Eligibility quiz
Were you adopted by someone who was a citizen of Poland when they adopted you?
Benefits
Benefits for your childBenefits for your child
Polish passport and ID
Polish citizens can get a passport and identity card.
A normal passport lasts 10 years, or 5 years for some children.
A temporary passport lasts for the period stated on it, up to 12 months.
Live in Poland for life
Polish citizens can live in Poland permanently, choose where to live and move within the country.
They cannot be expelled from Poland or refused return.
Study in Poland
Polish citizens can use public education on the same terms as other Polish citizens.
Full-time study at public universities and other higher-education institutions is generally free of tuition on those terms.
Work in Poland
Polish citizens can work or run a business in Poland without a foreigner's work permit.
Get help abroad
Polish citizens can get help from Poland abroad, including passport assistance and emergency help.
If Poland has no representative in a country outside the EU, another EU country's consulate can help on the same terms as for its own citizens.
Vote in elections
Polish citizens can generally vote from age 18 in presidential, parliamentary and local elections and referendums.
Some people lose this right through a final court judgment.
Rules for voting abroad differ, and registration with the consul may be needed.
Use public healthcare
Public healthcare normally depends on insurance, though some uninsured citizens living in Poland qualify based on income and other conditions.
Children under 18 and pregnant women who are Polish citizens living in Poland have access to specified care.
In other EU countries, coverage depends on national systems and rules that can include work, insurance and residence.
Get social support
Polish citizens who live and stay in Poland can seek social assistance, with help depending on need, income and other conditions.
Pensions and benefits for sickness, unemployment and families have separate payment and eligibility rules.
How to apply
Applying at a local officeApplying at a local office
Find your local office
Find the voivodeship office responsible for the place where your child lives in Poland.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Polish voivodeship office handles confirmation of Polish citizenship for someone living in your city?”
Download the application form
Download the application for confirmation of possession or loss of Polish citizenship. Your child needs a separate application.
Download the formSearches DuckDuckGo for “Where can I download the Polish confirmation of possession or loss of Polish citizenship application form?”
Fill in the form
As your child’s parent or legal guardian, fill in and sign the application for your child. Give your child’s details, their parents’ and grandparents’ details, and the facts relevant to the application.
Get help filling itSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in a Polish confirmation of possession or loss of Polish citizenship application for a child?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the voivodeship office.
See required documentsPay the fee
Pay the PLN 277 decision fee by bank transfer using your office’s payment details. Include proof of payment with your child’s application.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I pay the confirmation of possession or loss of Polish citizenship fee at the voivodeship office in your city?”
Book an appointment
Book an appointment with your voivodeship office if it requires one for handing in your child’s application in person.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I book an appointment for confirmation of possession or loss of Polish citizenship at the voivodeship office in your city?”
Hand in your application
Bring your child’s signed application, required documents and proof of payment to the voivodeship office. You can also send the application by post.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit a confirmation of possession or loss of Polish citizenship application to the voivodeship office in your city?”
Wait for the decision
Respond if the office asks for more documents or explanations. If your child’s citizenship is confirmed, you can use the decision to apply for a Polish passport for your child.
See what happens nextSearches DuckDuckGo for “How long does confirmation of possession or loss of Polish citizenship take at a voivodeship office in Poland?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Include your birth certificate as an original or officially certified copy. Where available, also include birth or marriage records supporting the details of your parents and grandparents; if a name has changed, include the record showing the change.
Adoption decision
Include the decision or other official record showing your full adoption, its date and the people involved. Provide the original or an officially certified copy.
Parent's citizenship records
Include evidence that your adoptive parent was a Polish citizen, such as their Polish passport, Polish identity card or an official Polish citizenship confirmation. An earlier Polish passport, identity card or citizenship decision may also help establish their citizenship.
Considerations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Treatment as Polish
If you have another citizenship, Polish authorities treat you as a Polish citizen.
You cannot use your other citizenship to avoid Polish rights or duties.
Defence and military service
Citizens from age 18 through the year they turn 60, or 63 for some ranks, may be called for defence duties.
Permanent medical unfitness and some pregnancy or childcare cases are exempt; so are dual citizens living permanently abroad.
Foreign military service needs permission, except for dual citizens living permanently in their other country and serving its forces; breaking this rule can be a crime.
Citizenship can be lost
Polish citizenship can be given up voluntarily only with the President's consent.
It ends 30 days after the decision, unless an earlier date is specified.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Foreigner in Warsaw Poland
English Facebook group for people living in Poland interested in Polish local life
Join on FacebookExpats in Warsaw, Poland
English Facebook group for people living in Poland interested in Polish local life
Join on FacebookCudzoziemcy - trudne przypadki
Polish Facebook group for people living in Poland interested in Polish visas
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
Adavia doesn't provide advice, but we're building a directory of professionals who do. If you'd like, we can notify you when help is available.
Updated