Citizenship

Polish citizenship: your path to a Polish passport

Naturalization, confirmation by descent or a presidential grant: three routes with different requirements. A specialist checks which one your history supports and leads you through it.

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Three routes to Polish citizenship

Polish citizenship can be obtained through three main routes: naturalization (after living in Poland for a specified period), confirmation of Polish citizenship based on ancestry, or a direct grant by the President of Poland. Each has different requirements, timelines, and documentation.

A Polish passport gives you full EU citizenship rights: the ability to live, work, and study anywhere in the European Union without restrictions.

How we help with Polish citizenship

Sylwia Fossaert in a doorway of the Krakspire office in Kraków, holding a laptop

We start with the route: your years on a permanent permit, your Polish ancestry or the ties that could support a presidential grant. We say plainly whether it is realistic. Then we prepare the application with you, help obtain Polish vital records and archival documents, arrange sworn translations, file through the voivode and stay with you until the passport.

Which route your history supports, and whether it is realistic
Advice on the Polish language requirement for naturalization
Guidance to the passport and ID card after the decision
Polish vital records and archival documents traced with you
Sworn translations arranged, the application filed through the voivode

The three routes side by side

Citizenship by naturalization

Recognition as a Polish citizen (colloquially: naturalization) is available to people who have resided in Poland continuously and legally for at least 3 years holding a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term residence permit, or the right of permanent residence, and who have a stable source of income and a legal title to their accommodation.
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Shorter periods apply to, among others, spouses of Polish citizens (2 years on such a permit with at least 3 years of marriage), people who obtained permanent residence based on Polish descent or the Karta Polaka (1 year), and refugees (2 years). You prove your Polish with an official certificate of at least B1, or with a certificate from a school in Poland or from a school abroad that teaches in Polish.
The voivode decides, generally within 6 months.
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If the decision is refused, you can appeal to the Minister of the Interior and Administration within 14 days, and then file a complaint with the voivodeship administrative court within 30 days.

Confirmation of Polish citizenship (Polish descent)

If you can prove that your parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents were Polish citizens, you may be eligible to apply for confirmation of Polish citizenship.
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This doesn’t require living in Poland, but it does require thorough documentation of your family’s Polish roots.
This route is handled by the voivode and typically involves gathering birth certificates, marriage records, and documents proving that your ancestors held Polish citizenship at the relevant time.

Citizenship by presidential grant

The President of the Republic of Poland can grant citizenship to any foreign national, regardless of how long they have lived in Poland.
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This route, known as nadanie obywatelstwa polskiego, is fully discretionary. There are no fixed residency or language requirements, though applicants typically demonstrate a genuine connection to Poland.
The application is submitted through the relevant voivode, who reviews it and forwards it to the President with an opinion.
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The President’s decision is final: there is no appeal, whether the application is granted or refused.
This route is less common than naturalization or confirmation of citizenship by descent, but worth considering if you don’t meet the standard residency requirements or have other strong ties to Poland.
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We can help you assess whether it’s realistic in your case.

How it works

Book a consultation

You tell us your situation and plans. We explain your options and the route that fits you.

A clear plan

The route, the documents and a realistic timeline, in writing, before anything starts.

We prepare and file together

Records gathered, translations arranged, the application filed through the voivode.

We stay with you to the decision

The office writes in Polish. We explain each letter and reply inside its deadline. You know where you stand.

What clients say

“We had a really good and smooth process with Krakspire. I highly recommend them for your residence process!”

“Had to go through several integration cases while migrating, from basic papers for apartment rental and document translation to obtaining a work permit, and Krakspire was the one to help. Always friendly, helpful, and going a bit beyond what’s needed.”

“By far the best assistance company for resident permits. They are proactive: you don’t need to chase them. The pricing is decent and they help with situations where it’s not clear how to proceed. They got my application processed in two months with a decision for permanent residence.”

Polish citizenship: frequently asked questions

How much does a Polish citizenship application cost?

Since 1 August 2025 the stamp duty is 1,000 PLN for a decision on recognition as a Polish citizen, 277 PLN for a decision confirming possession or loss of citizenship, and 1,669 PLN for an application for a grant of citizenship by the President filed through the voivode. Repatriation cases are exempt. Government fees are paid directly to the office; our fee for handling the case is quoted separately, in writing, after the first consultation.

How long does the citizenship application process take?

For a citizenship grant by the President, the process usually takes more than a year. Recognition as a Polish citizen by the voivode has a statutory term of 6 months, and the time for confirming citizenship based on descent depends on how complex your documentation is.

Do I need to speak Polish to get citizenship?

For naturalization, yes. An official certificate of at least B1 is enough, or a certificate from a school in Poland or from a school abroad that teaches in Polish (a post-secondary vocational school certificate does not count). For confirmation of Polish citizenship based on ancestry, language proficiency is not required.

Can I hold dual citizenship?

Poland allows dual citizenship. Obtaining Polish citizenship does not require you to give up your current nationality. However, check the rules of your other country, as some countries do not allow dual citizenship.

My grandparents were from Poland, can I get citizenship?

Possibly. If you can document an unbroken chain of Polish citizenship from your ancestor to you, you may qualify to apply for confirmation of Polish citizenship. The key is proving your ancestor held Polish citizenship at the relevant time. We check the family records with you and tell you whether the chain holds.

Polish citizenship: your path to a Polish passport

Three routes to Polish citizenship

How we help with Polish citizenship