I browsed through the forum and couldn't find an answer to my question. My wife is a Polish citizen and we currently live in the U.S. We got married 5 years ago and We're planning on moving to Warsaw soon.
My question is, what is the procedure of immigrating to Poland as a husband of a Polish citizen ? Do I first apply for Temporary Residency card or Permanent Residency ? What office should I first go to ? Also, how long will it take me to obtain a Polish citizenship given the fact we're married over 3 years and never lived in Poland.
It depends on whether you are a citizen of another EU country or not.
I assume you are not. Therefore you must travel with your wife to Poland, and then apply for a temporary residence permit. After living in Poland for 2 years on the basis of temporary residence permit, you may apply for a permanent residence permit. After living in Poland for 2 years on the basis of permanent residence permit, you may apply for recognition as a Polish citizen. You need to actually live in Poland for at least 4 years. This subject has been discussed in detail many times on this forum. Just do a search. Also, extensive online resources in English are available. Again, just google.
If EU's citizen, no real need to get the Polish citizenship unless important to you to have a paper saying that you are a "Polish citizen".
I have been in Poland for "ages", was married to Pole but have never felt the need to get naturalized. What for? My nationality enables me to travel without visas to more places than Poles can and everywhere I am welcomed and in Poland I have permanent residence status (as from EU, I may also vote in local elections, which I don't) so why bother?
Furthermore, in order to apply for the Polish citizenship, one needs to pass a Polish language test (normal!).
So unless you feel very emotional about Poland and unless you are a citizen of a country with great difficulties and not well regarded on the international scene, no pratical need to become a Polish citizen!
Well then I suggest you go as far as permanent residence which gives you almost all the privileges of citizenship. Otherwise, you may have to renounce your American citizenship before you can acquire Polish citizenship.
@Zev: so don't bother with Polish nationality since no benefit for you! First you'll get temporary and then permanent residence. With permanent residence, you have all the rights Polish people do except the right to vote at least at national elections. Residents from EU have the right to vote (and even to be candidates) in local elections in Poland and I don't know the situation for residents not from EU but never mind, over 50% of Poles don't bother to vote since their politicians are all as lousy as everywhere else so really not an issue.
In brief, when from EU and countries like USA, Canada, Australia.. = no need to become Polish citizens.
Hello, I was born in the US, but because of my parents' Polish heritage and displacement as a result of WW2, I now have Polish citizenship.
I would like to live in Poland. My husband is from Ghana, and we married there, in Ghana. I can easily get myself set up in Poland, but how do I then get my Ghanaian husband to join me there? I know I have to register our marriage in Poland, and I will do that. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
Merged: Moving to Poland to 1 marry, 2 stay and 3 work. Permissions waiting time and procedures
Hello, my girlfriend is from Poland and I live in Texas. I want to go to Poland to marry her to live in Poland to stay and work with her. I do not know for sure what work will I get. But I want to know step by step and the period of times that will take me to finally have permission to stay and work.
If someone has experience with this or knowledge please let me know i'd really appreciate it.
" girlfriend is from Poland and I live in Texas" having lived in both and worked in Texas I would build a life with your girlfriend in Texas, then maybe buy some property in Poland, then later maybe retire to Poland.
