A newly published draft amendment to Poland’s Karta Polaka Act would transform the popular ‘Polish Card’ programme by limiting eligibility strictly to applicants who can document Polish ancestry and by introducing a processing fee. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs aims to submit the bill to the Sejm in the second quarter of 2026. (nashaniva.com)
Since 2008 the Karta Polaka has served as a powerful soft-migration tool, granting holders visa-free entry, the right to work without an additional permit and cash benefits upon resettlement. Until now, long-term cultural engagement—such as volunteering with a Polish-language association—could substitute for bloodline proof. That pathway would disappear, with officials arguing that it had become prone to abuses and document fraud over the programme’s 17-year lifespan. (nashaniva.com)
For applicants and HR managers needing hands-on assistance with Polish immigration procedures, VisaHQ’s dedicated Poland page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) provides step-by-step support on visa options, document preparation and fast-track submissions. The service can help verify ancestry evidence, suggest alternative work-permit routes and keep stakeholders updated as the draft Karta Polaka changes move through Parliament.
![Draft Law Would Tighten Eligibility and Introduce Fee for the ‘Karta Polaka’]()
The amendment also proposes a one-time lump-sum integration payment (instead of instalments over nine months) for card holders who convert to permanent residence. Security screening would be strengthened by expanding the dataset applicants must submit, while individuals who have renounced Polish citizenship in the past would permanently lose access to the scheme.
For multinational employers, the stricter rules mean that future hires from the Polish diaspora in the former USSR—especially Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan—may face higher upfront costs and longer document-gathering lead times. Global mobility teams should prepare to shift candidates to standard work-permit channels or the EU Blue Card if ancestry evidence is weak.
Legal advisers expect parliamentary debate to focus on whether the new fee (not yet specified) could deter talented returnees at a time when Poland is competing for STEM talent. Companies are encouraged to track the bill’s progress and budget for possible fee reimbursements in relocation packages.
Since 2008 the Karta Polaka has served as a powerful soft-migration tool, granting holders visa-free entry, the right to work without an additional permit and cash benefits upon resettlement. Until now, long-term cultural engagement—such as volunteering with a Polish-language association—could substitute for bloodline proof. That pathway would disappear, with officials arguing that it had become prone to abuses and document fraud over the programme’s 17-year lifespan. (nashaniva.com)
For applicants and HR managers needing hands-on assistance with Polish immigration procedures, VisaHQ’s dedicated Poland page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) provides step-by-step support on visa options, document preparation and fast-track submissions. The service can help verify ancestry evidence, suggest alternative work-permit routes and keep stakeholders updated as the draft Karta Polaka changes move through Parliament.
The amendment also proposes a one-time lump-sum integration payment (instead of instalments over nine months) for card holders who convert to permanent residence. Security screening would be strengthened by expanding the dataset applicants must submit, while individuals who have renounced Polish citizenship in the past would permanently lose access to the scheme.
For multinational employers, the stricter rules mean that future hires from the Polish diaspora in the former USSR—especially Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan—may face higher upfront costs and longer document-gathering lead times. Global mobility teams should prepare to shift candidates to standard work-permit channels or the EU Blue Card if ancestry evidence is weak.
Legal advisers expect parliamentary debate to focus on whether the new fee (not yet specified) could deter talented returnees at a time when Poland is competing for STEM talent. Companies are encouraged to track the bill’s progress and budget for possible fee reimbursements in relocation packages.
