Have you ever wondered about applying for a Polish passport? If you’ve grown up in a Polish family abroad, or have memories of Polish heritage, this can be a very real opportunity.

Applying for a passport offers more than just an additional document. It lets you travel to many countries, gives you the rights of EU citizenship and the many additional benefits that come with it.

Let’s explore what Polish passports can offer, how to ensure you can apply for one, and what information the passport application requires. We’ll show you how to provide proof of your heritage, how to ensure your application doesn’t miss any key information and the key challenges that you can expect.

The benefits of a Polish passport

In most general rankings, Polish passports are considered one of the 10 strongest and most desirable in the world. Their high status usually comes from their ability to offer access to various countries.

For example, Poland’s inclusion in the European Union marks Polish citizens as EU citizens. Consequently, this means a Polish passport indicates that you have the right of free movement to travel across any of the 27 EU countries, without applying for a visa.

Globally, however, Polish passports offer access to over 155 countries, visa-free. That doesn’t count the countries that simply require a visa as a formality, either. In this way, a passport from Poland helps to open up much of the world.

The key requirements for Polish passport

What do you need to qualify for a passport from Poland? The criteria is quite simple:

  • Confirmation of Polish citizenship: Polish passports are only available for Polish citizens, so you will need to provide official documentation confirming your status.
  • Birth certificate: You must submit an official Polish version of your birth certificate. This is done by submitting a sworn translation to the Polish authorities, who will then issue a Polish document.
  • Photograph: You will of course need to submit a photograph in the typical passport size.
  • Valid ID: You will need to provide valid ID to confirm your identity.
  • Marriage certificate: If you are married, you will need a Polish copy of your marriage certificate, in the same way that you need to provide a Polish birth certificate.

You will also need a PESEL number (Poland’s equivalent to a social security number) but for foreigners that qualify as Polish citizens, this is typically assigned for you during the application process itself.

Nonetheless, the main hurdle here is Polish citizenship itself. The other requirements are all easy to meet, so getting your Polish citizenship confirmed in the first place will make up a major component of your application.

What counts as Polish citizenship?

As you can see, being a Polish citizen is a key requirement to getting a Polish passport, so let’s take a moment to define what it means to be a “Polish citizen”. Generally, to be a citizen of a country, you are recognized by the local government, either through being born in the country to existing citizens or through some form of naturalization.

Every country has its own unique rules and Poland is no exception. As we’ll explore shortly, there are a number of ways to get Polish citizenship, although one is arguably the most advantageous for those living abroad.

It’s also worth highlighting that dual citizenship is also possible, and in fact occurs quite frequently. As long as two (or more) countries recognize you as a citizen, you inherit both status and the benefits that come with them. Problems only occur when one country specifically blocks or does not recognize dual citizenship.

Poland, fortunately, does not hinder dual citizenship. The only caveat is that you must use your Polish ID, such as your Polish passport, when dealing with local authorities. Poland is not the only country to do this, as the US has a similar rule for US citizens. Nonetheless, dual citizenship with Polish ancestry is common in the likes of the US, UK, Australia and Canada, and none of these countries challenge dual citizenship.

The different ways of obtaining Polish citizenship

There are a number of ways to get Polish citizenship, as outlined by the Polish government. Ignoring niche cases, we can identify three key ways.

  • Through naturalization: If you gain a permanent residence permit, whether through Poland or the European Union, and live in Poland for at least 3 years, you can apply to become a Polish citizen. Under Polish law, you will need to demonstrate a stable source of income and prove that you can speak Polish.
  • Through marriage: If you are married to a Polish citizen, there is an alternative form of naturalization available. This requires you to live in Poland for at least 2 years, and you do not need to show a stable income stream. However, you still need to speak Polish, and you must be married for at least 3 years.
  • Through descent: Poland also recognizes the ‘right of blood’ for those with a Polish ancestor. The criteria is a little more specific, which we’ll get to shortly, but this version does not require you to live in Poland, speak Polish or provide details on your income. The only requirement is an eligible and proven connection to your Polish ancestors.

Therefore, if you live abroad, don’t speak Polish and have at least one Polish relative, such as parent, grandparent or great grandparent, acquiring Polish citizenship by descent is your best option. If you’re living abroad and applying for a Polish passport, this further remains the best option, as you do not need to travel to Poland at all.

How to obtain Polish citizenship by descent

As stated, the Polish government recognizes Polish citizenship as an inherited status so, if you are directly descended from a Polish citizen, then you are de facto considered Polish from birth.

However, the exact criteria for an applicable ancestor is quite complex, but the key points out that they must have been a legal Polish citizen, that did not lose their status, and lived at some point in Poland in 1920 or later. It does not matter if they went on to leave the country, so long as they remained a Polish citizen.

And with an estimated 20 million people around the world with Polish ancestry – otherwise known as the Polish diaspora – there’s a good chance you could be eligible. if you remember a Polish grandparent or great grandparent, for example, or you remember seeing some old documents in Polish, that’s a clear sign.

In any case, the first step is always to confirm your eligibility. You will need to prove your connection, so looking into your family tree, speaking to other family members and getting a clearer understanding of your history will certainly help. We also have a free quiz – it takes only a few minutes, and will help determine your eligibility.

What does the application require?

You need to prove your right of blood, which means proving your own identity, that of your chosen Polish ancestor, and every relative inbetween. In other words, if your grandfather is Polish, then you need documents confirming their citizenship, as well as proving they are your grandfather, including details on the respective parent. This includes:

  • Birth and marriage records: These documents help prove blood relations, names and other identities.
  • Government records: Whether it’s census data or information from local authorities, such information can help prove identity and even the status of Polish citizenship.
  • Identification documents: ID can also help prove citizenship, since it is issued by the respective government.

However, we also need to warn you that, like many application forms with the Polish government, you will need to provide everything in Polish. This includes not only the application itself, but also the necessary documents that you have attached.

For documents originally not in Polish, you need to provide sworn translations: these are translations from an official, recognized translator.

You will need to prove these translations for all non-Polish documents, including your own marriage and birth certificates. While this may sound daunting, it’s something we can help you with! On the plus side, the translated certificates will come in handy for generating the official Polish versions necessary for your Polish passport application!

What are the main challenges in citizenship and passport applications?

Now that you know what goes into both a Polish passport application, and the process of obtaining Polish citizenship by descent, we can talk about them as a whole process, since they are very closely related.

In our experience, there are a few key hurdles to overcome in the application process, namely the finding of documents, finding a sworn translator and completing the applications. Fortunately, this is also where we can help you.

  • Finding documents: Outside of your own immediate family, you may end up needing to contact local bodies here in Poland. You can not search these records through your local consulate. In addition to a potential time zone difference, you will likely face a language barrier, since a communicable understanding of English is never a guarantee and, in our experience, uncommon. That’s why we offer to do this on your behalf
  • Translations and copies: Whether it’s finding a sworn translator to translate documents, or entering new, official Polish version for your vital records here in Poland, it’s essential that the files you provide are only translated via a recognized specialist. We work with such individuals, so you can be sure that your records are being taken care of.
  • Completing the application: it’s better to be safe than sorry. We understand Polish law, specifically in the area of citizenship by descent. We can not only help you complete your application, but also ensure that you are not missing any critical details that could hinder your application.

For all of these reasons, we’re here to help! Not only are we based in Poland, so we can help deal with authorities here so you don’t have to, we also know the legal system well. Our knowledge of citizenship law, paired with our years of experience, can ensure the process is as effective and pain-free as possible.

If you’re still interested in Polish citizenship, and the accompanying passport, then get in touch! If you’re still not sure, take our free quiz to confirm your eligibility!

Are you by any chance of Polish origin? Find out if you are eligible for EU citizenship by taking the test below: