ATTENTION – THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSLATION from Polish
On the website of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, we read about the government’s plans to tighten the rules for granting Polish citizenship, whose main goal is to strengthen the integration of foreigners into Polish society and increase the security of the state. It is emphasised that citizenship should be granted exclusively to persons genuinely connected to Poland and engaged in its development.
The government announces the introduction of a test checking knowledge of the Polish language, basic law, history and values, as well as the degree of integration into Polish society. The exam would take place twice a year. The imposition on foreigners of the obligation to sign an act of loyalty to the state, confirming respect for the law and principles of the Republic, is also being considered. The Ministry of the Interior and Administration also proposes extending the minimum period of uninterrupted residence in Poland from 3 to 10 years. The introduction of the requirement to have a permanent tax residence in Poland is also planned.
The announced changes were discussed during the debate “Challenges and Directions of Changes in the Area of Citizenship and Repatriation” on 27 October 2025. The Ministry emphasises that the bill takes into account the President’s postulates to prevent a possible veto of the future act. However, the bill is currently at the stage of the first reading in the Sejm – on 19 December, the Marshal of the Sejm postponed the vote on the motion to reject the bill to the next session.
It is worth recalling that, according to the currently applicable Act of 2 April 2009 on Polish Citizenship, there are four ways of acquiring citizenship: by operation of law, by granting, by recognition, and by restoration. Detailed information on this subject can be found in the “Polish Citizenship” tab on our website.
