Recommendation for Polish Citizenship and EU Passport from Argentina

Hello everybody. I'm from Argentina. My great-grandfather was polish. He was born in Smoryn in 1908 but came to Argentina in 1929. I only have argentinian documents. I think he had polish documents but my relatives lost them. Can you recommend some site or lawyer or something to try get a polish citizenship and EU passport. I've been told I'm eligible to one. I liked this site called polishcitizenship.pl but it's not actually in Europe so it's kind of shady and they ask me for 300 euros to search for documents over there and that's a lot of money for me. But money would not be really a problem, I mean I have savings, but I want to use them wisely. Anyone has a better alternative??? Thank you very much. Kind regards.

Basically, find a Polish genealogist yourself and avoid the middleman. Alternatively, take a trip to Poland and look for yourself, although that is not likely to be as cost effective. The first document you want is your great-grandfather's passport, or any military records. Failing that, you need his birth record, and likely proof that his parents were either habitually resident in Poland at the time of his birth or registered in the books of the Russian Kingdom of Poland. Once you get those, find a respectable Polish attorney who handles citizenship cases and be prepared for a lot of hostility from the Interior Ministry with you claim. Don't consider not getting an attorney, since the process is difficult and you may need to request a continuance to find documents and there is a very short time to file an appear if your claim is initially rejected.

Good Luck!

That "genealogist" it's what I'm asking for here, I know about it but I don't know anybody. I don't have the money nor the time to travel to Poland and do all that you say. I don't even speak polish. I'll have to take my chances with this site. They ask me for 300 euros and I'll have to pay more only if they find documents.

Thanks for the answer anyway. Regards.

Hi, I would suggest you to contact Rosalia Konop (rosalia_konop@hotmail.com). She's a Spanish-Polish translator in Buenos Aires and she has a lot of experience in dealing with citizenship issues, so she will be able to tell you about your chances. I did all my paperwork with her and got my citizenship two years ago, however my situation was much easier because I had all the documents from my ancestors. One thing that is very important in order to be eligible to become Polish is that none of your ancestors has resigned their citizenship or served in a foreing army (If your father's family is from Poland, then you need proofs that he wasn't selected for the colimba or you're screwed)

I don't doubt that people have had citizenship applications denied based upon a male ancestor having served in a foreign military. However, according to the 1920 citizenship law, a man could only lose his citizenship if his military service to the Second Republic had been completed or excused. This is known as the military paradox rule and it applies to those born abroad. Without a good lawyer specializing in citizenship laws, the bureaucrats of the Third Republic may well deny a legitimate citizenship claim from the Second Republic based upon foreign military service or other incorrect reasons. A good lawyer is required to address such issues, and the time to file an appeal from an adverse decision is very short.

Hello. Does acquiring other citizenship (not Argentinian) count as resigning the Polish citizenship? Because my grandfather moved to Israel during his 70s and became an Israeli citizen.

My father didn't get drafted for the colimba but I'm pretty sure my grandfather must have, I think the military service was compulsory for everyone in the 1940s?