Polish Dual Nationality
Dual citizenship occurs when a person is, at the same time, a citizen of two states. As a citizen of two countries, you are allowed to live and work in both of them, without any further restrictions. Other undeniable plus is a freedom of moving between two different countries without any special permission or visa. As a citizen, you get the access to all the rights and benefits of particular country that means: healthcare, voting right or pensions. Having a dual citizenship makes it easier to study abroad, as you can benefit from being able, for example, to become an Erasmus student.
As the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union, becoming a dual citizen becomes even more beneficial matter. We never know when being an EU citizen may be useful for us. If you have any Polish ascendants, please take a moment to analyse the opportunity to become a Polish citizen. Our Polish legal services will help you go through the process.
Polish Act of 2 April 2009 on Polish Citizenship specifies rules of becoming a Polish citizen. There are several ways of obtainment of that privilege.
First of all, minor becomes a Polish citizen if at least one of their parents has a Polish citizenship (Ius Sanguinis) or if a minor was born in the Polish territory and their parents are unknown, do not have any citizenship or their citizenship is indefinite. Polish citizenship is also given to minor found in the Polish territory (Ius Soli). These rules are regulated in Article 14 and 15 of Polish Citizenship Act. If one of your ascendants was a Polish immigrant it is worth verifying if you can apply for confirmation of Polish citizenship. In Monarch Solicitors we can help you to check it and gather necessary documents.
Another way of becoming a Polish citizen is by full adoption (until reaching the age of 16).
If you already live in Poland, you can be recognised as a Polish citizen in several different ways. For example, according to Article 30 of Polish Citizenship Act, you become a Polish citizen if you live in Poland for at least 3 years, you have a permission for a permanent stay or permission for long term stay as an EU Citizen. On the top of that, you need to have stable and steady source of income and a legal title to property. The same situation occurs, if you live in Poland for at least 2 years and are married for at least 3 years to Polish citizen or have no citizenship.
But is it possible to become a Polish citizen when you live in the UK and do not have plans of moving to Poland? The simple answer is: Yes, it is. Although, several requirements must be fulfilled.
Article 18 of Polish Citizenship Act states that President of the Republic of Poland may grant a Polish citizenship to a foreigner. Application should include several information such as: personal data, information about Polish ascendants of the applicant or information about his professional achievements, political and social activity.
Also, if you were a Polish citizen, but you lost the citizenship before the 1st of January 1999 you may apply for restoring it. According to Article 11 of Polish Citizenship Act from 20th of January 1920, Polish citizen was losing a Polish citizenship in the event of acquiring a citizenship of another country. Also, Article 13 of above Act stated that wife and children of that citizen were losing citizenship together with him. When we analyse the Polish Citizenship Act from 1951, situation looks similar: Polish citizen together with his wife and children was losing a Polish citizenship after obtaining the approval of Polish authorities to change the citizenship. According to amended Polish Citizenship Act (2009), if you apply for recovering and provide necessary documents, it is likely that you become a Polish citizen again.
As you can see, if you consider having two nationalities, there are a few different ways in which you can achieve your objective. Do not hesitate to contact us and we will help you go through the whole process.
Short Note
The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union so having dual citizenship may be more beneficial than ever. Having a citizenship of another country gives you the access to rights and benefits accrued in another country. As a Polish citizen, thus EU citizen, you can become an Erasmus student, you can also travel to over 40 countries! If you have any Polish ancestors, Monarch Solicitors can provide you with professional legal advice, we can also help you with application. Who knows what the future will bring?
