If I gain Citizenship of Poland, does this mean I lose my French Citizenship?

Ok,it's pretty simple. I plan to get a Polisdh Citizenship for some reasons. Wherever I looked, the French Ambassy or Polish official website, I loose my french citizenship or I don't. Both don't agree.

What is the real stuff?

Thanks :-)

Both France and Poland permit multiple citizenships.

I know that Poland is fine with dual nationality. And, unless my French has got much worse recently, France is fine with it too:

diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/les-francais-etranger_1296/vos-droits-demarches_1395/nationalite-francaise_5301/index.html

One thing to remember, though, is that neither country will recognise you as being a national of another country while you are in their country. So, for example, when entering Poland you will have to show your Polish passport (it's actually a crime to show your French passport); if you're stopped by police in Poland, you'll have to show your Polish ID; if you're arrested in France, you can't ask for assistance from the Polish consultate, etc.

When I looked few years ago, I was told that for France there was no problem, I wouldn't loose my french nationality if I asked for Polish citizenship, but in the Polish Town Hall they told me that I would loose it.

Actually, when I went to the Town Hall to get my work permit and residency papers, everytime I saw someone I was told something different. So I presume it's the same with the Polish nationality. Someone at the office will tell me it's possible if I ga back

Polish citizenship would help me for a lot of things as I planned to stay in Poland for a very long time... :-) It's wrong to think that being a citizen of EU and living in Poland has no drawbacks. For example, I can't get a bank credit. I can't buy anything in a shop monthly. They just have a problem with their papers and my ID number, it doesn't fit. It took me 5 years to get a creditr card. I have a stable income, I have a flat, I was married in Poland and yet, I feel like I'm not that trustfull for some people (I mean banks, phone companies, etc)

I should go and ask again, and talk to someone who know his subject there ;-) As it seems that people working in a Town hall are not that good helping people (like in France though)

Thanks :-)

No Polish official has any say on decisions of the French government or the wording of the laws of France; and it is entirely up to the French government and the laws of France whether you are a French citizen.

I wouldn't be at all surprised that the official told you that simply because he/she didn't want to bother dealing with all the paperwork your application would involve.


Can't say I've noticed any which aren't made up for by the benefits of not being a Polish national.


I've done both of those things. When people have a problem with my ID number, I just tell them to add a few zeros at the beginning so it fits.

For sure it's the case. As in any town hall in any country ;-)


The problem is mine is too long ;-) Anyway, my wife is getting the credit for me :-) Problem solved :D

More than the pratical reason, I think that getting a Polish citizenship would mean a lot of things.

Thanks for your answers, I should go back and insist to see someone who knows his matter.

Do you know if it's only a question of papers to fill or if like in France I need to pass some tests (langage for example as far as I remember).

Your passport number most probably isn't. I just use my passport number (and tell them to add a few extra zeros).


Er, I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I have known cases where the Polish partner would take the loan for something (especially property) and the foreign partner would pay the installments but the item securing the loan would need to be in the Polish partner's name. When the couple had problems and split, the Polish partner kept the item despite the other partner having paid for it.


I really do think that you're just making more work for yourself. Almost all of the problems associated with being an non-Polish EU citizen in Poland can be solved simply by being stubborn (and pointing out that under EU law companies are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of the customer's nationality). The problems associated with getting Polish citizenship are an entirely different matter.


There is a language test but it's only low intermediate level (which you really do need to have if you want to do things such as dealing with the Polish army service board).

Don't plan to split for the next 800 years ;-)

What do you mean by Polish army service board?

As a Polish citizen you will have military obligations. Currently its the obligation to register and be examined. Failure to do that is a crime (and travelling abroad without registering is another crime).

Good to know thanks :)

Still I don't understand why a EU citizen in Poland - IF having a permanent residence permit - would like to get Polish citizenship. The only thing you miss not being Polish is that you cannot vote for the Sejm and the President.


Is that also the case when your "first nationality" is not Polish?

If you are Polish, in all relations with the Polish state you are always and only Polish. The only time when you might (or might not) be considered to be anything other than Polish is if you are in a foreign country and have registered there (or got a residency permit there) as being of your other nationality. But even then I'm not entirely sure how the Polish state would treat you.

Having the nationality of the country where you live is also a statement, a kinda political stuff. Meaning "look, I'm polish." I live in this country, I pay my taxes, I want to participate in the public life (vote)

I don't see why I could vote for France while I'm not living there, and not for Poland while I'm living there, working, and so on...

Something wrong about that. Being an EU citizen, I should be able to vote in the country I live as long as I pay my tax there.

Indeed, no taxation without representation!

Far from the truth. Theoretically everything sounds easy with EU laws realistically, especially in Poland, there is
still a long way to go. Six years ago I was told by a bank worker in PKO Bank that I couldn't open an account

because I didn't have a permanent residence card for E.U citizens.
Had I not gone to another city, where the workers at least understood the E.U laws, I wouldn't have opened a bank account.

Then when it comes to buying land or property, by the time they try to interpret the E.U laws in the responsible government offices

you would have given up already. Simply because it is a nightmare.
When it comes to land, property and taxes there is an advantage of having Polish Citizenship if you reside here permanently.
The right to live and work are the only E.U laws that seem to be clearly understood in all the E.U countries.
As for the rest - the responsible officials couldn't be bothered. But the problem of interpreting E.U laws is not only confined to Poland

almost every E.U country has the same problem.

But that worker was 100% wrong. And if you are stubborn enough, you can get past those workers.


I had no problem at all.


I really have not noticed any disadvantages in not having Polish citizenship, only advantages. OK, it would be nice to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections, but frankly I'm more interested in local and EU level politics anyway.

However, none of this has any effect on the OP's question: no, you most certainly do not lose your French citizenship if you take Polish citizenship.

It's true that beside voting, having a french passport is way better. Example, I can go to the US without any VISA. Unlike for my wife who is Polish and who would need one.

First too I couldn't open an account:-(

Frankly speaking, I also think that you don't need a Polish passport at all. You have already registered yourself as a member of the Polish Forum and this in itself makes you a much happier person than if you would have been through gaining Polish citizenship. True, the French passport is a way better, but I doubt if even that can offset you the disadvantages of not having the PF membership.

Voting is not that important as you think. The French have voted enthusiastically for Francois Holland as a new saviour of their country, yet after only a few months they simply want to sod him off.