Polish passport

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A passport is a document which entitles to cross the state border, endorse having Polish citizenship and identity of its holder. Having a passport is required for entry to most countries of the world. Some countries may also require additional entry visas. Every Polish citizen has the right to obtain a Polish passport. A Polish passport is the property of the Republic of Poland and is issued by a national government, at the request of an adult person. Parents apply for passport on behalf of a child. Polish passport can be issued only for one person and is valid for 10 years. Those documents are issued by the wojewoda, and by Polish Consul to persons resident abroad. The main condition for obtaining a Polish passport is having Polish citizenship.

Many people during travel or holidays lose their passports. A person who lost a Polish passport is required to report the Polish state authorities. A Polish Consul may, upon confirmation of identity, issue a temporary passport to return home. The document reported as being lost is no longer valid. Polish passport also loses validity if its holder lost his Polish citizenship.

Polish citizenship & passport

Since 2006 a new form of Polish passport is issued. Biometric passports have a security in the form of electronic chip encoded with information about the passport holder. Unfortunately, the issue of a Polish passport is related to the payment of a fee. Receipt of an ordinary passport costs about 140 zloty. However, this fee is increased by 200%, if the previously owned Polish passport had been destroyed because of the fault of its holder.

Polish citizenship and Polish passport

Before we will receive our Polish passport – we would have to pass confirmation of Polish citizenship procedure and prepare documents (so-called transcriptions) of some vital records. We can apply to Polish consulate, or we can hire professional law office which will proceed our “Polish citizenship case”. Of course we can proceed directly – but it’s possible only for people who often visit Poland and know Polish language very well. Some people think that procedure through consulate is a good choice. Unfortunatelly – it’s not. First of all consulates don’t serve any legal assistance for us. They can simply receive our documents and send them to proper authorities in Poland.

Confirmation of Polish citizenship

What is more – as Michal Wisniewski, who is chairman of CK and Partners Law Office said: “It’s almost unbelivable – many our clients already applied for Polish citizenship in some Polish consulates and were sure that they would receive their Polish citizenship and Polish passport soon. Sometimes they wanted to hire us only to speed up their procedure. And when we checked their cases – they were absolutely incomplete. All these people – that were sure that we will only help them to get their Polish citizenship and Polish passport faster – would receive negative decisions without our help. They only have ancestors’ birth certificates, or sometimes they even don’t have them!! Of course they didn’t have old Polish passport or other documents that could directly proove their Polish citizenship. And when they asked us about time – I had to inform them that they will receive these negative decisions with documents they already submitted. Such situation usually took place in both Americas – I’m not sure why. For example in Israel people know much more about all procedure – they contacted us and had really impresive knowledge about all confirmation of Polish citizenship proces and they also knew what is PESEL and how to get Polish passport. But in Argentina, Brazil and USA – they just heard that it would be easy… We also had many clients who contacted us after their applications were refused by second instance (Ministry of Interior) and we had to appeal to Territorial Administrative Court. For example – one time person who contacted us was suprised that got negative decision. I asked him – what Polish documents you submitted and he answered: document from US that certify that my grandfather arrived to US in 1934 and was Polish citizen. I had to explain him that such document is not proof of his Polish citizenship and he won’t receive positive decision in such situation. That we would have to find documents from Poland that will confirm, that his ancestors lived here and had Polish citizenship. Polish documents, not American….”

Polish citizenship – documents

Such situation is very common. A lot of people, descendants of Polish emigrants want to get Polish citizenship and Polish passport now. It’s very useful. Their childen will have a chance to study in Europe, they could conduct their businesses without many formal troubles and they would be able to travel through all Europe without any problems.. Of course – there is also more benefits. But first of all we have to understand “confirmation of Polish citizenship” is not easy procedure. It doesn’t matter if we heard, that our relative received it very fast without any problems 8 years ago. Now times changed and also rules were changed – procedures are much more strict. Some years ago – because there were few applications – Polish authorities sometimes ignored, when documents are missing. Now – they don’t. So usually – if we don’t have old Polish passport or Polish ID – it could be really hard. What is more – Polish authorities need certificates from military authorities of countries when our ancestors lived after they left Poland. These certificates must be presented in very strict form. People who wish to get Polish citizenship and Polish passport usually don’t know about it.

So – if we really want to get Polish citizenship and Polish passport – legal assistance is really good choice. Especially – that proceeding through Polish consulates is not free, and consular fees must be paid.