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Polish citizenship

Israeli law, and the laws of many other countries, allows citizens to have dual citizenship and does not require renunciation of a foreign citizenship. For various reasons, many people have an interest in living in one of the European Union countries. Obtaining Polish or Latvian citizenship may facilitate this goal.

Benefits of Polish citizenship

By virtue of being members of the European Union, Polish and Latvian citizens are granted the freedom to travel, live, work, study and retire anywhere in the EU. No EU citizen needs a visa to visit another EU country for up to three months. You can stay longer than that provided that you register with the host country, have sufficient means to sustain yourself (or a job or course of study) and health insurance (the latter may be available by paying into a state insurance scheme). After living in another EU country for five years you have the same rights as its own citizens.

Working abroad has been facilitated through the mutual recognition of qualifications, enabling professionals to work in another EU Member State without having to sit for further examinations.

For these reasons, Polish and Latvian citizenship is very attractive to people living outside of the EU.

Eligibility for Polish citizenship

There are different rules in Polish law granting Polish citizenship to emigrants from Poland and their descendants, especially to descendants of people who emigrated from Poland before World War II and beyond. In particular there are three main laws governing the grant of citizenship, depending on the year the Polish citizen left Poland - and they may be applied to their heirs and descendants. Polish citizenship laws from 1920, 1951 and 1962 govern the eligibility of former Polish emigrants to receive Polish citizenship and all of the benefits that may flow from it.

Applying for Polish citizenship

If you are eligible for Polish citizenship, then you should contact the Polish Embassy and begin the process of obtaining citizenship. It is recommended that before you contact the embassy and start the procedure - which may require significant efforts on your part - you turn to an attorney with expertise in this field in order to ensure that you are indeed eligible for the citizenship. In addition, a knowledgeable attorney will advise you on the procedure and the required documentation, maximizing your chances to obtain Polish citizenship.

Law Offices of Eva Kuklis at your service

Attorney Eva Kuklis, herself of Polish descent, is a lawyer and notary with vast experience and reputation, working since 1980 in this area of law. She has helped many exercise their rights and eligibility in various countries in Europe. Her firm offers services which include notarized document translation in Hebrew, Russian, English, French and Polish and will assist you throughout the process of obtaining Polish, as well as other European nations' citizenship.

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