Polish Citizenship Act 1920

Article 1. Polish citizen cannot simultaneously be a citizen of another country.

Article 2. At the moment of declaration of the present act, the right to Polish citizenship serves every person, without distinction of sex, age, religion and nationality, who:
1) is settled on the territory of The Polish State, as far as it is not entitled to another country’s citizenship. Regarded as a settled in The Polish State is the person who:
a) is enrolled or is entitled to be enrolled to books of permanent population of former Kingdom of Poland;
b) is entitled to homely surrounding in one of communes on the territory of The Polish State, which have made up a part of The Austrian State or The Hungarian State;
c) had, before January 15, 1908 on grounds of German citizenship, a permanent residence on territory of The Polish State, which formerly has made up a part of The Prussian State;
d) was enrolled to urban or rural commune or to one of state organizations on lands of former Empire of Russia which are now parts of The Polish State;
2) was born on the territory of The Polish State, as far as it is not entitled to another country’s citizenship;
3) is entitled to Polish citizenship based upon international treaties.

Article 2a. Polish citizenship serves, besides, to a person who has a place of residence and is entitled to homely surrounding in one of communes on area of recovered lands of The Cieszynski Silesia, which have made up a part of Republic of Czechoslovakia, if the person (or its father, in case of illegitimate child - its mother) is permanent since 1 of November 1918 entitled and if the person hasn´t qualify it on grounds of public office.

Article 3. Citizens of other countries who are of Polish descent and their progeny will be recognized as citizens of The Polish State if they submit proofs of Polish provenance with a declaration they wish to be Polish citizens and they resign from the citizenship of another country to the relevant polish authority after returning to The Polish State.

Poles by descent who 1 of October 1938 have had a place of residence on area of recovered lands of The Cieszynski Silesia will be treated on an equal footing with those Poles who have returned to The Polish State.

Article 4. Polish citizenship is acquired by:
1) birth;
2) entitlement, recognition, adoption;
3) marriage;
4) grant;
5) reception of public post or reception of military service in The Polish State, as far as there are no opposing reservation.

Article 5. Legitimate children acquire by birth their father´s citizenship. Illegitimate children acquire by birth their mother´s citizenship. Unknown parents´ children who were born or found on The Polish State´s territory will be recognized as Polish citizens, as far as their other citizenship will be not revealed.

Article 6. By entitlement, recognition or adoption a child who is not 18 years old yet acquires citizenship of its father or mother, relatively of another person who recognizes or adopts.

Article 7. A woman who is a foreigner acquires Polish citizenship by marriage with a Polish citizen.

Article 8. Granting of citizenship can happen on request of a person who wants to obtain it if the person proves that:
1) he led an impeccable way of life;
2) he resides permanently not less than 10 years in The Polish State;
3) he has a livelihood or earnings for himself and his family;
4) he speaks Polish;
Substituting for minors and other persons who have legal incapacity their legal guardians apply for granting them Polish citizenship.

Article 9. In exceptional cases that deserve special consideration Polish citizenship can be granted for persons who do not meet individual conditions that are mentioned in article 8. especially on former Russian Empire´s area that is a part of The Polish State. However polish citizenship can be granted in no case for persons who have been penalized by polish courts for an offence that entail a restriction of rights, until the restriction goes on, and also for persons who are in state of insolvency.

Article 10. A citizen of The Polish State who lost her Polish citizenship by marriage with a foreigner recaptures it if she makes a statement in an administrative office of her place of residence after cessation of her marriage and settlement in Poland.

Article 11. Loss of citizenship happens by:
1) obtaining another country´s citizenship;
2) taking a public office or entering the service in a foreign country’s army without proper governor´s (capital city of Warsaw Government Commissioner’s) consent that is given in cases of intention of entering the service in a foreign country’s army in accord with district corps´ proper commander.
Persons who are obligated to active military service can obtain a foreign citizenship in no other way than after obtaining a general military service obligation release, according to rules in force, otherwise, in view of The Polish State, they will be still considered Polish citizens.

Article 12. The Minister of the Interior determines granting Polish citizenship after getting an opinion of a commune where a given person lives in and also of general administration´s authorities.

Article 13. Granting and loss of polish citizenship concerns a wife of a man who is granted or loses Polish citizenship and also his children who are younger than 18 years old, as far as it is not reserved in granting certificate or in declaration on citizenship´s loss.

Article 14. The act comes into force on the day of its declaration.

Article 15. Execution of the present act and publicizing of necessary executive decrees, especially also those that determine authority´s competences that are not regulated by the present act, a form of documents and details of proceedings are commended to the Minister of the Interior.