I wish I could have done that at the Polish consulate in London, but they didn't let me. Even when I had my father's confirmation of citizenship, I still had to do all the same process for my self.

 

Well, call ahead, or have your father, and ask what he need to bring in to get a new passport. Explain that he left when he was young. You'll probably need his Polish birth certificate (you can order it there). There has to be a way for him to get it, because Legally, he's a citizen, and legally, he is required by law to enter and exit Poland on a Polish passport, so they can't say he has to use it an then not let him have one.

If you can find the old passport, it would make it easier, though.

They may require him/you to do the confirmation process, but I don't know. I am basing this on a friend of mine's experience at the Israeli consulate doing the same thing.

EDIT: Am I sure? No. But if you can do it, it'll be much better. I don't see why not, UNLESS they Polish government specifically uses the Confirmation of Polish Citizenship Process for people who have no citizenship-proving documents. I just know that other governments have ways of proving citizenship and not doing a lengthy confirmation process, so I would assume Poland would too.

 

All I need to do is walk in there, get my dad to ask for a Polish passport and get him to register my birth?

When I asked the lady at the consulate she said nothign about this, I don't understand why she wouldn't know about this, but you're sure it can be done?

Also wouldn't they ask for proof of citizenship, or would they have it on computer record?

 

That's very true, Italy and Spain do it that way. I just don't understand why Poland needs a confirmation process like this when the consulate officials should be in a position to establish whether or not you are a Polish citizen based on the Polish Citizenship Acts.

 

I've noticed that western european countries take 2 weeks to a month to get your EU passport if you're parent was born in that country. Poland on the other hand supposedly (according to the lady at the consulate) could take anywhere up to 2 years

 

I know... That's absolutely ridiculous!

 

Do you have any friend or relative who lives close by the consulate?. If you know someone you can trust you can send the documents to that person to take them directly to the consulate to be done on the same day and then sent back to you. My father did it in person at the consulate and then sent the documents over to me.

 

@ Fat Michael
Here is a post about finding immigration info in Oz.

Many people using this forum and from Australia have recommended www.losthistories.com.


http://naa12.naa.gov.au (National Archives Australia)

hope this helps.

 

Yes, I do, but last time I asked my cousin didn't want to do it, because it's close, but it's a day-trip. Consulate is only open working days and working hours, so she'd have to skip work. Oh well.

Did your father bring original copies of the documents, or photocopies, along with the translations?

 

He brought the original copies of the documents with the original translations.

If your only option is to send the originals by mail, then send them by recorded delivery, so you have prove that they've received them, and include a note telling them that you need them back urgently.

 

Well, I sent them up 2 weeks ago. I sent photocopies because all of my originals are in Poland, and it would take another 1 to 2 months to get all of the originals over again, as it did the first time. I'm hoping they can do it based on the copies...if not, I have lots more waiting to do.

 

I guess that if they already got the originals in Poland, then when you send them the certified translations, the only thing they should do is to compare both sets for verification. I hope that should be OK.

 

That was my line of thinking. Anyway, they're certifying the translation, not the document.

 

You don't need to certify the documents if they already got the "apostille", you only need to certify the translations.

 

Exactly. My certified documents are in Poland. My to-be certified translation are at the consulate.

 

Hi, this is my first posted message. I've read all the previous posts, and I have a few thoughts.

For Polish citizens and their decendants who are also Polish citizens who live outside of Poland it has been impossible for much of the last 100 years to return to Poland - due to 2 world wars, the occupation of Poland by the Nazis, the Great Depression of the 1930s, communism, and for reasons of racism, religious intollerance, sexism, and homophobia. Many Polish citizens who left Poland with the intention of returning, or Polish citizens who were born outside of Poland, had no choice but to remain living outside of Poland.

And, until very recently, people were desperate to get out of Poland, not in.

I've visited the links posted in this forum and read the Polish immigration laws. It seems to me that it was the original intention, and is the intention of the Polish immigration laws to have Polish citizenship passed through families from generation to generation. That if a person, anywhere in the world, is a decendant of a Polish citizen, then the person themself is a Polish citizen. I belive that was the intention.

When my great-grandparents and grandparents, whose name was Kowalsky, came to Canada from Poland, they did not become British subjects or citizens of Canada - they became nothing. They were called DPs, or Displaced Persons, and they were persecuted as foreign outsiders who did not belong. When my grandfather finally became naturalized in Canada, 20 years after he came here from Poland, he received a Canadian naturalizaton certificate which states:

Place of Birth: Poland
Subject of: Poland
Parents: Citizens of Poland

I believe that alone makes me a citizen of Poland, regardless of what anyone says

 

What year did your grandfather get naturalized in Canada?

 

Are you asking or telling us?

 

My grandfather was naturalized in Canada in 1935. But I don't believe that fact caused him to lose his Polish citizenship.

I know from
Article 11. of the 1920 law that loss of citizenship happens by: 1) obtaining another country´s citizenship.

But Article 11 also states:

"Persons who are obligated to active military service can obtain a foreign citizenship in no other way than after obtaining a general military service obligation release, according to rules in force, otherwise, in view of The Polish State, they will be still considered Polish citizens."

I believe that means that unless he obtained "a general military service obligation release", that Poland considered that he was a Polish citizen for his entire life, regarless of the fact that he was naturalized in Canada. I believe Poland never recognized his Canadian citizenship.

Someone here may know if I'm missing something, or misunderstanding the the 1920 law.

Also, the websites I've been finding with the 1951 Act have all been in Polish. Does anyone know if the 1951 Act appears in English anywhere on the internet?

(also if someone could tell me how to quote previous posts of other people in replies I post, I'd appreciate it.)

Thanks.

 

The Polish authorities will, by default, deny your request because your ancestor naturalized in a foreign country prior to 1951. They will not take it a step further, and would not consider any other clauses, unless there is some sort of litigation put before them. You would be hard pressed to prove this otherwise on your own behalf. It is possible that a lawyer may have the ability to push the issue further, by interpreting sections of the law in your favor, but unless you are willing to invest thousands of dollars, you are going to hit a road block very quickly.