If you have Polish ancestry, have Polish parents or grandparents, there is a chance you are eligible to obtain Polish citizenship by descent and get a Polish passport. In the process of Polish citizenship confirmation, you need to prove you are of Polish descent with formal and legally valid evidence, confirm kinship towards his or her Polish ancestor and prove that Polish citizenship was not lost by any of his family members and passed down the line all the way to you via ‘the right of blood’.
What do you need to apply for Polish passport
To apply for a Polish passport, you must be a Polish citizen and prove that with either expired Polish passport, or with a document confirming your Polish citizenship. You can get Polish citizenship based on Polish descent – in such case you need to go through Polish citizenship confirmation process, via naturalization or recognition as a Polish citizen.
The Polish by descent option requires proving your Polish ancestry by submitting evidence documenting lineage, and Polish citizenship. This process does not require living in Poland or speak the language, unless the naturalization process. Before you can apply for your Polish passport, it is also necessary to register your birth certificate in Poland, and marriage, in case you are married.
Polish citizenship confirmation is a separate process from Polish passport application, it is the step you need to take before you apply for your Polish passport and there are additional costs associated with it.
To apply for your Polish passport, you will need the following:
- Polish citizenship confirmation: An official document issued by the respective Voivodeship Office in Poland. You will receive this when you apply for citizenship by descent.
- Birth certificate: In case you were born outside Poland, you need to register your birth within Polish Civil Registry Office. Based on that you will receive Polish birth certificate.
- Marriage certificate: In case you are married, and the marriage took please outside of Poland, you need to register your marriage in Poland within Polish Civil Registry Office. Based on that you will receive Polish marriage certificate.
- PESEL: It is a Polish social security number used to identify Polish citizens. It will be assigned to you by a Polish Consul at the day you lodge your Polish passport application.
- Passport photo: (photo requirements
https://www.gov.pl/web/gov/zdjecie-do-dowodu-lub-paszportu )
Keep in that you need to apply for your Polish passport in person at the nearest Polish Consulate General as you are required to leave your fingerprints, since passports are biometric and present originals of your Polish documents listed above.
Getting a Polish passport - cost
The cost will vary depending on whether your Polish passport is expiring, and you need to renew it, or if you must first confirm your Polish citizenship and register your vital records in Poland, which will mean you have to obtain legal documents needed to support your claim, organize sworn translations and in case you use help of an expert specializing in Polish citizenship by descent.
When it comes to the actual passport fee, it may vary based on your location so please contact the nearest Polish Consulate General for details or the one you plan to use for your Polish passport appointment. Here is the list of most popular countries with links to their official websites with fees.
- United States of America: There are five consulates in the US, in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and the Polish embassy in Washington. Consular fees can be found online link.
- In Canada there are Polish Consulates in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and the Polish embassy in Ottawa. Consular fees can be found online link
- United Kingdom has four consulates –in Belfast, Edinburgh, Manchester and the Polish Embassy in London. Consular fees can be found online link
- Australia has a consulate in Sydney and Embassy in Canberra. Consular fees can be found online link
Polish Consuls organize consular appointments in various cites across the listed countries and for details, visit the embassy website in your country. This way you will have an opportunity to apply closer to your place of residence, and you can have your passport posted to you, without a need of picking it up in person.
In special circumstances, Polish Consul can issue you with a temporary passport, which will be valid till your regular passport valid for 10 years is issued.
Polish passport characteristics
The Polish passport is an official document issued to Polish citizens by the government of Poland, enabling international travel and serving as proof of Polish nationality. It grants holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to numerous countries around the world, making it one of the most powerful passports globally. In 2023, Polish citizens could travel to 184 countries without a visa or with a visa on arrival, reflecting the strong global mobility provided by the passport.
The passport is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors. It can be used not only for travel but also for identification purposes within the European Union, where Polish citizens can move freely thanks to Poland’s membership in the EU. Additionally, Polish citizens with a valid passport can reside, work, and study in any other EU country without needing a visa or permit.
Applying for a Polish passport involves submitting an application at a passport office in Poland or a Polish consulate abroad, providing necessary documents such as a birth certificate and national ID, and paying the required fee. The process is straightforward but involves biometric data collection, which is required for the issuance of the passport.
If you need help, contact us for a FREE consultation:
If you are not sure if the evidence you have is enough to support your Polish citizenship claim, please contact us for a free consultation. Our friendly Polish Citizenship Experts will assess your situation and case and advise on the best next steps for you. If you are interested in our services, we will be able to issue you a non-obligatory quote for our assistance.
Check if you qualify and contact us for a FREE consultation of your case. You can fill in our Contact form on our website, send us an email at contact@fivetoeurope.com or give us a call phone / WhatsApp / Signal + 48 509 374 209
