HELP! Australian wanted to apply for Polish Passport via ancestory

♂

Sep 1, 09, 09:53 #31

rafix:

Just wondering if anyone has additional problems proving citizenship or applying for a passport after changing their family name via deed poll??

Yes, I went through this. My grandfather changed our surname back in the '50s and I changed mine back again a couple of years ago.

The problem is that in the UK (and I presume this is similar in Australia) is that a Deed Poll is validated only by a witness, and is not the result of a notary/court/USC office decision as is required in Poland. Therefore you have to show that the name change was done in accordance with the UK/Australian law to prove the Deed Poll is valid.

To do this you need to get an "apostille" for your document. In the UK this involves having your document certified by a solicitor, then getting an apostille from the British Foreign Commonwealth Office, then getting it all translated into Polish by a certified Polish translator.

I documented my case on my blog here if it's any help. http://www.britishinpoland.com/blog/2008/08/getting-a-british-deed-pol l-recognised-in-poland/

I expect in Australia you will have a similar process.

rafixThreads: - Posts: 1 Joined: Aug 31, 09 ♂	Sep 2, 09, 05:55 #32
Thank you benszymanski, you have been very helpful :) Raf

♀

Sep 7, 09, 02:59 #33

Hi Nic076 or anyone else who can help,

Your link was very informative.

I'm currently in the process of obtaining Confirmation of my Polish Citizenship via my grandfather who was born in Poland to obtain an EU Passport, hopefully within 12 months as planning on living and working in London by this time next year!!

As you've suggested, i've begun by requesting immigration papers from the National Archives and after paying the fee am waiting on certified copies to arrive.

In the meantime, as you've suggested i'd like to register my birth with the Polish Office and apply for a Polish Birth Certificate. You've indicated that you can do this at the same time when applying for Confirmation of Polish Citizenship. Could you please email me the website where I can find out what documents I require and where to send my application? I've tried looking for this Polish Office but i've just found websites all in Polish?

Also, once I have all required documents to submit to the Polish Consulate in Canberra, Australia, i'd like to get a Lawyer in Poland who speaks English to oversee all the communication. Could you please email me the contact details of the lawyer you used?

Thanks for you help!

mikes747

Oct 23, 09, 08:40 #34

My situation is probably not as unique as I think. My parents (mother Polish) (father Ukranian) were sent to New Zealand by the Red Cross after world war 2. They then obtained New Zealand Citizenship. I currently hold a New Zealand and Australian passport and am living and working in Sydney. My mother is alive (New Zealand passport) but father passed on. Other than naturalisation papers from the 1950s in New Zealand I am not sure what other documentation is required. I do not have a sense of urgency to have a quick resoloution. I would like a Polish passort to recognise my Polish heritage and should I wish to live in Europe in the future.

Dwightster

Nov 23, 09, 01:43 #35

I applied for my Polish nationality back in 1995 before it was as complex as it is now. Back then I just needed to show my birth certificate, my father's polish passport and the rest was handled by the consultae in Sydney. That passport was valid for 10 years.

When it came up for renewal, I thought it was a matter of simply going in and applying. The laws had changed and I too was required to obtain a Polish birth certificate. Luckily my parents arranged for the Australian birth certificate translated to Polish to be certified on my behalf in Sydney as I now live in Germany. Once the birth certificate translation was sent to Poland for official issuance, it took around 3 months. After that another 3 months fot the passport. In all 13 months to get the EU Polish passport.

It certainly helped that I had an earlier passport as the authorities couldnt easily brush me off as I was a Polish citizen, just without all necessary paperwork. As a follow-up I also obtained the Polish ID card which I now use for Euro-travel as it is easier. The Polish ID card can _ONLY_ be obtained in person in Poland. All that is required is your polish birth certificate and your polish passport.

I did all my research etc without a company and for minimum cost. $75AUD for the translations and postage, plus whatever the fees were for the ID and passport. The Australian archives were also crucial.

ladycaren	Nov 30, 09, 03:02 #36
Hello, I am going through a similar process, (I was born in Holland) can you give me the contact details of the lawyer you mentioned..please... thank you

Gordon	Jan 15, 10, 07:34 #37
Check them - cklawoffice.eu or you can also use legal acts (english translations) they provided on the website by yourself

lokimojo

Sep 1, 10, 05:16 #38

I've just called Polaron to find out what I would need to do in order to get a Polish passport and the first thing they will do is establish your elegability. This process alone costs $700, which thankfully I wouldn't have to pay because I was born there.

The second stage is all the records, documentation and organising of citizenship and the passort itself. This part costs between $2,000 and $3,000! Which is quite a shock.

I'm not trying to rat out the company or paint a bad picture, but maybe polaron is not necessarily the best or the cheapest way. Looks like I'm back to square one :/

♂

Sep 1, 10, 05:41 #39

lokimojo:

I've just called Polaron to find out what I would need to do in order to get a Polish passport and the first thing they will do is establish your elegability. This process alone costs $700, which thankfully I wouldn't have to pay because I was born there.

The second stage is all the records, documentation and organising of citizenship and the passort itself. This part costs between $2,000 and $3,000! Which is quite a shock.

sheesh, really.

i was costed $100 for the eligibility and then around $1,000 for records and documentation a couple years back.

gkashubaThreads: - Posts: 6 Joined: Sep 29, 10 ♂	Oct 5, 10, 16:15 #40
Hi I am George kashuba an australian living in Poland, i have applied for Polish passport. If you now of anyone who needs to get Polish passport,it takes 3 ~`4 months. I will pay you 100 Euro per client you bring me. Regards George

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 ♂ [Suspended]	Oct 5, 10, 17:54 #41
I'd be wary of anyone masquerading as a lawyer on here, especially if they can't spell the word "know" properly!

♀

Apr 28, 11, 14:34 #42

Nic076

Hi,

I am interested in getting my Polish passport too, went to Polaron as this forum suggested but it said it would as a ballpark figure charge the cost of a flight to Europe-- I read that you paid $100USD for a lawyer to oversee your case, I was wondering if you could do me a massive favour and pass on the contact? I know your comment is quite dated but I have contacted two lawyers, one came back and wanted twice as much as Polaron (which I thought was ludicrous!)

Or- does anyone else know of any good and reasonably priced lawyers?

Thanks :)

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 ♂ [Suspended]	Apr 28, 11, 14:40 #43
Kirsten55: Or- does anyone else know of any good and reasonably priced lawyers? You really really do not need one.

Piast PolandThreads: 3 Posts: 272 Joined: Aug 28, 10 ♂	Apr 28, 11, 15:34 #44
I dont see why a lawyer would be necessary. The embassies should be helpful enough.

King SobieskiThreads: 7 Posts: 1,106 Joined: Jan 22, 07 ♂	May 11, 11, 06:14 #45
from my understanding from a friend that applied he needed to use a lawyer as well for some part of the application. what for and why i have no idea.

asikThreads: 2 Posts: 547 Joined: Feb 17, 09 ♀	May 12, 11, 03:16 #46
gkashuba: I will pay you 100 Euro per client you bring me. People don't need to go to Poland to get Polish passport, it'll accually make some things even more difficult if anyone goes to Poland to do it. The Polish passport application for dual citizens goes though Polish General Consulate in Sydney- Australia. This scam post by gkashuba should be deleted by moderators.

♀

May 12, 11, 04:31 #47

King Sobieski:

from my understanding from a friend that applied he needed to use a lawyer as well for some part of the application.

what for and why i have no idea.

To apply for a Polish passport when you have most of the required documents it's easy process and takes place in Australia.

When you need to prove you are Polish national (while living in Australia or anywhere in the world) the whole process takes time. Some people will need to go to Poland to search for documents to prove Polish nationality or can hire a representative to do it on their behalf. Also, you'll need to know Polish to be able to communicate with people in Poland and to do all the paperwork and to register some documents in Poland. In such case the best option is to hire Polish lawyer who knows English. It'll cost you but many people have no other option.

When born not in Poland, you need to go to Poland with your translated& certified birth certificate to register it in Poland (in Urząd Stanu Cywilnego Office) and that's when you are able to get your Polish version of your birth certificate from the USC office, which is required when applying for Polish Passport.
I am not sure you can hire Lawyer to do it on your behalf, maybe something changed here but from what I know, you need to register your birth certificate or if born in Poland - you need to register any changes to your name or to your marital status, personally in Poland. Only after that, you can apply from Australia for a Polish passport or if you choose, while you are in Poland.

♂

May 12, 11, 06:15 #48

asik:

When you need to prove you are Polish national (while living in Australia or anywhere in the world) the whole process takes time. Some people will need to go to Poland to search for documents to prove Polish nationality or can hire a representative to do it on their behalf. Also, you'll need to know Polish to be able to communicate with people in Poland and to do all the paperwork and to register some documents in Poland. In such case the best option is to hire Polish lawyer who knows English. It'll cost you but many people have no other option.

i thought there would be a need for such things and most probably why polaron charge an arm and leg for the service.

♂

May 12, 11, 07:46 #49

asik:

When you need to prove you are Polish national (while living in Australia or anywhere in the world) the whole process takes time. Some people will need to go to Poland to search for documents to prove Polish nationality or can hire a representative to do it on their behalf. Also, you'll need to know Polish to be able to communicate with people in Poland and to do all the paperwork and to register some documents in Poland. In such case the best option is to hire Polish lawyer who knows English. It'll cost you but many people have no other option.

Dear Asik, I don't know who's comments need deletion but you talk so much nonsence, the process to get a Polish Passport (for persons NOT born in Poland) is very time consuming, difficult and expensive...In most civilised countries getting a Passport is very easy and takes 14 days, in Poland allow yourself 2 years!!

♂ [Suspended]

May 12, 11, 09:24 #50

wielki pan:

Dear Asik, I don't know who's comments need deletion but you talk so much nonsence, the process to get a Polish Passport (for persons NOT born in Poland) is very time consuming, difficult and expensive...In most civilised countries getting a Passport is very easy and takes 14 days, in Poland allow yourself 2 years!!

It's not difficult at all, the only reason the process takes so long for people is because many people don't actually have the documents needed to confirm Polish citizenship. You should know that the various nationality acts contained some very tricky clauses which can strip someone of their citizenship.

For what it's worth, it's far quicker in Poland - simply because you can go to the offices yourself rather than doing everything through the embassy.

♂

May 14, 11, 00:15 #51

delphiandomine:

It's not difficult at all

Wish it were true, but those not born in Poland, the process is long and expensive, as mentioned in my previous post for those not born in Poland give yourself 12 months... Mr D you must have got your passport under the old system, each of these processors are done seperately and each has a cost factor. 1/Obtain parents birth certificate 2/ register your documents with the registry office in Poland/3 Obtain Pesal 4/ Apply for Passort. Not difficult hmmm you must be easy to please.

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Unanswered \| Archives
POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Poles in Poland and Abroad	Witamy, Guest \| PF Members \| Gold Members

Home \| Unanswered \| Archives \| Random \| Statistics	Time in Poland: 00:20 / May 27
About Us \| Contact Us \| Rules, Privacy \| Poland Advertising	© 2005-12 PolishForums.com