Hello all

Long time reader, first time poster and i promise that im NOT JUST A ONE OFF POSTER TO ASK IF IM ELIGIBLE OR NOT WITHOUT DOING RESEARCH!

My grandfather was Polish, my father was born in Israel in 1953, and they all later naturalized in Australia in the 1960s. Currently waiting for docs to see if my grandfather got to Israel and got israeli citizenship before 1951, but that's a different story.

I've done a lot of research and I've found a lot of information so my question isn't about whether or not Im eligible for citizenship, its about if I can still get citizenship and a passport without my father doing so,.

My father is 59 and has no interest in getting me getting him Polish citizenship or a Polish passport. If anything, he is quite against it. Being an immigrant i think he believes Australia is the best place in the world and my grandparents and him went through a lot to get here so why would we want a passport to go back there when we have an Australian one anyway?

The EU benefits and stuff don't appeal to him even though he does holiday in Europe often. However, he does this on an Australian passport visa free and doesnt want to work there.. well, i think you get the idea.

Im aware that i have to get his confirmation of Polish citizenship by the Polish government approved and then need to get the birth certs, PESEL number and passport. But lets just say i went ahead and simply got him confirmed but didnt chase up the PESEL number or passport. Would that affect him and his travels to Europe at all? If he decided to go to Poland would he still just enter on his Aussie passport without hassles?

Basically if he just got confirmed would my siblings and i all be able to get our citizenship confirmed and get Polish passports?

Just looking for some clarification as to how far through the process we would have to take my dad without making him a passport carrying citizen so that we could become passport carrying citizens!

Im sure theres other out there who had parents or grandparents that didn't wants to becomes Poles for various reasons. Anything you did to get around it?

Cheers

 

Hey Sophie,

Sorry for the late reply. After finally getting alll the documents needed to submit the application, i was unable to get Polish citizenship.

This is because my grandfather registered/signed up for the Israeli army reserves in 1950. If the military records show that he signed up for it before 1951, even though it was mandatory and even if he never even picked up a gun, then he automatically lost Polish citizenship.

I missed out by about 3 months!!

I would be happy to tell you how i went about getting all the docs if you like. Its much easier if you still have family in Israel to help or if you speak hebrew.

 

If you could tell me more about how the grandparent is related to you then i should be able to give you a better opinion.

Was it your grandmother who was Polish?
Is your grandfather also polish?
Were your parents born in America or Poland?