The Presidential bill amending the Act on Polish Citizenship - what does it involve?

Contents:

• Recognition as a Polish citizen – what does it look like now?
• The Presidential bill amending the Act on Polish Citizenship – what does it assume?
• What will change?
• Summary

Before we address the question of how the presidential bill amending the Polish Citizenship Act will affect foreigners, it's worth recalling the current requirements. Polish citizenship can be granted to a foreigner who meets one of seven criteria:

• resides in Poland legally and continuously for at least 3 years on the basis of a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident permit or the right of permanent residence, has a stable and regular source of income in Poland and a legal title to the occupied residential premises,
• has lived in Poland legally and continuously for at least 2 years, has a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident's permit or the right of permanent residence, and at the same time has been married to a Polish citizen for at least 3 years or has no citizenship,
• has been legally and continuously residing in Poland for at least 2 years on the basis of a residence permit obtained in the country in connection with granting refugee status,
• is under 18 years of age, legally resides in Poland on the basis of a permanent residence permit or an equivalent document, one of the parents has Polish citizenship and the other has consented to recognizing the child as a Polish citizen,
• is under 18 years of age, legally resides in Poland on the basis of a permanent residence permit or an equivalent document, one of the parents has had his/her Polish citizenship restored, and the other parent – if he/she is not a Polish citizen – has consented to recognizing the child as a citizen,
• has been living legally and continuously in Poland for at least 10 years, has a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident permit or the right of permanent residence, has a stable source of income in the country and a legal title to a residential premises,
• has been residing legally and continuously in Poland for at least 1 year and has a permanent residence permit obtained on the basis of Polish origin or the Pole's Card.

Each of the above cases constitutes a separate basis for recognizing a foreigner as a citizen of the Republic of Poland, provided that he or she meets all the indicated formal requirements.

The President's draft law on Polish citizenship extends the minimum period of uninterrupted residence in Poland required for recognition as a Polish citizen from three years to 10. This refers to legal residence based on a permanent residence permit, a long-term EU resident permit, or permanent residence. Therefore, the 10-year period does not include the period during which a foreigner resided in Poland under a temporary residence permit.

The bill's sponsor argues that becoming part of Polish citizenship presupposes the existence of "a well-established, lasting, and actual bond between the foreigner and the state community", which requires a longer period than the currently required three-year period. The President also cites laws in force in other European Union countries :

Countries such as France (5 years, with the possibility of shortening it to 2 years for graduates), Germany (5 years, with the possibility of shortening it to 3 years after an integration course), the Czech Republic (5 years) and the aforementioned Hungary, Italy and Austria apply longer periods, which promotes social and economic stability.2 Extending the period of uninterrupted residence to 10 years will allow Poland to better meet these standards, strengthening its position in EU migration policy.

Other requirements, including knowledge of Polish at B1 level, will remain unchanged.

How will the presidential bill amending the Polish Citizenship Act affect Ukrainian citizens living and working in our country? It's important to note that this is only a draft, which must be thoroughly analyzed by a parliamentary committee and then voted on in the Sejm. If the bill receives a majority vote, it will be forwarded to the Senate. Therefore, there's no guarantee that the bill will be implemented. However, foreigners applying for Polish citizenship should keep it in mind.

What steps should you take to obtain Polish citizenship in the current situation? There's no clear answer to this question, as everything depends on the situation. Therefore, it's wise to seek professional legal assistance. The Citizenship Office is happy to advise you on the most appropriate methods for acquiring Polish citizenship for your specific situation. We can help you write an application and gather the necessary documents. If necessary, we can also assist you in appealing a negative decision. We also offer power of attorney to represent a foreigner , which is useful if you're not yet comfortable with official matters or are concerned about a language barrier.

The presidential draft amendment to the Polish Citizenship Act is an initiative that could significantly change the rules for recognizing foreigners as Polish citizens. The most important proposed change is extending the required period of permanent residence in Poland from three to 10 years. In practice, this would significantly tighten the criteria and extend the time after which foreigners—especially Ukrainian citizens—could apply for recognition as Polish citizens. Although the bill is currently in the legislative phase and has not yet entered into force, its provisions are worth monitoring closely. Potential changes could impact the situation of many individuals residing permanently in Poland and planning long-term integration into Polish society.

If you need advice on Polish citizenship, contact us. Comprehensive services for foreigners , including the legalization of stay and work , are our specialty. We will not only advise you on how to submit your application, but also help you gather the necessary documents and provide support in the event of a negative decision.