The Ministry of the Interior and Administration said the planned changes would end what it called “automatism” in granting Polish citizenship and replace it with a model based on a foreigner’s real connection to Polish society, culture and the state.
Under the proposal, foreigners seeking Polish citizenship would have to meet stricter conditions. The ministry said the aim was to avoid “the mistakes made in the past by other countries handing out citizenships.”
One of the main changes would extend the required period of legal residence to eight years. This would include three years of temporary residence followed by five years of permanent residence.
The ministry said this would allow authorities to make a more reliable assessment of an applicant’s conduct and ties to Poland.
The plan would also introduce a state exam on Polish history and constitutional values. The ministry said the test would be designed to confirm that a future citizen understands and accepts the foundations of the Republic of Poland and the European Union.
Applicants would also have to make a formal declaration of loyalty. The ministry said a loyalty act and a tax residency requirement would provide a guarantee that the applicant "ties their life and economic interest exclusively to Poland."
The proposal would also tighten language requirements. The ministry said stronger Polish-language rules were needed so new citizens could fully function in society.
"Citizenship will be treated as an earned privilege, not a formal certificate," the ministry said, adding that the legislation was being drafted with national security and social cohesion in mind.
The government first presented the assumptions behind its planned amendment to the Polish Citizenship Act in October. At the time, it said applicants would have to take a test of about 40 questions and know Polish at least at the B2 level, which means upper-intermediate proficiency.
The issue has also become part of a broader political debate. In September, President Karol Nawrocki sent his own citizenship bill to the Sejm, the lower house of parliament.
His proposal would extend the minimum period of uninterrupted residence in Poland from three to 10 years for foreigners seeking recognition as Polish citizens.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński criticized the president’s proposal, saying Poland did not in practice grant citizenship after only three years. He said the real period was "not shorter than eight years" and argued that simply extending the time requirement oversimplified a wider problem.
Law and Justice (PiS), the main opposition party, also submitted its own citizenship bill in October. It proposed a 10-year residence period, a steady income requirement, and a stricter Polish-language exam at the C1 level.
For foreign spouses of Polish citizens, the bill would have required six years of continuous residence in Poland.
The lower-house rejected the PiS bill in January. During the debate, Deputy Interior Minister Magdalena Roguska said work was continuing on the government’s own proposal.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP