Visits to Poland by British subjects of Polish origin and by their British-born wives and children.

Visits to Poland by British subjects of Polish origin and by their British-born wives and children.

Leaflet containing definitions and explanations of Polish citizenship as applied to the wives and children of men of Polish origin and providing government guidance on visits to Poland by British subject who also possess Polish citizenship.

One four page leaflet

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MSewerinS704459-240916-010001, MSewerinS704459-240916-010002, MSewerinS704459-240916-010003

VISITS TO POLAND BY BRITISH SUBJECTS OF POLISH ORIGIN AND BY THEIR BRITISH-BORN WIVES AND CHILDREN
Naturalised British subjects of Polish origin
A person of Polish origin should not assume that by becoming a British subject he or she must have lost Polish citizenship. The acquisition of another nationality does not automatically entail the loss of Polish citizenship except in the circumstances explained in the “notes” at the end of this memorandum.
Wives of persons of Polish origin
Any woman who was married before January 19.1951, to a man of Polish origin, automatically acquired Polish citizenship [italics] under Polish law [/italics] by the marriage unless her husband had lost Polish citizenship [italics] before the marriage [/italics]. The woman’s claim to [italics] British nationality [/italics] would not be affected by acquiring Polish citizenship in this way, but any children of the marriage would automatically acquire Polish citizenship at birth, wherever they were born.

Children of persons of Polish origin
A child born in the United Kingdome automatically acquires British nationality at birth; but if one of the parents is regarded [italics] under Polish law [/italics] as a Polish citizen at the time when the child is born, the child may also acquire Polish citizenship at birth. It is therefore possible for a child born in the United Kingdom to have Polish citizenship in addition to Polish nationality, even if the mother of the child was born in the United Kingdom and the father of the child is a naturalised British subject of Polish origin.

Visits to Poland by British subjects who also possess Polish Citizenship
If a British subject is regarded under Polish law as a Polish citizen, the Polish authorities are entitled under international law to treat him or her, while in Poland, in the same way as a person who only has Polish citizenship. For example, they could, if they so desired, prevent such a person from leaving Poland. Her Majesty’s diplomatic and consular representatives in Poland have no official standing to intervene with the Polish authorities on behalf of a British subject who is also a Polish citizen. It may therefore be desirable for persons of Polish origin and their wives, before visiting Poland, to ascertain whether they or their children possess Polish citizenship in addition to British
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Nationality. A brief statement about the provision of the citizenship laws of Poland is given below, but anyone who is uncertain whether he or she is a Polish citizen, or whether a son or daughter is a Polish citizen, should consult the Polish Consulate General, 19 Weymouth Street, London. W.1.

Although the Polish authorities would be entitled to insist that any British subject who also possesses a Polish citizenship should use a Polish passport for the purpose of entering or leaving Poland, it is known that many such persons have been allowed to use British passports for this purpose after having obtained a “visitors” visa from the Polish Consulate General in London or the Polish Consulate in Glasgow. (A “visitor’s” visa specifies how many days the person concerned may remain in Poland, and he or she should leave within this time limit.) The fact that an Anglo-Polish dual national has been allowed to enter Poland as the holder of a British passport does not, however, limit in any way the right of the Polish authorities to treat him or her, while in Poland, as a Polish citizen; and if the person concerned had entered Poland with the intention of taking up residence there, he or she might not be able to leave Poland aging without first obtaining a Polish passport. It is of course for the Polish authorities to decide whether an application for a Polish passport should be granted.
Although Her Majesty’s diplomatic and consular representatives in Poland would not be able to make official representations to the Polish authorities on behalf of a British subject who is also a Polish citizen, they would in other matters be able to render the same kind of assistance as to other British subjects. Any holder of a British passport who needs advice or assistance while in Poland should get in touch with Her Majesty;s Consul at Warsaw whose address is:
Aleja Rz, 1,
(Telephone: 281.00.1 to 5 (lines))

Return ticket necessary
Unless he or she intends to leave Poland by car, anyone who visits Poland should be in possession of a return ticket prior to entering Poland. Facilities for the purchase of tickets with Polish currency, for travel outside Poland, are unlikely to be accorded to holders of foreign passports.

Release from Polish citizenship (see 3(a) of Notes below)
Persons residing outside of Poland can apply through a Polish Consulate for release of Polish citizenship. If the applicant’s
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wife is also a Polish citizen (either by origin or through having acquired Polish citizenship by marriage before January 19, 1951,) and wishes to obtain release from her Polish citizenship, she should apply for release at the same time as her husband. Her name may be then included in the certificate which is eventually issued by the Polish Consulate to her husband as evidence that he has been granted the permission of the Polish authorities to change his Polish citizenship to British nationality. When parents apply through a Polish Consulate for release from Polish citizenship, they should include their children to be similarly be released from Polish citizenship.

Any person obtaining a certificate of release from Polish citizenship should send it to the Nationality and Treaty Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Clive House, Petty France, London, S.W.1 for inspection before going to Poland, in order that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office may be assured of its right to instruct Her Majesty’s Representation in Poland to afford protection to that person, should the need arise. The certificate will be returned with the minimum of delay.
Notes on the provisions of the citizenship laws of Poland
1. These “notes” are not authoritative; only the Polish authorities can give authoritative information about Polish citizenship laws.
They are intended to provide such information as is likely to be useful to persons who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom. They are not a summary of all the provisions of the citizenship laws of Poland.
2. (a) Before the Polish citizenship law of January 8, 1951, came into force on January 19, 1951, a male Polish citizen who acquired the nationality of another country by naturalisation automatically lost Polish citizenship unless he was a person who was liable to Polish military service. This means that a man who acquired British nationality by naturalisation before the enactment of the Polish citizenship law of January 8,1951, did [capitalised] not [capitalised] lose Polish citizenship unless he had attained the age of 50 (60 in the case of an officer), or unless the Polish military authorities had declared him to be medically unfit for military service, or had granted him a certificate of exemption from military service (not merely a “demobilisation paper”)
(b). A woman of Polish origin who acquired British nationality before January 19, 1951 either by naturalisation or by marriage,
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automatically lost Polish citizenship unless her husband was regarded as a non-Polish citizen at the time of the marriage.
(c). A non-Polish woman who married a Polish citizen [capitalised]before [capitalised]January 1951, automatically acquired Polish citizenship by the marriage.
(d). A child born [capitalised] before [capitalised] January 19, 1951, automatically acquired Polish citizenship at birth if the father was a Polish citizen at the time when the child was born or, in the case of an illegitimate child, if the mother was a Polish citizen at the time the when the child was born. The child, if born in the United Kingdom, also acquired British nationality at birth.

3. (a) After the Polish citizenship law of January 8, 1951, came into force on January 19, 1951 the acquisition of another nationality, whether acquired by naturalisation or through marriage, no longer caused a Polish citizen to lose Polish citizenship unless he or she obtained the permission of the Polish authorities to acquire the nationality of the other country concerned.
(b) A non-Polish woman who married a Polish citizen after January 19, 1951, did [capitalised] not [capitalised] acquire Polish citizenship by the marriage.
(c) A child born outside Poland [capitalised] after [capitalised] January 19, 195, must have acquired Polish citizenship at birth if both parents were regarded under Polish law as Polish citizens at the time when the child was born. If born in the United Kingdom, the child also acquired British nationality at birth.

4. Position under Polish law of children born in the United Kingdom of parents only one of whom was a Polish citizen at the time when the child was born.
(i) Children born between January 19, 1951, and August 21, 1962 will, it is understood, be regarded as having acquired Polish citizenship at birth if the father or mother was a Polish citizen at the time when the child was born.
(ii) Children born after August 21, 1962. If either the father or the mother is a Polish citizen, the child will be regarded as a Polish citizen unless the parents lodge with a Polish Consulate within three months of the birth a declaration that they wish the child to have only British nationality.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
M517 310923 13m 7/70