When and who do I have the Polish Card?

In the face of the war in Ukraine, social unrest in Belarus, Kazakhstan and migration from those areas, it is worth checking what rights people of Polish origin have 2022

Demographic and social changes that will take place throughout Europe are difficult to predict, and that is why it is so valuable to maintain the vitality of state existence to attract people who can quickly assimilate and declare their willingness to be part of the Polish people. Significant interest in the Polish Charter among residents of Eastern European countries[1] raises the most important issues relating to this document.

Polish card – conditions of granting.

Act of 7 September 2007 on the Polish Charter, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Act’, covers, among others, the rights of persons who have been awarded the Polish Charter, the rules for granting, the loss of validity and the cancellation of the Polish Charter.

Pursuant to the Act, the Polish Charter may be awarded to a person who demonstrates his relationship with Poland through knowledge of Polish language, knowledge and cultivation of Polish traditions and customs. It is important that the applicant should consider the Polish language as his native language.

It is also necessary to show that the members of the family (parents, grandparents, great-grandparents) were of Polish nationality.

If it is not possible to demonstrate this, a certificate of Polish or Polish organisation may be submitted confirming the commitment in activities for the benefit of Polish language and culture or Polish national minority for at least a period of time third The past few years.

Moreover, in the presence of the consul of the Polish Republic or the voivodes of the employee appointed by him, a written declaration of belonging to the Polish nation should be made.

The last condition to be fulfilled by the applicant for the Polish Charter is to make a statement that he or her initials have not repatriated or were not repatriated from the territory of the Republic of Poland or the Polish People's Republic. It must be borne in mind that these conditions must be met together.

The privileges of the holder of the Polish Card has a number of rights, including:

• 1) exemptions from the obligation to have a work permit;
• 2) undertaking and performing business activities on the same terms as Polish citizens;
• 3) training in doctoral school, taking up and conducting studies and other forms of education, and participating in scientific activities;
• 6) relief 37% when travelling by public means of collective rail transport on passenger, fast and express trains, on the basis of one-off tickets;

The article mentions only part of the rights related to the Polish Charter, in fact they are more developed and related to almost every sphere of life. The Act also lays down rules for granting a cash benefit to a person who holds the Polish Charter and wants to settle in the Republic of Poland.

For parents, the valuable information will be that a Polish card may also be held by a minor child, if both parents have a Polish card or one with parents owns the Polish card, and second from parents with parental authority will make an appropriate statement of consent so that the child also holds the Polish card.

Validity of the Polish card, submission of the application

In principle, the Polish Charter is granted for the period 10 years and may be extended. However, the person who completed 65 years The Polish Charter is granted for an indefinite period and the minor is awarded for 10 years, but not longer than the date on which the year ends from the date of age.

Of course, this does not mean that a person suddenly loses the ability to use the Polish Charter, if he still wants to exercise the rights deriving from the Polish Charter, he will have to apply for an extension of the document and sign a declaration of membership of the Polish Nation.

The application for the Polish Charter can be submitted to the Podlaskie Provincial Office (Mickiewicza Street). 3, 15-213 Białystok) and the Lublin Regional Office (Soccerna Street) 4, 20-074 Lublin). Persons located outside the borders of the Republic of Poland may apply to the Polish Consular Office.

The application for the Polish Charter should be submitted in person, because only in this way will it be possible to submit a declaration of membership of the Polish Nation and meet the requirement of knowledge of the Polish language.

Written by Michał Pankiewicz

The author is a graduate of KUL in the direction of Law. From 2022 related to Russell Bedford. His interests include civil law, in particular commercial company law and compensation law. Privately passionate about geopolitics.