Job Discussion Forums

[Stosskraft]

Hey. Has any Canadian's with a Canadian passport, been able to get a Polish Passport? My father was born in Poland, and I hear I may be able to get a Polish passport based on this. I have sent several inquires to the Polish embassy in Ottawa, but I have not heard back. Also are their forms are in Polish and I don't read Polish very well.
Has anyone here gone through the process? Can you tell me how to get started? and If you had any troubles? and the best place to get the documentation??

Thanks

[ejw]

Do you want a Polish passport or Polish citizenship? To get a passport, of course, you must be able to prove citizenship. If you have Polish citizenship then all you have to do is fill out the papers in English and provide the required documents for the passport.

You should be able to get any forms and information you need from the Polish Embassy in English, if you request them. If you are not sure if you have Polish citizenship check the following site: http://www.polishembassy.ca/news_details.asp?search=y&nid=58 . It states:

�Article 4. A child acquires Polish citizenship by birth when:
1) both parents are Polish citizens or
2) one of the parents is a Polish citizen, whereas the other is of unknown or undefined citizenship or does not possess any citizenship ��

Article 6. 1. A child of parents of which one is a Polish citizen, while the other is a citizen of another state, acquires Polish citizenship by birth. However the parents may, in a declaration made in conformity before the proper authority within the course of three months from the day of the birth of the child, choose for the child the citizenship of the foreign state of which one of the parents is a citizen, if according to the law of that state the child acquires its citizenship.
2. In the case when the parents are not in agreement on this matter, each of them may apply to a court for a resolution within the course of three months from the day of the birth of the child.
3. A child who acquired foreign citizenship in accordance with para. 1 or 2 acquires Polish citizenship if, after completing sixteen years and before six months prior to attaining full legal age, he or she makes the appropriate declaration before the proper authority and this authority issues a decision accepting the declaration..�


It seems you have to figure out what your parents did when you were a baby. If you are a Polish citizen, then there should not be any problem getting a passport. If you are not, you will have to see if you have the right to Polish citizenship. I doubt that the Polish Embassy can give you a straight answer until they know your circumstances, so you should apply for a passport and see if you get it. If you cannot, you should appeal and see if they can establish whether you have the right to Polish citizenship or not. All in my opinion, of course.

Good luck
EJW