Granting of Polish citizenship

Information on the procedure for granting Polish citizenship

An application for Polish citizenship is filed, through a provincial governor or consul, in person or by correspondence with an officially certified signature. A person legally residing in the Republic of Poland submits the application to the voivode competent for his/her place of residence, and a person residing abroad submits the application through a consul.

Polish citizenship is granted at the request of the foreigner, and in the case of a minor foreigner – at the request of his/her statutory representatives. In case of disagreement between the statutory representatives, each of them may apply to the court for a decision.

The granting of Polish citizenship to only one parent includes a minor under his parental authority, in the event that:

  • the other parent does not have parental authority;
  • the other parent has made a statement of consent for the minor to acquire or lose Polish citizenship.

In order to grant Polish citizenship to a minor who has reached the age of 16, a statement of consent is required from the minor.

The statements referred to above shall be made:

  • in person for the record before:
    • a voivode competent for the place of residence – from a Polish citizen residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland and from a foreigner legally residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland, except for a stay on the basis of a visa or in visa-free traffic,
    • consul – from a person residing abroad;
  • by correspondence with an officially certified signature.

The application for Polish citizenship shall be submitted on a form, the model of which is determined by the provisions of the Ordinance of the President of the Republic of Poland of August 7, 2012 on determining the model form of application for granting consent for renunciation of Polish citizenship, the requirements for a photograph attached to the application and the model of notification of the content of the decision on granting consent for renunciation of Polish citizenship (Journal of Laws of 2012, item 928). The form is available in the application forms tab.

Documents to be attached to the application:

  1. biometric photograph (x2), i.e. a current photograph of the foreigner, undamaged, in color, measuring 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months on a uniform light background, having good sharpness and showing clearly the eyes and face from the top of the head to the upper part of the shoulders, so that the face occupies 70-80% of the photograph; the photograph is to depict a person without headgear and glasses with dark glasses, looking straight ahead with eyes open, hair uncombed, with a natural expression and closed mouth. A person with congenital or acquired vision defects may attach to the application a photograph showing him wearing glasses with dark glasses, and a person wearing headgear in accordance with the rules of his religion – a photograph showing him wearing headgear. The headgear must not cover or distort the oval of the face,
  2. a copy of the birth certificate issued by a Polish civil registry office,
  3. a document issued by a Polish civil registry office confirming marital status, e.g. a current copy of a marriage certificate, death certificate of a spouse,
  4. photocopy of a permit for temporary or permanent residence in Poland, settlement or residence of a long-term EU resident (notarized or confirmed by a Polish Consul),
  5. a photocopy of a residence card, a certificate of registration of residence of an EU citizen or his/her family member, or a document confirming the right of permanent residence of an EU citizen (notarized or certified by a Polish Consul),
  6. a photocopy of a current document confirming identity and citizenship, e.g. passport or other travel document, identity card (notarized or confirmed by a Polish Consul),
  7. photocopy of a current document confirming the identity and citizenship of the applicant’s spouse, e.g. passport or other travel document, identity document (notarized or confirmed by the Polish Consul),
  8. documents confirming the foreigner’s sources of income in Poland (notarized or confirmed by the Polish Consul),
  9. documents confirming professional achievements and conducted political and social activities (if any),
  10. possessed documents of parents and further ascendants, if they held Polish citizenship,
  11. documents confirming the possession of Polish citizenship in the past, its loss and the date of acquisition of citizenship of another country (if any).

A foreigner exercising parental authority over a minor foreigner additionally attaches:

  1. a photograph of the minor covered by the application meeting the requirements of item 1,
  2. a copy of the minor’s birth certificate issued by a Polish registry office,
  3. a photocopy of a current document confirming the identity and citizenship of the underage foreigner, e.g. passport or other travel document, identity card (notarized or confirmed by a Polish Consul),
  4. a photocopy of the decision allowing the minor to stay in Poland – if he/she has obtained one (notarized or confirmed by a Polish Consul),
  5. a photocopy of the minor’s residence card – if issued (notarized or confirmed by a Polish Consul),
  6. statement of consent for granting Polish citizenship to a minor, accepted for the record from the other parent by the locally competent voivode – if that parent resides in Poland, or by a Polish Consul – from a person residing abroad or staying in Poland on the basis of a visa or in visa-free traffic or by correspondence with an officially certified signature. If the statement is made before another voivode or consul, a document confirming this information should be attached,
  7. statement of a minor foreigner, who is at least 16 years old, on granting him/her Polish citizenship, accepted into the protocol by the competent local voivode – if the minor resides in Poland, or by a Polish consul – from a minor residing abroad or staying in Poland on the basis of a visa or in visa-free regime or by correspondence with an officially certified signature. If a statement is made before another voivode or consul, a document confirming this information must be attached.

Bearing in mind that the provisions of the Code of Administrative Procedure (Kpa) do not apply to proceedings for granting Polish citizenship, and thus also the provision of Article 76a § 2b, according to which an authorized employee of the body conducting the proceedings, to whom the original document was presented along with a copy, at the request of a party, certifies the conformity of the copy of the document with the original, the applicant is consequently obliged to attach to the application the originals of the required documents or copies certified by a notary public or a consul of the Republic of Poland.

If the application does not meet the aforementioned requirements or is not accompanied by the aforementioned documents, the authority receiving the application shall summon the applicant to remove the deficiencies, within 30 days from the date of receipt of the summons with the instruction that failure to remove the deficiencies will result in leaving the application unprocessed.

Fees:

None

Place of application submission:

Łódzki Urząd Wojewódzki w Łodzi
Department of Civil Affairs and Foreigners
Department of Civil Affairs
104 Piotrkowska St
90-926 Łódź
p. 025A (building E) – by appointment

http://www.rezerwacje.lodzkie.eu/#/

( 48) 42 664-17-58
( 48) 42 664-17-85