Citizenship

Citizenship can be understood as a permanent legal bond between a person and a state. In practice, this means that the person has rights and obligations towards the state and vice versa. A citizen is committed to be loyal to the Republic of Poland and to care for the common good, he is obliged to pay taxes and stick to the law of the Republic of Poland. You are also obliged to care for the environment and responsible for the deterioration of its condition. A citizen has the right to life and freedom, which mean the prohibition of torture, humiliation and corporal punishment. He has the right to freedom of religion, privacy and preservation of private property and freedom of thought and speech.

The President of the Republic of Poland gives Citizenship on the basis of an application submitted by a foreigner. You can apply for citizenship after five years of residence in Poland on the basis of a residence permit (in particularly justified cases, this requirement is waived). Application for granting citizenship is made to the Voivode or Consul – if we do not live on the territory of Poland. You can do it personally or by mail with the officially signed signature. Then the application is forwarded by the Minister of the Interior to the President of the Republic of Poland, who grants citizenship or refuses to grant it. Recognition a foreigner as a Polish citizen may also take place if he / she resides continuously for at least 3 years on the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a permit to residence, a long-term resident’s EU residence permit or on the basis of permanent residence. You must have a regular source of income in Poland,  a legal title to occupy premises, be married to a Polish citizen for at least three years or not have any citizenship. In this case, the decision of recognizing a foreigner as a citizen of the Republic of Poland is taken by the Voivode, to which you also submit the application. It should be mentioned that the marriage license of a non-Polish citizen with a citizen of the Republic of Poland does not change the citizenship of the spouses.

In the case of a minor, citizenship can be granted when a minor was born on the territory of the Republic of Poland and his parents are unknown, have no nationality or undetermined nationality. Citizenship of a minor is also be obtained when at least one of the parents is a Polish citizen or if he was found in the Republic of Poland and his parents are unknown.