Surge in Ukrainian Migration to Poland, Yet Citizenship Remains Elusive
Few Ukrainians Obtain Polish Citizenship Despite High Migration Numbers
Despite a significant influx of Ukrainian nationals to Poland over the past decade, relatively few have obtained Polish citizenship. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, only about 39,000 Ukrainians have been granted citizenship between 2015 and 2024.
In the period from 2015 to 2023, 31,900 Ukrainians were naturalised in Poland. In 2024 alone, Poland issued 16,300 positive decisions on citizenship, with experts estimating that around half of those were granted to Ukrainians.
Poland Trails Behind Other EU Countries in Citizenship Grants
When compared with other EU nations, Poland continues to issue far fewer citizenships. For example, in 2021, Spain granted 144,000 citizenships and Germany granted 130,000, while Poland granted only 10,000. This places Poland far below the EU average in naturalisation rates.
Only 1.7% of foreigners with long-term residence permits were naturalised in Poland in 2021, compared to the EU average of 2.2%.
Challenges in the Citizenship Process
Although Poland’s requirements for naturalisation are not considered particularly complex, they still present challenges for many migrants. Current requirements include:
- Minimum of three years of continuous residence in Poland
- Stable income and legal source of support
- B1-level proficiency in the Polish language
- Successful completion of a state-approved language exam, conducted only four times a year
These conditions often act as barriers, especially for low-income or newly arrived migrants.
Proposed Tightening of Rules
In early 2025, Poland’s main opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS), proposed reforms to make the naturalisation process stricter. Among the key suggestions was to extend the required period of residency from 3 to 10 years before foreigners can apply for citizenship.
The party argues that current rules are too lenient and do not adequately manage immigration.
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