Polish participants wave Polish and Hungarian flags and carry a large banner reading “Europe of sovereign nations” during the Peace March in support of the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on the Margaret Bridge in Budapest, Hungary on March 15, 2026.
ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP
Warsaw says its citizenship “is a privilege one must earn.”
Poland is preparing sweeping changes to its citizenship laws, with proposed reforms aimed at making Polish nationality more difficult to obtain and more closely tied to cultural integration and loyalty to the state, announced the Ministry of the Interior and Administration on X.
In a statement announcing the planned measures, officials declared that “Polish citizenship is a privilege that one must earn,” signaling a tougher approach toward naturalization and national identity requirements.
Under the proposed changes, applicants seeking Polish citizenship would face a new civic examination designed to test their understanding of Poland’s history, values, and constitutional principles, as well as their level of integration into Polish society.
The reforms would also require candidates to sign an act of loyalty to the Polish state, introducing a formal declaration of allegiance as part of the citizenship process.
Language standards would become significantly stricter as well. Applicants would need to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in the Polish language, reinforcing the government’s emphasis on cultural and linguistic assimilation.
In addition, the minimum period of residence required before applying for citizenship would be extended to eight years. Authorities also plan to require applicants to hold Polish tax residency, linking citizenship eligibility to long-term economic participation in the country.
While some critics say the decision is a step in the right direction, it does not go far enough to properly curb illegal immigrants entering and staying in Poland. While that might be true, there is only so much the Polish government can do, since the free movement within the Schengen area allows asylum seekers and citizens of other countries to enter Poland without further checks.The measure comes as Europe appears to be changing its course in terms of migration. Portugal has recently made citizenship harder to obtain, Sweden has also tightened its citizenship rules, and Greece has also reformed its residence permit system. Whether these laws will be followed up on by remigration policies or stricter border controls remains to be seen, but the anti-immigration turn within Europe is a welcome sight to see.
