Karta Polaka - is it possible to obtain by a Polish-American citizen?

Hello,

I'm a Polish-American and was wondering about the Karta Polaka. A friend recently showed me information about it and I was curious as to how difficult it would be to obtain this. From what I can read about it, it seems that a consulate would be very strict about evaluating the "Polishness" of an individual. My dziadzia was 100% Polish, as his father came over in some sort of family tale I am not all too familiar with- I believe it had to do with escaping conscription into some sort of force the family did not agree with, but at any rate I am unsure that this would be enough. I grew up learning only a few words, as the language was not passed on very well, but we were always very proud of our ancestry and I can recall eating pierogi, gołąbki, and other foods without questioning it much thinking that everyone in America was doing the same thing. There are many other minor traditions we seem to have carried on, but I feel that this wouldn't be enough. I guess what I am trying to ask is how difficult it would be to receive a Karta Polaka for more or less sentimental purposes until an opportunity for work arises (I am still in university.)

Thanks,
My apologies if this is in the wrong forum,

Michael

You can't obtain the Karta Polaka, it is only for a limited amount of citizens in the "near abroad". Polish-Americans don't count, especially as they were economic migrants.


If he was escaping conscription, then it means that he left before 1962 - which means that he would have been stripped automatically of Polish citizenship upon acquiring American citizenship. Therefore, you aren't Polish.

They don't give the Karta Polaka for sentimental reasons. They give it to people who actually need it to visit their home country.

Ah, I see, thank you for your response. I was just curious.

Merged: Karta Polaka/Polish Card application process

I am an American of Polish decent and have been very interested in the possibilities of being more active in the polonia community, learning more Polish, and maybe applying for the karta polaka.

Has anyone applied and received the card? What was the process like? How difficult was it to attain? How fluent does one have to be in Polish?

You're not eligible for it. The Karta Polaka is only for those from former Soviet Union states. Furthermore, Polish must be your native language.

What is your motivation for obtaining it?

The karta polaka is for people of Polish ancestry who are citizens of the former Soviet republics, not for Americans.

It might help to add that my immigrant grandparents never became US citizens, and that the goal for the card would be to possibly start a branch of my company in Poland, and maybe move there perminantly.

Also, I know that the Sejm and president were recently talking about further extending benefits to polonia to possibly offset those leaving Poland. Have there been any developments in this area?

From what I have read, I thought the card was available to more than just former soviet countries. Is there a government citation defining this?

It doesn't change anything. You are ineligible for the karta Polaka. You would have to apply for an investor visa, and being "Polonia" would grant you no special privileges or advantages except, perhaps, being able to speak the local language, which I gather you don't.

Sorry, but your post revels clearly that you are nowhere near making any concrete plans are are simply engaging in idle fantasy. Your knowledge gap is enormous, and you have to do your research. Also, "Polonia" publications are packed with bs, most of which is pure and total fabrication. They are useless for your research purposes.


No. It's exclusively for former soviet republics, per art. 2. ust. 2 ustawy z dnia 7 września 2007 r. o Karcie Polaka.

chicago.msz.gov.pl/pl/c/MOBILE/informacje_konsularne/karta_polaka/

This information from the consulate in Chicago seems to contradict what you are saying.

Seems to say that Americans of Polish decent, active in the Polish community and proving their family connection, can apply for the card.

DominicB I am not sure why you are so irritable with me on this issue. I apologize if I have offended you.

Read it again. It quite clearly says that the karta can be granted EXCLUSIVELY to citizens of the former soviet republics.

No offense taken, and no offense intended. I'm just terse and direct, Sorry, but I'm not good at sugar-coating. Don't take it personally.

By the way, I am Polish American myself, and during my twelve years in Poland, the treatment I received from Polish authorities was no different than had I been a Nigerian or Filipino. I was impressed by their fairness.

I think you need to read what you've posted.

I can't be bothered to provide an exact translation, but essentially, only citizens and "nationals" (a catch-all term used to describe legal aliens in the Baltic states) of the countries listed above may apply for it, in accordance with what Dominic and I have told you. There is no possibility for an American citizen to apply for the Karta Polaka.

What you're confusing is that citizens and nationals of the above states can apply for the Karta Polaka without speaking Polish fluently if they're involved with Polonia organisations. This is usually for those from places such as the Asian Soviet republics where there would have been barely any possibility of keeping the language alive - unlike in the near abroad where a very similar language was spoken.


The Karta Polaka also requires him to speak Polish as a native or mother language, which clearly he doesn't. Even if he was eligible for it, he would fail on the language count.

Poland, wisely, differentiates between the forcibly repatriated Polonia in the East vs those that abandoned Poland. The Karta Polaka exists to try and provide some degree of compensation for what happened - but Americans are in no need of the provisions that the Karta Polaka offers.

Thank you both for your helpful information.

Obviously my language understanding is limited, but improving!

Merged:

Karta Polaka eligibility with my two great great grand parents born in Poland?

Hello , I know it says you need a parent , grand parent or two great grandparents of polish nationality to be eligible for karta polaka , will great great grand grandparents also qualify me ? Usually when they say great grand parents when talking about descent they mean all great grand parents so I am unsure if I qualify with my two great great grand parents born in Poland, any help is appreciated thanks

@Sunset
Short answer, no. Great Great Grandparents is a bridge too far for Karta Polaka.

I know that the Karta Polaka was originally intended for Poles who were forced to leave the country or who resided in parts of former Poland whose borders is now changed. Now that the law has changed in 2019 to include people from all locations, does anyone know of any case of a Polish American obtaining the card? I have two great grandparents who were born in the US, but returned and resided in Podkarpackie during the 20s, bought land outside Lviv/Lwow in 1930, and returned back to the US before WW2. The problem is any record of their Polish IDs has been destroyed, and so I do not have enough support for citizenship by descent. My grandmother and mother grew up in a Polish speaking household, we practiced Polish traditions, and I have tested level B1 myself. I am ready to brush up on my Polish and get all my US documents certified and translated, so long as there is some precedent for Americans obtaining the Karta.