1. Those eligible for Polish citizenship and a Polish passport are natives of Poland (including individuals born in the territories of Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania that were under Polish rule between the two World Wars).
2. Eligibility can also be transferred to descendents of Polish natives, without any limits as to the number of generations, whether they were born in Poland or elsewhere. Our clients include citizens of the US and South American and Asian countries, whose parents or grandparents emigrated in the 1920's and 30’s.
3. According to a Polish Law from 1920, which was valid until January 1951, there may be circumstances in which a Polish citizen lost his Polish citizenship. The application must be based on specific relevant legislation, which safeguards the right to Polish citizenship. Reference must be made to the relevant Polish law; otherwise the application may be rejected.
4. Knowledge of the Polish language or Polish culture is not required.
5. The application for Polish citizenship can be submitted directly in Poland, without the involvement of the Polish Embassy in the individual’s country of residence.
The above summary should not be relied upon for the purpose of making an application, without first checking the legal and factual circumstances with an attorney well versed in the current and former citizenship laws of Poland.