for repatriation application form?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the consulate.
See required documentsBook an appointment
Request an appointment using your consulate’s instructions. Some consulates use e-Konsulat; others ask you to request an appointment by email.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I book a Poland repatriation visa appointment at the Polish consulate covering your city?”
Go to your appointment
Bring your completed form, documents, photograph and passport to the consulate and hand in your application personally. Answer the consul’s questions about your application and Polish origin.
Find appointment instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “What do I bring to a Polish consulate appointment for a Poland repatriation visa?”
Wait for the decision
Wait while the consulate considers your application and seeks the required approval. Respond if the consulate asks for more information or documents.
See what happens nextSearches DuckDuckGo for “What happens after I apply for a Poland repatriation visa at a consulate?”
Get your visa
Once your application is approved, get your passport with the visa from the consulate. You can then travel to Poland to settle permanently.
Find visa collection instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I get my passport with a Poland repatriation visa from the consulate?”
Once in PolandOnce in Poland
Settle in Poland
After arriving, settle permanently and arrange the documents and status issued to a repatriating person. These let you complete the steps needed to live in Poland.
Find arrival instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “What documents and status do I need after arriving in Poland on a repatriation visa?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Get an extract of your birth certificate and the birth records linking you to your parent, grandparent and Polish great-grandparents. If you were adopted, add the adoption decision.
Great-grandparents' Polish origin
Bring records showing Polish nationality, such as Polish identity documents, civil or baptismal records, military records, deportation or imprisonment records, rehabilitation records or evidence of persecution because of Polish origin. One great-grandparent's Polish citizenship alone is not enough: if you rely on great-grandparents, at least two must have been of Polish nationality, and you must also declare Polish nationality and show a connection with Polishness.
Marriage certificates *
Bring your marriage certificate and any marriage records needed to link you to your Polish great-grandparents. Include divorce or name-change records where they explain a change in the family records.
* Only if you are married or a marriage record is needed to show your family ties.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Housing help repayment
If you sell a home bought with housing assistance within 10 years, you normally must repay it.
The amount falls by 10% for each year that has passed, unless the replacement-home exception applies.
Defence service duties
Defence duties can apply from age 18 through the year you turn 60, or 63 for officers and non-commissioned officers.
Health and other exemptions apply, and duties depend on individual circumstances.
People with another citizenship who live permanently outside Poland are exempt.
Citizenship can be lost
Polish citizenship can be given up voluntarily only with the Polish President's consent.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Expats in Warsaw, Poland
English Facebook group for people living in Poland interested in Polish visas
Join on FacebookCudzoziemcy - trudne przypadki
Polish Facebook group for people living in Poland interested in Polish visas
Join on FacebookTemporary residence cards/ Visas/Legalisation in Poland (TRC)
English Facebook group for people living in Poland interested in Polish visas
Request to joinConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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