The 2021 Definitive 14 Part Guide to Acquiring Polish Citizenship by Descent - Parts 7 thru 14: How to Get a Polish Passport – It’s Closer than You Think!
Table of Contents
Part 7
How much are PolandPassport.com Costs and Pricing?
Part 8
What are the tax implications of obtaining Polish citizenship by descent?
Part 9
What are the Educational Opportunities in Poland and EU by gaining Polish citizenship?
Part 10
What are FAQs about gaining Polish citizenship by descent?
Part 11
How can I create a legacy for my family by gaining Polish citizenship by descent?
Part 12
Are there genealogy tips for procuring documents to obtaining Polish citizenship?
Part 13
What are some Fun Facts about obtaining Polish citizenship?
Part 14
Who is PolandPassport.com?
See the other Parts of our Series:
For those questions that are not covered here, please send me an email. We will assess your situation individually and will inform you of your chances of success. There is never an obligation on your part to proceed with any of our services. We only charge our clients for successful outcomes and always will evaluate your personal situation without obligation or cost and with the utmost in confidentiality.
We are known as passionate advocates for our clients and we deliver ‘concierge’ level of customer care. The quest for Poland citizenship by descent is easier when you can count on partners like PolandPassport.com to help!
Neil Kaplan, Founder
PolandPassport.com
Los Angeles and Warsaw
neil@polandpassport.com
January 2021
Part 7
How much are PolandPassport.com Costs and Pricing?
How much? Well, it depends. Some cases are hard and some not as hard. During our assessment we will determine and quote a specific fixed price that will never change.
We also offer discounts for siblings, children and other family members as it is efficient for us to do more than one case concurrently from the same family.
As everyone’s circumstances are unique, we will assess your situation individually and will inform you of your chances of success without charge. There is never an obligation on your part to proceed with any of our services.
Part 8
What are the tax implications of obtaining Polish citizenship by descent?
We are not tax attorneys and do not give tax advice. For your specific circumstances please engage your own counsel.
For a US citizen there are typically no tax issues related to this unless you begin working in the EU.
Polish citizens who live outside of Poland and who do not work in Poland, are generally not required to pay Polish taxes.
Here is a summary of the official statement that is used to describe the situation In Poland. If Poland is not your home (ie. your family is not here, you just have the passport) and at the same time you are not here for more than 183 days during the course of a calendar year, there's no tax residence and because of that no tax obligations. If you do earn money in Poland then you would have to pay tax, but just from the income that was created in Poland.
Here is the citation from Polish law.
dana osoba fizyczna nie posiada w Polsce centrum interesów osobistych lub gospodarczych (ośrodka interesów życiowych) i - przebywa na terytorium Polski nie więcej niż 183 dni w roku podatkowym (rozumianym jako rok kalendarzowy), wówczas nie jest rezydentem i zapłaci w Polsce podatek wyłącznie od dochodów uzyskanych na terytorium Polski.Nie będzie natomiast zobowiązana do zapłacenia w Polsce podatku od dochodów zagranicznych.
Natomiast osoba nie posiadająca w Polsce swego ośrodka interesów osobistych ani gospodarczych i nie przebywająca w kraju więcej niż 183 dni w roku podatkowym, nie jest uznawana za polskiego rezydenta podatkowego i na terytorium Polski nie ciąży na niej żaden obowiązek podatkowy z tytułu dochodów uzyskanych w innych krajach.
Part 9
What are the Educational Opportunities in Poland and EU by gaining Polish citizenship?
FREE OR LOW COST EDUCATION FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
For anyone with young children, planning to have children, or with grandchildren - you can give future generations the gift of free, affordable university education in Europe...by simply confirming your Polish citizenship which will allow you to get an EU passport.
Free university education in many European countries.
Subsidized tuition rates at world class universities
Access to scholarships reserved for EU citizens
Cheaper alternatives for medical and law schools at world class universities.
With Polish citizenship, you and your children will be able to study in Europe and pay European Union tuition rates at European universities.
Many universities in Europe are completely free for citizens of the European Union.
Part 10
What are FAQs about gaining Polish citizenship by descent?
Does it matter where I live?
No.
Can I hold dual citizenship?
Yes. Most countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Israel, New Zealand and South Africa allow you to have dual or multiple citizenships.
Do I have to renounce my current citizenship?
In most countries, having an additional citizenship will not affect your current citizenship but you should check regulations with local authorities.
Can I live and work in other EU countries?
Yes. Having a Polish passport is like having a passport to any EU country, allowing you to live and work anywhere in the EU.
What countries are in the EU?
Member countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. Passports issued in those countries are EU passports.
What about security clearance in my home country?
We are not qualified to answer this question.
What is an apostille?
The Apostille is usually a stamp placed on original documents to confirm their authenticity. Countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention of 1961 are required to present their official documents accompanied by Apostilles. Birth, death and marriage certificates, notarial deeds, court documents, sworn translations and other official documents need to be Apostilled before they can be submitted to other signatory countries. We often need this to officially process your documents.
Is there a requirement for military service or draft registration?
No.
Part 11
How can I create a legacy for my family by gaining Polish citizenship by descent?
The Gift that Keeps on Giving!
By becoming a Polish citizen, you will pass on Polish citizenship to your children at birth. And they will automatically pass on their Polish citizenship to their children at birth. It really is a gift that goes on for generations and the benefits of European Citizenship will continue long into the future.
It’s about work or creating unique experiences for their kids.
Polish dual citizenship allows you to live and work unrestricted and for unlimited time in the European Union. You’ll never have to worry about a work visa or getting “sponsored” by a European company before working in the EU - as an EU citizen, you can do so automatically. You can live anywhere in the European Union for as long as you want, completely unrestricted. If you are married or have dependents, your family gains many of these rights as well.
Part 12
Are there genealogy tips for procuring documents to obtaining Polish citizenship?
Write down your own name, birth date, place of birth, parents, and spouse, if married, date of marriage, place of marriage, children's complete names and their dates of birth. After you do your own family, do your parents, grandparents and so on.
The family tree will give you a clear perspective of what you know, who is related to whom and what you are missing for each individual. There are many software packages available to help you create a family tree, or you can look online for free “family tree” or “pedigree chart” templates.
You can also do it in a simple spreadsheet or even draw it up by hand. Start with the basic details: name at birth, date and location of birth, date and location of marriage, and names of children. If you find out more, and it interests you, add notes regarding education, profession, and any interesting stories. Those last details not only are interesting, they also may be valuable to know regarding your Polish ancestors.
It’s worth assessing old photos, letters and records as they can contain many helpful details. Look for dates, names and any other useful information. Don’t forget envelopes and inscriptions on backs of photos. Anything in your possession can contain clues: birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, naturalization certificates, army registrations, travel documents.
Part 13
What are some Fun Facts about obtaining Polish citizenship?
In the most recent elections held in the EU, more than 2,000 EU citizens stood as candidates in the member state where they resided without having the nationality of that state.
Over 14 million EU citizens reside in another member state. Free movement – or the ability to live, work or study anywhere in the Union – is the EU right most cherished by Europeans.
Erasmus+ will enable over 4 million European students over the next 5 years to have education or training experiences abroad. Check it out!
EU citizens rely on being protected by a comprehensive set of passenger rights when travelling by air, rail, ship or bus. In certain circumstances, you get compensation in cases of cancellation or delay.
EU citizens get extra protection if you buy package holidays including rights to cancellation without penalties and protection if a tour operator or airline goes bankrupt.
EU citizens can go to any other EU member state’s consulate or embassy to ask for help when you travel to a country outside the EU and your home country is not represented. EU member states must help citizens of other member states to leave a country in crisis situations.
You can contact the European Direct Contact Centre which answers all sorts of questions on EU-related matters by email or phone. You can also visit the Direct Information Centres which are throughout Europe.
EU citizens can vote and be a candidate in European Parliament elections in the EU country that you reside, under the same conditions as the nationals of that country.
EU citizens can vote and be a candidate in national elections in the EU country where you reside under the same conditions as the nationals of that country.
In 14 member states, an EU citizen may become the mayor of the municipality where he or she resides, without being a national of that country.
You can use the website Your Europe for practical information and your rights when moving, living, studying, training, working, shopping or travelling abroad.
You can dial 112, the EU emergency number, free from any mobile or landline phone everywhere in the EU. Operators speak a variety of languages and will put you through to the right emergency service.
Part 14
Who is PolandPassport.com?
Neil Kaplan, founder of PolandPassport.com, is a Los Angeles based senior executive with a reputation for honesty and hard work. His career includes time at Bain and Company, the Los Angeles Times, Universal Studios and several startups.
Having successfully navigated Polish citizenship for his family including four of his children, Neil understands both the challenges of navigating this process and the rewards of success. He is dedicated to helping others down the same path of helping people of Polish descent from various countries in receiving Polish citizenship and a Polish EU passport.
We have a Warsaw based legal team with experience to plan your application, researchers throughout the country to track down archival documents needed to support your application, attorneys to defend your application in Poland, and document specialists to help track down the documents you will need to complete the “chain” of ancestry between you and your Polish ancestor.
How much do you charge?
It depends on the complexity of your case. All cases priced individually.
If you have knowledge of your family’s history and have access to documentation proving your ancestry such as Polish passports, birth certificates, army records and other historical documents, we can easily provide an all-inclusive no obligation quote.
Why should I trust you with my information?
We have strict procedures in place to assure your personal information and documents are treated in confidence. We never share information with anyone unless expressly authorized by our clients. Our privacy policy is comprehensive.
Where are you located and what is your phone number and email address?
Our US Headquarters is in Torrance, California (near Los Angeles). We have a team of researchers and attorneys in Warsaw, Poland. Our phone number is +1 424 307 4079. Contact us at info@polandpassport.com. We are known for our ‘concierge’ level of customer care.
If you are not sure if you qualify for Poland citizenship by Descent, take our short quiz. We will evaluate for you free of charge. Your Polish passport may be closer than you think!