Discover the process of confirming Polish citizenship through great-grandparents, what requirements you need to meet, which documents are necessary, and how we can assist you at each step.
If you have a great-grandparent from Poland, you may have heard fascinating stories about the country’s rich culture and perhaps wondered about the possibilities of living in Poland and Europe.
Confirming Polish citizenship by descent through great-grandparents can be an exciting journey into your family’s Polish ancestry, allowing you to uncover your heritage and forge a deeper connection with your heritage.
Polish law is based on the principle of jus sanguinis (the right of blood), meaning citizenship can be passed down through generations, provided certain legal conditions are met.
If your great-grandparents were Polish citizens, it’s possible you may reclaim this status and acquire Polish citizenship for yourself. Poland considers all eligible candidates as Polish from birth, so the process of confirming Polish citizenship by descent focuses around proving your Polish ancestry.
In other words, it requires documenting the continuity of your family line. The first step is to determine whether your great-grandparent is an eligible Polish ancestor. In most cases, your great grandparent should have been a Polish citizen who lived in Poland at some point after 1918, and has not lost Polish citizenship afterwards.
In this article, we will explore the steps needed to assess your chances of confirming Polish citizenship through your great-grandparents and how Lexmotion can support you throughout the process.
Key Takeaways
- Can I confirm Polish citizenship through great-grandparents?
- What are the steps to confirm citizenship?
- How can we help you?
Can I Confirm Polish Citizenship Through Great-Grandparents?
To confirm Polish citizenship, it’s essential to understand the criteria your great-grandfather or great-grandmother must meet.
They, or another Polish ancestor, need to fulfill several key requirements before you can apply to confirm Polish citizenship:
- The ancestor must have been a legal Polish citizen
Your great-grandfather or great-grandmother must have been recognized as a Polish citizen and lived in Poland after 1918.
- No loss of citizenship by the ancestor
Your ancestor must not have renounced their Polish citizenship or lost it due to service in a foreign military or other actions leading to the loss of citizenship. An exception applies to those who served in Allied forces during WWII, such as the US Army. Serving in these forces did not automatically make your ancestor lose their status as a Polish citizen,which is crucial for many clients whose ancestors have such a background.
If your ancestor meets these conditions, you have a high chance of confirming your Polish citizenship.
Check if you qualify for polish citizenship by descent
Learn more about the eligibility criteria and who qualifies for Polish citizenship by descent in the article Who is Eligible by Descent?
Steps to Confirm Polish Citizenship by Descent
Under Polish law, you are already considered a Polish citizen from birth if you qualify, so acquiring Polish citizenship via Polish ancestors is a formal confirmation of your Polish heritage.
The path to gain Polish citizenship can be broken down into several key steps:
| Confirmation process for Polish citizenship by descent | ||||
| ① | ② | ③ | ④ | ⑤ |
| 1/ Eligibility Validation | 2/ Document Search | 3/ Application Preparation and Submission | 4/ Application Review and Decision by Authorities | 5/ Citizenship Confirmation |
1/ Eligibility Validation
Current Polish citizenship regulations are based on specific eligibility criteria. Before starting the full application process, it’s essential to ensure you meet these requirements. You can gather information about your ancestors, including documents, from living relatives.
Our free eligibility quiz is the easiest way to check if you meet the initial requirements to confirm your Polish citizenship.
2/ Document Search
After confirming eligibility, you’ll need to collect the necessary documentation. To confirm citizenship, you must not only prove your ancestor’s Polish origin and identity—such as your great-grandfather’s—but also document your direct lineage to them. This includes documents related to your grandparents and parents.
It doesn’t matter if your grandparents or parents have not been officially recognized as Polish nationals themselves. What matters is proving your lineage. Additionally, the fact that your grandparent or parent was born outside of Poland is not an issue; what’s key are the documents that confirm their Polish roots.
Key documents you may need for your application include:
- Birth and marriage certificates: These help establish blood ties with your ancestors. You may also need death and divorce certificates.
- Identity documents: Items such as identity cards, local records, census data, and others help verify your family history and support the detailed identification of family members listed in your application. For those ancestors who were living in Poland, we can help you with Polish civil records certificates.
3/ Application Preparation and Submission
Once you have gathered all the documents, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, identity documents, and other essential records, the application process begins.
Note that while you don’t need to speak Polish, the application for Polish citizenship by descent must be completed in the Polish language. This is also true for any and all documents provided. We can help you in providing official translations.
Once your application form is completed, it can be sent through a Polish consulate in your home country.
4/ Application Review and Decision by Authorities
After submitting your complete application, you need to be patient, as the process may take several months. As you’re confirming Polish citizenship via multiple generations, there are likely many documents that the Polish authorities need to review and confirm on their side.
5/ Citizenship Confirmation
Upon a positive review, you will receive official confirmation of your Polish citizenship. From here, you can enjoy all the advantages of other Polish citizens, from applying for Polish passports to living in the European Union.
For more information about the citizenship confirmation process, see the article What Does the Polish Citizenship Application Process Look Like?
Can I Have Dual Citizenship?
Yes. Current regulations do not require you to renounce your existing citizenship when applying for Polish citizenship. Gaining your Polish nationality does not cause you to lose any existing citizenship.
In fact, many Poles enjoy the benefits of holding dual citizenship, which reflects the reality that around 20 million people of Polish descent live worldwide. Such individuals can enjoy the benefits of both their Polish identity and that of their resident country.
For more on the benefits of dual citizenship, read the article Is Polish Dual Citizenship Allowed?
How Long Does the Citizenship Confirmation Process Take?
The process of applying for Polish citizenship by descent typically takes between 12 to 18 months, but this duration can vary depending on the specific case and its complexity.
The more complex the case and the more documents that need to be collected, the longer it may take.
For more details on why the process takes this long and what factors influence it, read How long does it take to get Polish Citizenship by descent and obtain a Polish Passport?
How to Obtain a Polish Passport?
Many people who confirm their Polish citizenship also choose to apply for a Polish passport. For those who wish to travel within Europe or take advantage of the numerous benefits of Polish citizenship, the passport is the next logical step.
Unsurprisingly, you first need to confirm your Polish citizenship.
In addition to standard information and a photo, the passport application requires several additional documents:
- Confirmation of Polish citizenship: To get a Polish passport, you must have confirmed citizenship. This confirmation must be included in the application.
- Birth certificate: The Polish government requires citizens to have Polish versions of their civil status records, including a birth certificate. This Polish birth certificate is an official document issued in Poland, different from a sworn translation of your foreign birth certificate.
- Marriage certificate (optional): If you are married, the same rules apply as above. You will need a Polish marriage certificate.
- PESEL number: In addition to the above documents, you will also need a PESEL number. The good news is that it is automatically assigned when obtaining a passport. It’s worth noting that a PESEL is the Polish equivalent of a social security number and has many future uses.
Like your application to become a Polish citizen, you can apply for your passport through the nearest Polish consulate.
For more detailed information on obtaining a Polish passport, see the article How to Get Polish Passport?
Summary
Confirming Polish citizenship through great-grandparents is a process that requires documenting your family lineage and meeting specific criteria.
The first step you should take is to check if you meet the eligibility requirements. You can do this by completing our free eligibility quiz.
Our team of experts will provide you with comprehensive support at every stage of the process. After receiving a positive result from the quiz, we will contact you to present our offer and guide you through the entire citizenship confirmation process, ensuring it is efficient and smooth.
