The Polish government has decided to introduce more stringent rules for candidates who want to become Polish citizens as part of the current government’s migration strategy.
According to local media, the new rules can include those acquiring citizenship to have sufficient language skills. The measure follows reports of the misuse of the Polish Card Act, which grants citizenship to applicants who can confirm Polish origin, Schengen.News reports.
The Polish Card was introduced in 2007, and thousands of people who claimed they were of Polish origin could obtain Polish citizenship. The Polish Card Act requires that candidates prove Polish origin or citizenship to at least one of their parents, grandparents, or two great-grandparents.
Many Belarusians & Ukrainians Obtained Polish Cards by Using Forged Documents
These changes are believed to be pushed by reported abuses of the repatriation process, especially involving applicants to confirm Polish origin, many of which are believed to have used forged documents, as Rzeczpospolita reports.
Over 206,000 people are believed to currently hold a Polish Card, with the largest number of these documents being issued to Ukrainian and Belarusian nationals.
This law was controversial since the beginning since people with such a certificate did not have to prove their Polish origin, specifically those who have been active in Polish organisations for more than three years.
Data published by the Centre for Migration Research from June 2022 reveals that less than 7,000 cards out of 162,000 were granted to people who did not prove their Polish origin.
PiS MEP Michał Dworczyk told Rz that the act is needed, despite some irregularities that could be improved.
Several Other EU Countries Have Tightened Citizenship Rules in 2024
Poland would be one of many EU countries that have introduced more stringent rules for candidates to obtain citizenship in an effort to reduce the chances of irregularities.
The Swedish PM, Ulf Kristersson, and Migration Minister, Johan Forssell, have revealed that foreigners will be subject to more stringent rules when applying for Swedish citizenship.
One of the many changes that are expected to be introduced includes applicants who have a history of committing certain crimes or are considered a threat to national security.
Both Sweden and Finland have increased the number of residency years in the country from five to eight years, while a language requirement for nationals born in Sweden will start applying soon. As the authorities revealed, future citizenship applications will be assessed based on these new criteria.
Source: https://schengen.news/poland-tightens-rules-to-obtain-citizenship-due-to-abuses-with-polish-card/
