Restoration of Polish citizenship

Grounds for the restoration of Polish citizenship

 The foreigner who lost his/her Polish citizenship before 1 January 1999 may be restored Polish citizenship at his/her request, if he/she lost it due to:

1. the acquisition of a foreign citizenship (Article 11 of the Act on citizenship of the Polish State of 20 January 1920 (Dz.U. [Journal of Laws] No. 7, Item 44, as amended)),
2. taking up a public office in a foreign country (Article 11 of the Act on citizenship of the Polish State of 20 January 1920 (Dz.U. No. 7, Item 44, as amended)),
3. entering the service in a foreign country’s army (Article 11 of the Act on citizenship of the Polish State of 20 January 1920 (Dz.U. No. 7, Item 44, as amended)),
4. the extension of loss of Polish citizenship to a wife or a child of a person who has lost Polish citizenship (Article 13 of the Act on citizenship of the Polish State of 20 January 1920 (Dz.U. No. 7, Item 44, as amended)),
5. obtaining consent to the acquisition of a foreign citizenship (Article 11 of the Act on Polish citizenship of 8 January 1951 (Dz.U. No. 4, Item 25)),
6. the deprivation of Polish citizenship because he/she infringed an obligation of loyalty to the Polish State, or was detrimental to the vital interests of the People's Republic of Poland, or illegally left the territory of the Polish State after 9 May 1945, or the proper authorities summoned him/her to return and he/she refused, or evaded a military service, or was convicted for a common crime or was a recidivist (Article 12 of the Act on Polish citizenship of 8 January 1951 (Dz.U. No. 4, Item 25) and Article 15 of the Act on Polish Citizenship of 15 February 1962 (Dz.U. of 2000 No. 28, Item 353, as amended)),
7. the extension of loss of Polish citizenship to a child of a person who was deprived of Polish citizenship or obtained consent to the acquisition of a foreign citizenship (Article 11 or 12 of the Act on Polish citizenship of 8 January 1951 (Dz.U. No. 4, Item 25)),
8. the renunciation of Polish citizenship (Article 13 of the Act on Polish Citizenship of 15 February 1962 (Dz.U. of 2000 No. 28, Item 353, as amended)),
9. submitting an appropriate declaration by a female Polish citizen as a result of her entering into marriage with a foreign citizen, or when the marriage of a female foreign citizen with a Polish citizen ceased or was annulled (Article 14 of the Act on Polish Citizenship of 15 February 1962 (Dz.U. of 2000 No. 28, Item 353, as amended).

 Polish citizenship shall not be restored to a foreigner who: voluntarily joined the armies of the Axis or their allies during the period between 1 September 1939 and 8 May 1945; or accepted/held an official post in service of the Axis powers or their allies during the period between 1 September 1939 and 8 May 1945; or acted to the detriment of Poland, especially its independence and sovereignty, or participated in acts of violation of human rights. Moreover, Polish citizenship shall not be restored to a foreigner if it is deemed to pose a threat to the defense or national security or to safety and public order.

The acquisition of Polish citizenship takes place on the day when the decision to restore Polish citizenship became final. This is very important because it has, among others the result that the restoration of citizenship does not extend to adult children who were born when someone was deprived of Polish citizenship