Confirmation of Polish citizenship Gaworlegal

Today’s article is about confirmation of Polish citizenship. As the name suggests, this is about confirming Polish citizenship you already have. So this institution applies to situations where You are already a Polish citizen and just need to confirm it.

Table of contents – read more about:

Confirmation of Polish citizenship step by step
Polish citizenship by descent
Which documents are required to confirm Polish citizenship?
Confirmation of Polish citizenship – how much it costs
How do you confirm your citizenship?
Is a Polish birth certificate proof of citizenship?
Which document is proof of citizenship?
What makes you a Polish citizen?
Does Poland allow dual citizenship?
Polish citizenship certificate
Polish citizenship – where to apply? Do I have to apply in person for Polish citizenship
What is the waiting time for confirmation of Polish citizenship?
How to collect documents to confirm Polish citizenship?
Steps and Requirements – confirmation of Polish citizenship
Documents required to prove Polish citizenship by descent
Who may obtain Polish citizenship by descent?
How to obtain Polish citizenship by descent?
Confirmation of Polish citizenship – conditions I must meet
Confirmation of Polish citizenship – what fees do I have to pay?
Citizenship test
Right of blood & right of soil
Does PESEL confirm Polish citizenship?
Who grants Polish citizenship?
Lawyer for Polish citizenship confirmation
Attorney for Polish citizenship confirmation
How long does confirmation of Polish citizenship take?
Confirming Polish citizenship for a child
How to confirm Polish citizenship for a child born abroad?

What is the point of confirming Polish citizenship?

The fantastic news is that You may already be a Polish citizen! It is simply possible that you acquired Polish citizenship at birth. However, you do need to confirm it. This confirmation is a formal process, which acknowledges that a person with Polish ancestry is a Polish citizen. Going through that process is required to be able to obtain a Polish passport.

We will be happy to confirm Your Polish citizenship

Who is eligible to confirm Polish citizenship?

Do you want to confirm your Polish citizenship? In order to do that, you need to demonstrate that you have ancestors who held Polish citizenship. Besides that, you need to prove that no events during their or your lifetime have resulted in the loss of this citizenship.

To confirm that you are a Polish citizen, you need to have a direct lineage from a Polish ancestor (parent, grandparent, great-grandparent and so on).

You must have a direct lineage from a Polish ancestor.

To determine whether you acquired Polish citizenship through your ancestors, it is necessary to establish whether they actually held it. For this purpose, one must refer to the legal acts regulating these matters at the relevant time, including the Polish Citizenship Act of 1920, 1951 or 1962.

When it comes to citizenship it does not matter which country you were born in, regardless of whether it was abroad. This is the so-called right of blood (ius sanguinis), which applies in Poland and is the opposite of the right of soil (ius soli) that applies e.g. in the United States or Canada.

Confirmation of Polish citizenship – where to apply?

In Poland, since 2009, it has been possible to obtain confirmation of Polish citizenship through a decision of the Voivode.

To do this, an application for confirmation of Polish citizenship must be submitted to the competent Voivode. The form is in Polish.

Which Voivode is Competent?

The application should be submitted to the Voivode competent for your current or last place of residence in Poland, and if you do not have one – to the Masovian Voivode.

If you live abroad, you can also submit the application through the Polish consul responsible for your place of residence.

NOTE: However, Polish consulates do not process these applications, but only forward them to the relevant Voivode in Poland.

What information should be included in the application?

personal data,
personal data of parents and grandparents,
additional information that may help establish the factual and legal status of the case,
documentation supporting the information provided in the application.

Which documents are required?

Polish ID cards or passports of ancestors,
civil status records (including those issued abroad) of ancestors,
extracts from church registers, military booklets,
certificates from archives and other relevant documents.

Polish citizenship – because identity matters.

Confirmation of Polish citizenship – what costs?

The administrative fee for a decision confirming the possession of Polish citizenship is PLN 277.

How long does it take? Confirmation of Polish citizenship

The Voivode has 6 months to issue a decision. In justifted cases, this period may be extended. If you have submitted your application to the Mazovian Voivode, the current waiting time is approximately one year, as this office has a large backlog of applications.

What if you are not satisfied with the decision?

In such a situation, you can file an appeal. The appeal is submitted to the Minister of the Interior and Administration through the Voivode who issued the decision in your case.
You have 14 days from the date of delivery of the decision to do so.

Will I receive a Polish passport after confirmation?

The purpose of confirming Polish citizenship is to obtain a Polish passport.

After obtaining a decision confirming your Polish citizenship, you can apply for a Polish passport at the nearest consulate.

NOTE: However, in order to obtain a Polish passport, you must first register your civil status records in Poland, including your foreign birth certificate and, if applicable, your marriage certificate and foreign divorce judgment.

In order to obtain a Polish passport,
you must first register Your civil status records in Poland.

Do I have to come to Poland? Confirmation of Polish citizenship

No, you don’t have to come to Poland to confirm Your Polish citizenship. Everything can be handled remotely with our assistance. We will send you a power of attorney for signature and act on your behalf before the Polish authorities.

Read more about Benefits of Polish citizenship