The Karta Polaka: origins, requirements, rights and implementation

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Eugeniusz Kuznicow-Wyszynski (University of Warsaw and European University Institute)

The Karta Polaka was introduced in 2007 to strengthen ties between Poland and the Polish diaspora. This status grants access to education, healthcare, and business opportunities while facilitating citizenship application. This blog post recaps its political origins, the requirements to acquire it, the rights it grants, and some statistics on take-up rates. 

A short history of the Karta Polaka

Poland has a large global diaspora resulting from conflict, changing territorial borders and mass emigration. Pacyga (2005) estimated that by the beginning of the twenty-first century, some 20 million people living in more than 90 countries claimed Polish ancestry. Most of those living outside Poland have not returned to their homeland to this day. The motivations for this decision are varied: some have made a life for themselves in the new country and do not want to start all over again, while others do not have the opportunity to return due to a lack of proper documents or financial resources.

Since 1989, the Polish government has developed strategies to support Poles abroad, enabling them to return to Poland. For example, foreigners of Polish descent have the right to settle permanently, aligning with Article 52(5) of the Polish Constitution, which guarantees the right of individuals with Polish origins to return. Repatriation similarly facilitates the return of Polish descendants, particularly those with ancestors deported to the East, by offering a simplified citizenship process. While these processes are complex, costly, and time-consuming, the Karta Polaka was introduced in 2007 under Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński’s government. This Law and Justice (PiS) initiative aimed to reinforce ties with the Polish diaspora in former Soviet states, providing a legal acknowledgement of Polish heritage and identity.

The introduction of the Karta Polaka aligns with developments in other European countries, such as Hungary and Slovakia. The common denominator of these measures was the intention of providing state support to individuals who felt a connection to their homeland and expressed a willingness to return.

The origins of the Karta Polaka can be traced back to decisions made by Polish authorities in the 1990s, which culminated in the creation of the first draft bill on the Karta Polaka in April 1999. At the same time, two other draft bills were introduced: one on Polish citizenship and the other on repatriation. The common goal of all three documents was to regulate Poland’s relationship with people of Polish ancestry who, due to the war, had been forced to leave their homeland, in particular in the context of World War II. After the war, a significant citizenship problem arose among Poles living in territories that had belonged to Poland before the war. The situation was particularly acute in the eastern territories, where Poles were stripped of their Polish citizenship and given new citizenship by the USSR. According to estimated data from Polish diaspora organizations, as well as Polish diplomatic missions, over 2.6 million Poles reside in the post-Soviet space. Poles live in nearly all corners of the former Soviet Union, with the largest concentrations in the territories that once constituted the eastern borderlands of the Second Polish Republic, namely Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine. In addition to providing access to citizenship and repatriation, these laws were intended to serve as a symbol of remembrance for Poles scattered around the world. However, by the end of the parliamentary term in 2001, work on the draft was not completed, and the project was ultimately abandoned.

It was not until 2007 that the Karta Polaka was introduced (Act of September 7, 2007), and the first documents were ceremonially issued on May 2, 2008 – on the occasion of the Day of the Polish Community and Poles Abroad. A dozen individuals in Belarus and Lithuania were among the first recipients of this document.

In July 2019, an amendment to the Act went into effect, allowing citizens of all countries of the world with Polish ancestry to obtain a Karta Polaka. This change represented a significant step in Poland’s commitment to support its diaspora globally, recognizing and uniting people of Polish origin beyond Eastern Europe.

Interestingly, in Belarus, the issuance of the Karta Polaka initially sparked controversy and later open hostility from the authorities in Minsk. Even before the provisions of the Act came into force, Belarusian officials and parliamentarians claimed that introducing the Karta Polaka in its current form could destabilize relations among different nationalities within Belarus. In 2011, the Constitutional Court of Belarus ruled that certain provisions of the Karta Polaka Act were inconsistent with some norms of international law. According to the court, the law’s provisions “did not align with the Treaty of Good Neighborliness between Poland and Belarus from 1992”. Subsequently, the Belarusian authorities banned the possession of the Karta Polaka by all members of the House of Representatives, the Council of the Republic, as well as state officials and public servants.

Requirements and rights

The Karta Polaka is granted based on a decision made by the consul (for applicants residing outside Poland) or by the voivode (government representative in a Polish province) if the applicant is already residing in Poland. Applicants submit a written application to the relevant authority. To obtain the Karta Polaka, an applicant must meet several conditions cumulatively. First, one needs to demonstrate that at least one of the parents, grandparents, or two great-grandparents was of Polish nationality (e.g., civil status records, baptismal certificates, school certificates, or other documents confirming a connection to Polish origin). Second, the applicant should possess basic proficiency in the Polish language and actively cultivate Polish customs and traditions. Third, the individual applying for the Karta Polaka must declare affiliation with the Polish Nation in the presence of the consul of the Republic of Poland or the voivode. The card is valid for a period of 10 years.

The granting of the Karta Polaka does not equate to acquiring Polish citizenship, nor is the Karta Polaka a document that authorizes border crossing. However, holding the Karta Polaka comes with financial benefits and a range of rights, such as exemption from the fee for processing applications for Polish citizenship and for issuing a permanent residence permit in Poland. The holder of the Karta Polaka has the right to study in Poland, along with access to various scholarships, healthcare benefits, discounted train fares, and free entry to state museums. Additionally, the holder is exempt from the requirement of having a work permit and from the obligation to obtain a permit for undertaking and conducting business activities. It is also worth noting that holders of the Karta Polaka who settle in Poland have the right to receive financial assistance intended for their settlement and maintenance.

The benefits arising from the law also have an economic dimension, as they allow holders of the Karta Polaka to reside legally and engage in work and study in Poland. For many of these individuals, these aspects may become key factors in their future applications for Polish citizenship. In light of the growing demographic decline in Poland and the significant outflow of young Poles to Western European countries, it is precisely Poles from the East (and, since 2019, not only) who will be able to meet the needs of the labour market in Poland.

The Karta Polaka also has an important function as a tool for obtaining Polish citizenship since after a one-year legal stay in Poland on the basis of a permanent residence permit, its holders can apply for Polish citizenship. While many people of Polish origin apply for the Karta Polaka for personal and moral reasons, my research indicates that for many of them, the document is a tangible symbol of belonging to the Polish Nation. This is in line with the Polish government’s intentions to strengthen ties between the Polish community and the homeland.

Implementation and statistics

Since the introduction of the status, the number of applicants for the Karta Polaka has steadily increased and continues to grow, reflecting the growing interest and need for state support. Based on statistics from the Section of the Karta Polaka and Repatriation of the Department of Cooperation with Polish Community Abroad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (see Table 1), between 2008 and 2023, more than 384 thousand people were granted the Karta Polaka, mainly from Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.

Table 1. Statistics on the granting of the Karta Polaka by country of residence, 2008-2023

 2008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Belarus4 7327 5989 02010 20012 49113 46512 83413 08512 70715 70514 57515 0559 4626 7757 7244 063
Ukraine8 65713 1758 2719 2248 7278 3369 9169 53413 00513 09615 877129135 4186 1881 8262 679
Russia7196294614745166395595475475009281082480716479363
Other1590254415981724148212421146946120528554268512935194213174568079
Total15 698  23 946  19 350  21 622  23 216  23 682  24 455  24 112  27 464  32 156  35 648  34 179  18 879  17 892  27 485  15 184  

Source: own elaboration based on statistical data from the Section of the Karta Polaka and Repatriation of the Department of Cooperation with Polish Community Abroad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In Belarus, the number of Karta Polaka issued has increased significantly over the years and doubled in fourteen years. In 2008, almost five thousand cards were issued, while in 2022, the number reached almost ten thousand. The highest interest comes from Grodno, a city in the western part of Belarus near the border with Poland. The Consulate in Grodno consistently grants the most cards in Belarus – for example, in 2022 some 3,774 cards were issued there, accounting for about 39 percent of all cards granted in Belarus.

In Ukraine, the number of cards granted has also increased significantly, especially between 2015 and 2019, when the number of cards issued rose from 9,915 to 15,889. The Consulate in Lviv has the highest number of cards. In 2022, over 1300 cards were issued there, accounting for 52 percent of all cards issued in Ukraine.

In Russia, the number of Karta Polaka issued is much smaller compared to Belarus and Ukraine. In 2008, 719 cards were issued, and in 2022 – 1,047 cards. However, the number rose and fell at different times, suggesting the variable popularity of this document in Russia. Noticeable slight differences between Consulates in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad grant similar numbers of Karta Polaka, indicating even interest in the document throughout Russia.

Common to all the countries shown in Table 1 is a marked decrease in the number of Karta Polaka issued in 2020 and 2021. The main reason for this phenomenon was the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused global travel restrictions, as well as temporary closures or reductions in the activities of consular posts. Many offices were unable to conduct their business as normal, limiting the ability to submit and process applications. Only in 2022 is a partial return to normalcy evident, with a resurgence in the number of cards issued in most countries.

Finally, the interest in the Karta Polaka is not limited solely to the region east of Poland. As statistics show, even in other countries further away from Poland, such as Brazil, Kazakhstan, Moldavia and Armenia, the number of people applying for this document is steadily increasing. Since 2008, over 55 thousand persons have acquired the Karta Polaka beyond the three main origin countries.

This data clearly emphasizes the significant role of the Karta Polaka as a key tool in strengthening the ties of the Polish diaspora with Poland, particularly in neighbouring countries such as Belarus and Ukraine, where the interest in the Karta Polaka is the highest. However, the interest in the Karta Polaka extends beyond these regions, as far as Brazil. This suggests that the Karta Polaka not only strengthens the sense of national belonging but also serves as an important symbol of connection to the homeland, regardless of how far from Poland a given Polish community may be.

In addition to its cultural significance, there is an instrumental reason for acquiring the Karta Polaka related to global mobility. Individuals seek this status to enhance their opportunities for international movement and access to resources. The Karta Polaka facilitates travel, work, and residency in Poland and other EU countries, serving as a strategic asset for members of the Polish diaspora looking to navigate global mobility more effectively. This dual role underscores the Karta Polaka’s importance both as a means of affirming cultural and national identity and as a functional tool for the Polish diaspora.

References

Eugeniusz Kuznicow-Wyszynski is a visiting researcher at EUI through the EUI Widening Europe Programme