POLISH CITIZENSHIP ON THE BASIS OF A PERMANENT RESIDENCE CARD

Polish citizenship on the basis of a permanent residence card – is it possible?

Any foreign national who meets the conditions set out in Article 30 of the Act of 2 April 2009 on Polish citizenship (i.e. Journal of Laws of 2023, item 1989) may apply to be recognised as a Polish citizen.

What are these conditions, and does holding a permanent residence card count among them? Here is a list of situations in which a foreign national may obtain Polish citizenship:

1. Uninterrupted residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland for at least 3 years on the basis of a permanent residence permit, a long-term resident’s EU residence permit or a right of permanent residence, as well as having a stable and regular source of income in Poland and a legal right to occupy residential premises;
2. Uninterrupted residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland for at least 2 years on the basis of a permanent residence permit, a long-term resident’s permit for the European Union or the right of permanent residence, and:
3. Having been married to a Polish citizen for at least 3 years, or
4. Not holding any citizenship;
5. Having resided continuously in the territory of the Republic of Poland for at least 2 years on the basis of a permanent residence permit obtained in connection with refugee status, which was granted in the Republic of Poland;
6. A minor foreign national residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a permanent residence permit, a long-term resident’s permit for the European Union or a right of permanent residence, where one of their parents is a Polish citizen, and the other parent, who does not hold Polish citizenship, has consented to this recognition;
7. A minor foreign national residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a permanent residence permit, a long-term resident’s permit of the European Union or a right of permanent residence, where at least one of their parents has had Polish citizenship reinstated, and the other parent, who does not hold Polish citizenship, has consented to such recognition;
8. Uninterrupted and lawful residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland for at least 10 years and holding a permanent residence permit, a long-term resident’s permit of the European Union or the right of permanent residence, as well as having a stable and regular source of income in Poland and a legal title to occupy residential premises;
9. Uninterrupted residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland for at least one year on the basis of a permanent residence permit obtained on account of Polish ancestry or possession of a Pole’s Card.

The list of situations set out above indicates that it is possible to obtain Polish citizenship following the granting of a permanent residence card. However, it is also important to consider how long a foreign national holding a permanent residence card has been residing, without interruption, in Poland, whether they have a stable and regular source of income, legal title to a dwelling, whether they have refugee status, and also their age.

However, if you fall into at least one of the above-mentioned groups, you may apply for Polish citizenship. Just bear in mind that to be recognised as a citizen of the Republic of Poland, you must also know the Polish language – at least at B1 level – and have official confirmation of this.

Application form for recognition as a Polish citizen

The application form for recognition as a Polish citizen, which is also required when applying for Polish citizenship via a permanent residence card, can be found in the Regulation of the Minister of the Interior of 3 August 2012 on the template for the application form for recognition as a Polish citizen and the photograph to be attached to the application. The Regulation is available on the Online System of Legal Acts at the following link: https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20120000916.

The model application form for Polish citizenship is set out in Annex 1 to this Regulation.

Polish citizenship with a permanent residence card — documents

A correctly completed application for recognition as a Polish citizen must also be accompanied by the documents required for the specific situation, including:

1. A translation into Polish, carried out by a sworn translator or a consul of the Republic of Poland, of all foreign documents that you wish to attach to the application;
2. If you are applying for Polish citizenship for a child — a statement of consent from the other parent (it should be noted, however, that if you are applying for Polish citizenship as a parent, your minor children will also automatically acquire it as soon as you are recognised as a citizen of the Republic of Poland. The exception to this are children who have already reached the age of 16 and who must give their consent to acquire Polish citizenship);
3. Stamp duty for the issue of the decision (payable before submitting the application);
4. Other documents, including, in particular, those confirming proficiency in the Polish language at a minimum B1 level.

The application, together with the attached documents, must be submitted to the provincial governor with jurisdiction over your place of residence.

Need help? The ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation helps foreign nationals!

The ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation – the highest-rated business incubator in Poland – also helps foreign nationals who wish to reside and work in Poland entirely legally.

As well as helping people realise their dreams of running their own business, the Foundation also provides advisory services covering a wide range of aspects relating to the legalisation of foreigners’ residence and employment in Poland. We assist with administrative procedures (including applying for a Polish visa, a work visa, a temporary residence permit, a permanent residence permit, a work permit, a Blue Card, etc.), we liaise with the Provincial Office, translate documents, offer legal assistance, as well as health insurance and medical and sports care packages.

Would you like more information about the scope of the ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation’s activities? Visit https://firmadlakazdego.pl/.

If, on the other hand, you’d like to read more about residence cards and the opportunities this permit offers, take a look at the other articles available on the blog: https://firmadlakazdego.pl/blog/.