Changes to the citizenship law are being prepared in Poland. An expert on Polish politics explained what the possible innovations mean and whether they are as alarming as they seem.
Let us remind you that Poland is considering tightening the conditions for granting Polish citizenship.
What will change?
- A mandatory citizenship exam — a test of about 40 questions covering knowledge of history, legislation, values of Poland, and the level of integration into society.
- Signing a declaration of loyalty to the Polish state
- A high level of Polish language proficiency — no lower than level B2.
- A minimum residence period in Poland — at least 8 years.
- Having the status of a tax resident in Poland.
Kirył, an expert on Polish politics and one of the authors of the podcast “Zrobiona w Polsce,” explained what the planned innovations actually mean.
“If we talk about the first point, which is the citizenship test, the idea of the Polish Ministry of the Interior is not a new concept. Similar tests have existed for a long time in various countries in Europe,” says the expert.
He emphasizes that the experience of other countries shows that such exams are usually not difficult and can be prepared for in advance. It is an additional bureaucratic procedure, but not a critical one.
“The main question is whether a convenient system for registering and taking the test will be created for all those wishing to obtain a Polish passport,” adds the expert.
The second point — signing a loyalty act — Kirył considers a formality. He explains:
“It will definitely not stop people with bad intentions, and for conscientious new citizens, it will not introduce any new obligations, as loyalty to one’s country directly stems from existing legislation.”
Why is this being proposed? The expert sees two reasons:
Even such a seemingly formal requirement can influence the calming of sentiments among Poles. I think that in closed party surveys and focus groups, the question of whether some new citizens might turn out to be a “fifth column” could have been raised. We must understand the times we live in.
This provision could become the basis for introducing the possibility of revoking citizenship for people who commit crimes against their country (read — treason) in the future. Currently, there is no such possibility in Poland.
“But people who live normal lives definitely do not need to fear this. We live in a country where laws do work, and there are also supranational European institutions that ensure that there are no excesses,” explains the author.
The third point addresses the high level of Polish language proficiency. Currently, knowledge of the language at level B1 is required. According to the expert, we should hope that the level will be raised to B2.
“Yes, the difference between B1 and B2 is significant, but after living many years in Poland, I believe it is possible to learn Polish to the appropriate level without too much difficulty. Moreover, there is, as I am sure, a hidden meaning here: migrants from culturally and ethnically similar nations are given a sort of ‘head start.’ The Polish state and society want to avoid a large influx of migrants and new citizens from countries with completely different cultural codes and traditions in the future,” explains Kirył.
The fourth point concerns the minimum residence period in Poland — it is proposed to increase it to at least 8 years.
The expert believes that this is how the government wants to organize the citizenship system without significantly increasing the residence period before applying.
“Essentially, this is about formalizing the already existing practice of ‘eight years’ — 99% of new citizens live in Poland for at least this period. Even possible changes are unlikely to be as strict as in the proposals of ‘Law and Justice.’ This could also reduce public tension and weaken the populist thesis of ‘citizenship in 3 years,’ which does not correspond to the real procedure,” explains Kirył.
And the last point — tax residency.
“This point is also more cosmetic, aimed at showing on paper to Poles: ‘Look! They all pay taxes and work for the bright future of our country,’” believes the expert.
Since one must already live in the country for a considerable time without significant breaks before applying, and if one lives 186 days or more in a year — they automatically obtain tax residency.
What do we have in the end?
In summary, the expert notes that this is not a revolution, but rather a revision of the existing system that meets the challenges of our time and the expectations of Polish society.
The current law was adopted in 2009 and at that time was a breath of fresh air: the process of obtaining Polish citizenship was systematized and not very complicated. Back then, the procedures took significantly less time than they do now, and if a candidate met fairly simple criteria, they could become a happy holder of a burgundy passport.
“But that was a long time ago, in 2009. Times have changed. The world has changed. If a law is ultimately adopted that organizes the system and calms Polish society, and reduces the opportunities for right-wing populists to manipulate public opinion, then, paradoxically, this could be beneficial for both the Polish state and the migrants themselves. And the new rules will not require changes for a long time,” adds the expert.
