Polish Citizenship for Ukrainians – How to Obtain It?

Granting Polish Citizenship to Ukrainians by the President of the Republic of Poland
One way for Ukrainians to obtain Polish citizenship is through a grant by the President of the Republic of Poland. What conditions must be met? The President can grant Polish citizenship to any foreigner, and there are no specific rules for this process. There is no specified waiting period for the decision, and it is not possible to appeal a refusal.

What documents will you need? First and foremost, you need to complete an application form, provide a photo, and submit documents confirming the information in your application, such as details about your sources of income, information about ancestors who held Polish citizenship, or information about the loss of Polish citizenship in the past.

The application should be submitted to the relevant Voivodeship Office or a consular office.

Recognition as a Polish Citizen
To be recognized as a Polish citizen, a foreigner must meet one of the following conditions:

• The foreigner must have resided in Poland continuously and legally for at least 3 years based on a permanent residence permit, long-term EU resident status, or permanent residency rights, and have a stable and regular source of income as well as the right to housing.
• The foreigner must have resided in Poland continuously and legally for at least 2 years based on a permanent residence permit, long-term EU resident status, or permanent residency rights, and have been married to a Polish citizen for at least 3 years or be stateless.
• The foreigner must have resided in Poland continuously and legally for at least 2 years based on refugee status.
• The foreigner must be under 18 years of age, reside legally in Poland based on a permanent residence permit, long-term EU resident status, or permanent residency rights, and have one parent who is a Polish citizen, while the other parent must consent to the recognition of the child as a Polish citizen.
• The foreigner must be under 18 years of age, reside legally in Poland based on a permanent residence permit, long-term EU resident status, or permanent residency rights, and one of the parents must have their Polish citizenship restored, while the other parent, if not a Polish citizen, must consent to the recognition of the child as a Polish citizen.
• The foreigner must have resided in Poland continuously and legally for at least 10 years, hold a permanent residence permit, long-term EU resident status, or permanent residency rights, and have a stable and regular source of income and legal entitlement to housing.
• The foreigner must have resided in Poland continuously and legally for at least 1 year, hold a permanent residence permit obtained due to Polish ancestry or possession of the Pole's Card.

Additionally, to obtain Polish citizenship, the foreigner must have at least a B1 level of proficiency in the Polish language (this must be confirmed with the appropriate document). The application should be submitted to the relevant Voivodeship Office.

Summary
There are two ways to obtain Polish citizenship. It is possible to be granted Polish citizenship by the President of the Republic of Poland, or to apply for recognition as a Polish citizen. In both cases, different procedures apply. How should you prepare your application to ensure it is positively considered? The process is complicated enough that many foreigners choose to seek the help of good lawyers.

It is worth seeking the support of the Civil Affairs Law Firm, founded by Joanna Mieszczankowska, who served as a state official in the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland from 2008 to 2022 and was responsible for reviewing applications for Polish citizenship from foreigners. Comprehensive support for foreigners is therefore our specialty. You can count on us for issues such as:

• Legalization of stay and employment
• Invitations for foreigners
• Work permits in Poland
• Temporary and permanent residence permits
• Extension of work and residence permits in Poland
• Employment information from the starost for foreigners