Quiet amendments to Poland’s Act on Administrative Fees mean that from 21 November naturalisation applicants must pay PLN 1,669 when seeking presidential approval and PLN 1,000 for voivode recognition—up from PLN 800 and PLN 600 respectively. Simultaneously, the Interior Ministry unveiled a four-pillar naturalisation model that extends the permanent-residence requirement from three to five years and raises the language test to B2 level while adding a mandatory “loyalty declaration.”
Officials present the overhaul as a way to ensure deeper integration at a time when applications—especially from Ukrainian citizens—are at record highs. Migrant-rights NGOs, however, argue that higher fees and subjective loyalty pledges could slow pathways to full inclusion just as the labour market relies on foreign talent.
![Citizenship Fees Double as Poland Tightens Naturalisation Rules]()
For employers the move is more than symbolic: many mobility policies reimburse citizenship costs as a talent-retention incentive. HR departments will need to update policy caps immediately and warn employees who planned to file in Q4 that their budget has effectively doubled overnight.
Legal advisers recommend submitting meticulously prepared applications to avoid losing the now-non-refundable fee on a technicality. Prospective applicants should enrol early for B2 Polish courses, gather five years of tax-residency proofs and prepare for interviews that probe knowledge of contemporary civic issues.
The changes fit a broader integration strategy scheduled for 2026 and align Poland with countries such as Germany and the Netherlands that recently toughened naturalisation, signalling a shift from rapid demographic absorption towards measured long-term integration.
Officials present the overhaul as a way to ensure deeper integration at a time when applications—especially from Ukrainian citizens—are at record highs. Migrant-rights NGOs, however, argue that higher fees and subjective loyalty pledges could slow pathways to full inclusion just as the labour market relies on foreign talent.
For employers the move is more than symbolic: many mobility policies reimburse citizenship costs as a talent-retention incentive. HR departments will need to update policy caps immediately and warn employees who planned to file in Q4 that their budget has effectively doubled overnight.
Legal advisers recommend submitting meticulously prepared applications to avoid losing the now-non-refundable fee on a technicality. Prospective applicants should enrol early for B2 Polish courses, gather five years of tax-residency proofs and prepare for interviews that probe knowledge of contemporary civic issues.
The changes fit a broader integration strategy scheduled for 2026 and align Poland with countries such as Germany and the Netherlands that recently toughened naturalisation, signalling a shift from rapid demographic absorption towards measured long-term integration.
