Obtaining Dowód Osobisty on my Karta Stałego Pobytu? Or do I have to obtain Polish citizenship first?

Hi,i'm an Englishman living and working in Poland for 16 years, been married to my Polish wife for 15 years, i have my Karta stałego pobytu (Card of permanent stay) is there any way of getting a Dowód Osobisty or do i have to obtain Polish citizenship first?

Does anyone know the answer??

Yes, however you should be able to sort out citizenship easily enough.

Thanks for the reply :-)

Easily enough in the same way that cleaning King Augeas' stables was easy enough (just a bit smelly and would take a while)?

Harry, the procedure is simple. He has to go the Foreigner's Office (here in Warsaw at Długa 5) and fill in the relevant forms.

It's important that the legal basis for him being in PL has remained the same for 10 years - most people can't manage that, largely due to the incompetence of the bureaucracy causing gaps plus various loopholes that the government exploit.

Nevertheless, those of us who've met the conditions do it easily. We can expect a rush from late next year, after 10 years of EU membership.

Hmmm, I am not sure about the 10-year rule. When I received my Karta Stałego Pobytu 4 years ago, the friendly staff at the EU section in Długa 5 told me I was entitled to apply for Polish citizenship - I was living 5 years in Poland at that time. So.... Maybe the conditions have been tightened?

Anyway I was not interested, as it does not give me anything extra, Poland being in the EU.


What do you mean with that, Jon ?


Harry is still traumatized by the white A4 piece of paper they gave him instead of a proper Karta Pobytu :)

It's (or used to be) about being in Poland with the same legal status for an unbroken period.

But for EU citizen, the basis is that they are EU citizens. The only way that can change is if they get married and then apply for permission to live here on the basis of being the spouse of a Polish citizen.

Really if someone's already an EU citizen there's little or no point in getting a second EU citizenship.

This.

What benefit, if any, would there be in upgrading from permanent residence to citizenship? Keep in mind the possibility of of having to fill in a pile of forms and things and is it really worth it?

I suppose you could stand for parliament or join the army. That's about it.

You also would have the right to vote in national and presidential elections.
(you can already vote in local and European elections, as per EU legislation)
But besides of that, nothing else what your UK passport already you entitles to.

Yes - and even voting regulations are to be standardised EU-wide.

europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/worker-pensioner/elections/index_en.htm

It is already Jon. Though what I did not know that you can stand as candidate in local and European elections in the country you reside.

I didn't know that either, does that mean that I can run for election as Mayor of Kraków and not be a Polish citizen?

Well the EU website tells you can stand for candidate. I do not know if that implies being mayor as well....