President of Poland Karol Nawrocki has submitted a draft bill to the Sejm that significantly tightens the requirements for foreigners, particularly Ukrainian citizens, seeking Polish citizenship. The document outlines a substantial increase in the minimum period of continuous residence in the country — from three to ten years.
This is reported by Finway
Main Changes in the Citizenship Acquisition Procedure
According to the proposed amendments to the Polish Citizenship Act, foreigners will only be able to submit their applications after ten years of permanent residence in Poland. This approach, as stated in the explanatory note, aims to create favorable conditions for deeper integration of foreigners into Polish society.
“The purpose of the draft bill is to create conditions conducive to fuller integration of foreigners before granting them Polish citizenship.”
Karol Nawrocki emphasizes that full membership in the political, historical, cultural, and axiological community of Poland entails not only the acquisition of rights but also the obligation to care for the common good of the Republic of Poland. In his view, the current three-year period does not provide sufficient time to master the Polish language, understand local culture, and adapt to the social and legal norms of the country. The explanation accompanying the draft bill stresses: “There can be no integration that justifies participation in the community of citizens without residing in the state and functioning within its society.”
Comparison with Other EU Countries and Economic Consequences
Poland justifies its initiative by stating that the three-year residence requirement is one of the shortest in the European Union. For comparison: in Hungary, one must reside for 8 years to obtain citizenship, while in Italy, Austria, and Spain, the requirement is 10 years. In France, it is 5 years (with the possibility of reducing it to 2 years for graduates), in Germany — 5 years (or 3 years after an integration course), and in the Czech Republic — 5 years. The Polish draft bill aims to align with these standards, anticipating that a longer residence period will contribute to better integration and harmonious coexistence in society.
Lawmakers have also considered the financial aspect of the new regulations. It is expected that the implementation of the new rules will lead to a reduction in revenue to the state budget from the fee for recognition as a Polish citizen by an amount ranging from 1 to 3 million zlotys, as approximately 10,000 such applications are processed each year. At the same time, starting from August 1, 2025, this fee will amount to 1,000 zlotys. The President’s Office noted that the loss of income will be partially offset by savings on social benefits.
If adopted, the law will come into effect 30 days after its official publication.