Eligibility quiz
Has either of your parents had Polish citizenship restored?
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.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which voivodeship office serves your city for Poland uznanie za obywatela polskiego?”
Download the application form
Download the Wniosek o uznanie za obywatela polskiego form for your child.
Download the formFill in the form
Your child's legal representatives fill in and sign the form in Polish. If they disagree, either can ask a court to decide.
Get help with the formSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I complete the Poland uznanie za obywatela polskiego form for a child?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for your child's voivodeship office.
See required documentsPay the fee
Pay the application fee before submitting your child's application, using the payment instructions from your voivodeship office.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I pay the Poland uznanie za obywatela polskiego application fee at the voivodeship office serving your city?”
Hand in the application
Ask your child's voivodeship office how to submit the application and whether you need an appointment. Bring the completed form and documents to the office, or send them by post.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit a Poland uznanie za obywatela polskiego application to the voivodeship office serving your city?”
Wait for the decision
Wait for the office's decision on your child's application and respond if it asks for more information or documents. Once an approval is final, your child can apply for a Polish passport.
See how long it takesSearches DuckDuckGo for “How long does Poland uznanie za obywatela polskiego take for a child?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Provide your birth certificate to show who your parents are. If you were adopted, include the adoption decision.
Parents' citizenship records
Provide the decision restoring your Polish parent's citizenship. Also provide a document showing your other parent's citizenship if that parent is not Polish.
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
Polish Citizenship Discussion Group
English Facebook group for people interested in Polish citizenship
Request to joinr/prawokrwi
English Reddit group for people interested in Polish citizenship
Join on RedditPolish citizenship & passport
English Facebook group for people interested in Polish citizenship
Request to joinConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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