31 October 2026

General Information

On October 27, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland published draft law UD 491. According to the author of the material, this is the most drastic change in migration policy in about 15 years. The government is tightening the conditions for obtaining a Polish passport. A passport is no longer issued solely on the basis of official registration of residence.

The draft introduces a mandatory citizenship exam and an oath of allegiance to Poland. It also raises language proficiency requirements and checks tax residency. The most significant change concerns the authorities' right to revoke previously issued passports at any time.

The government plans to approve the draft as early as the fourth quarter of 2026.

Reasons for the Changes

The current citizenship law was adopted in 2009. At the time of its adoption, Poland was a country of emigration: Poles were leaving en masse to work in London, Berlin, and other cities. Foreigners in the country were rare.

The situation changed after 2014. According to the author of the material, he moved to Poland in 2015. After 2022, the number of foreigners rose sharply. Simplified procedures for work invitations (oświadczenia), residence cards, and lenient rules led to millions of foreigners effectively settling in the country. In the author's assessment, queues at voivodeship offices for residence cards and, to a lesser extent, for Polish passports remain significant.

In its justification for draft UD 491, the Ministry of the Interior stated that the current law is outdated and no longer protects national security. The state is moving toward strict screening of every candidate.

Six New Barriers

Obtaining citizenship goes through the voivode. The procedure takes at least 9 years. The author of the material went through it himself.

The author considers point 3 the most significant for the audience, since many applicants use schemes involving residence outside Poland. He also notes that the requirement for stable income may be interpreted strictly. For example, a one-month break in income while searching for new employment could become grounds for refusal. In the author's opinion, many officials will interpret the requirement precisely in this way.

The Right to Revoke Citizenship

The most significant provision of the draft is in its final section. The Ministry of Internal Affairs introduces a rule that bypasses the standard administrative code. A decision to grant Polish citizenship may be revoked or annulled at any time. No statute of limitations is established.

The review will cover not only the current application but also the applicant's entire history. Applications for a residence card (karta pobytu) and for the Karta Polaka are included. If it turns out that such documents were submitted with a fictitious employment contract from a shell company or a forged archival document, the passport may be annulled. The author of the article cites an example of a document prepared in a graphics editor for an interview.

In addition, the simplified procedure for restoring citizenship is being closed. Applications under it will be accepted until the end of 2030.

Summary

The period of relatively easy legalization in Poland has come to an end. Draft UD 491 turns obtaining a Polish passport from a complicated procedure into an exam of a high level of difficulty.

The legal path remains open to those who actually live in Poland, pay taxes, and speak the language. However, the time required to obtain citizenship will increase. For those using schemes involving purchased documents, sham employment contracts, or shell companies, the law creates a risk of citizenship being revoked even years after the passport was issued.

Example from the Author's Practice

The author of the material described a conversation with a Pole who had previously worked in the police. The interlocutor was surprised by how long the procedure takes. He believed that obtaining citizenship takes 2–3 years. The author replied that for ordinary applicants the period is about 9 years, and that people with family ties to Polish citizens or other grounds go through the process faster. The interlocutor also believed that Ukrainians receive documents without obstacles. The author sent him articles about two-year queues for residence card applications. According to the author's assessment, this changed the interlocutor's views.