r/prawokrwi

Some data points regarding the passport application process for any who might find it helpful. I used the consulate in Los Angeles:

• I received notice of my confirmation last Monday. Once my provider sent me DHL tracking that hard copies of my decision letter and my Polish birth certificate would arrive this past Friday, I booked an appointment to apply for a passport for this morning, Tuesday. So a very quick turnaround.
• There were plenty of available appointments at the Los Angeles consulate and booking via the website was straight forward.
• I had my photos taken at AAA but we had a disagreement regarding the size and placement of my head. They insisted their template was correct despite it not matching the example my provider sent me. I asked them to print the photos both my way and their way to be safe. In the end, my provider was right - the consulate wanted less room between the top of my head and the edge of the photo than what AAA's template provides.
• The appointment was quick - starting promptly and lasting 10-15 minutes.
• Despite my provider sending all my paperwork digitally to the consulate, the consulate insisted on the original hard copies of the decision letter and Polish birth certificate along with my US passport and driver's license.
• There were no paper forms to fill out. Everything was handled by the consulate staff on their computer. Once they put in the information, I was asked to scan my finger prints, confirm my personal info on a tablet and sign. About 10-15 minutes total.
• The Los Angeles consulate does not accept card payment. I paid in cash.
• The Los Angeles consulate gives you the option of picking up the passport in person or shipping via Fed-Ex, BUT they will only ship to certain states that are within their jurisdiction so best to check they can accommodate your mailing address before making an appointment there if you want to go that route.
• They will text me when the passport is ready to pick-up - about 6-8 weeks. I can also check status via a QR code they provided.

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for input from anyone who has navigated or litigated a complex pre-1920 Polish citizenship confirmation (potwierdzenie) case involving a US birth prior to the 1920 Citizenship Act.
Here is the outline of the lineage and facts:
Great-Grandfather (GGF):
Born in Poland (partitioned area) in the 1880s.
Emigrated to the US around 1908.
Maintained non-naturalized "Alien" (AL) status through the 1940s (verified via 1930 US Census, WWII Alien Registration AR-2 form, and A-Number records). Never naturalized prior to his children reaching adulthood.
Grandfather (GF):
Born in the US (Pennsylvania) before January 31, 1920 to my non-naturalized GGF.
The Issue / Block:
Standard citizenship agencies have declined to take the administrative case for standard filing at the Voivodeship level (Urząd Wojewódzki), stating that the office enforces a strict policy of rejecting lineages where a descendant was born abroad prior to January 31, 1920 (claiming foreign-born minors did not automatically acquire Polish citizenship at birth or retroactively upon the enactment of the 1920 Act).
Questions for the community:

1. Has anyone successfully appealed this specific pre-1920 US-birth hurdle in the Regional Administrative Court in Warsaw (WSA) or Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) under the principle of paternal authority (władza rodzicielska) extending the father’s 1920 citizenship status to minor children?
2. Are there specific boutique law firms or litigators (rather than standard high-volume processing agencies) who specialize in taking pre-1920 WSA court appeals?
3. For those who faced a similar pre-1920 administrative barrier, did you pivot to a Presidential Grant of Citizenship (nadanie obywatelstwa), and what was your experience/timeline going through the consulate?

From my research, looks like I would be eligible with the military paradox. What do others think.

Grandparents:

Grandfather:

\* Date, place of birth: January 16, 1907, Porzow, Poland

\* Ethnicity and religion: Polish, Baptist

\* Occupation: Farmer

\* Allegiance and dates of military service: Did not serve.

\* Date, destination for emigration: July 6, 1936, Minetonas, MB, Canada

\* Date naturalized: July 6, 1936

\* Date, place of death: Swan River, Manitoba, 1996

Grandmother:

\* Date, place of birth: March 9, 1908, Plaszow, Poland

\* Ethnicity and religion: Polish, Baptist

\* Occupation: Homemaker

\* Allegiance and dates of military service: None

\* Date, destination for emigration: July 18, 1927, Yellowgrass, SK, Canada

\* Date naturalized: Unknown

\* Date, Place of Death: Swan River, Manitoba, 1999

\*Marriage Date: August 15, 1938, Minetonas, MB, Canada

Father:

\* Date, place of birth: 1946, Minetonas, MB, Canada

Me:

\*Date, place of birth: 1983, Canada

Templated filled out below. I'm hoping you all can help me determine if I have a claim to Polish citizenship. The claim would be through my paternal grandfather who was born in Poland. I have included his parents info for completeness. All of my great grandparents immigrated from Poland to the US but I believe this line may have passed down polish citizenship through the military paradox. If I have a claim I also could use help determining which documents I would need to proceed. I have plenty of US records (Ship manifests, Naturalization, etc) but I haven't had luck finding any Polish records. I'm considering hiring a polish researcher to help but I'd like to know which documents to ask for especially if they can't find my grandfather's birth certificate. I'm not sure if it would help to look for my other great grandparents birth certificates to include as well even if they are not in the chain.

Great-Grandparents: 

* Date married: 4 Nov 1899

* Date divorced: N/A

GGM: 

* Date, place of birth: 10 Mar 1879  Molitiz, Poland

* Ethnicity and religion: Hebrew/Jewish

* Occupation: Housewife

* Allegiance and dates of military service: N/A

* Date, destination for emigration: 13 Dec 1920 USA

* Date naturalized: 15 Dec 1942

* Date, place of death: USA

GGF: 

* Date, place of birth: 8 Dec 1876 Mishoff, Poland

* Ethnicity and religion: Hebrew/Jewish

* Occupation: Tailor

* Allegiance and dates of military service: N/A

* Date, destination for emigration: 23 Oct 1912 USA

* Date naturalized: 3 Mar 1924

* Date, place of death: 27 Dec 1944 USA

GF 

* Sex: Male

* Date, place of birth: 4 Mar 1908 Warsaw, Poland

* Date married: 1 Jul 1944

* Citizenship of spouse: USA

* Date divorced: N/A

* Occupation: Hat Maker

* Allegiance and dates of military service: Drafted US Army 8 Sep 1942 - 4 Oct 1943

* Date, destination for emigration: 13 Dec 1920 USA

* Date naturalized: Naturalized on fathers papers 3 Mar 1924

* Date, place of death: Abt 1962 USA

F 

* Sex: Male

* Date, place of birth: 1946 USA

* Date married: Abt 1984 (before I was born)

* Date divorced: Abt 2010

Me

* Date, place of birth: 1986 USA

A while ago, I asked here in the subreddit if anyone knew exactly how to submit an application to the IPN.

u/ThePetro from getpolishcitizenship.eu sent me a DM and submitted the application that same day.

There were several updates along the way, and u/ThePetro always sent them to me within just a few minutes.

Today, the case has finally been concluded, so I wanted to take the opportunity to publicly and personally say thank you once again.

Before this, I only knew him as an expert from the comments. Now, having had personal experience working with him, I can wholeheartedly recommend him.

Hi all, I'm looking for feedback if I am eligible for dual citizenship through other avenues than my original post (in case I can't find local records). I have two other great-grandparents from an area that was at one point poland, who married each other.

Thank you so much!!

Great-Grandparents: 

* Date married: 09/1913 in canada

* Date divorced: NO Divorce

GGM: 

place of birth:  1891, Wyszogród (I have a book of residence with her listed, dates of which were 1883 - 1933. her name is not crossed out.)

* Ethnicity and religion: Jewish

* Occupation: House Wife

* Allegiance and dates of military service: none

* Date, destination for emigration: pre-1920, ~1910, Toronto, canada. (and again in ~1922 to US)

* Date naturalized: none

GGF: 

* Date, place of birth: David-Horodok, born ~1891 as well

* Ethnicity and religion: Jewish

* Occupation: numerous, no public service. usually tailor.

* Allegiance and dates of military service: no military service, renounced allegiance to poland and to russia in naturalization declaration

* Date, destination for emigration: 1907, Toronto, canada. (and again in ~1922 to US)

* Date naturalized: may have been naturalized in Canada in 1910 and again at some point in US after my grandmother was born, but doesn't the military paradox prevent a loss until 1941, when his daughter was 26?

* Date, place of death: Detroit, US. date unknown.

Grandparent: 

* Sex: F

* Date, place of birth: Nov 3, 1915, Toronto (emigrated without any naturalization as a child in 1922 to US)

* Date married: 1952

* Citizenship of spouse: U.S.

 Date divorced: 1964

* Occupation: construction

* Allegiance and dates of military service: never naturalized at all.

• Date, place of death: 2011, Detroit, US

Parent: 

* Sex: F

* Date, place of birth: 1953, Detroit

* Date married: 1979

* Date divorced: No Divorce

You: 

* Date, place of birth: 7/16/1988

Hi there,

Thanks for the help of everyone in this great community.

My polish citizenship by descent application is in queue (submitted September 2025). We recently found out that my wife's grandmother (and great grandfather) were born in Poland and wanted to inquire about her eligibility. Tried to gather as much information as we could, but please let me know if there are any questions or additional clarification needed.

Great-Grandparents:

* Date married: March 16th, 1926 in Pinsk, Poland
* Date divorced: n/a

Great-Grandmother

* Date, place of birth: June 15, 1903, Żytkowicz, Russia
* Ethnicity and religion: Jewish
* Occupation: Housewife
* Allegiance and dates of military service: n/a

* Date, destination for emigration: October 1927, Alberta Canada, 
* Date naturalized: February 14th, 1935, Canada
* Date, place of death: 1991, Alberta Canada

Great-Grandfather

* Date, place of birth: December 8, 1897, Pinsk Poland (we have a copy of his Polish passport)
* Ethnicity and religion: Jewish
* Occupation: Agricultural Labor / Poultry Dealer
* Allegiance and dates of military service: We have a Polish military mobilization card (Karta mobilizacyjna), issued by P.K.U. Pińsk listing him assigned to the 61st Infantry Regiment stationed in Bydgoszcz.
* Date, destination for emigration: January 1927, Alberta Canada
* Date naturalized: December 17th, 1934, Canada
* Date, place of death: 1980, Alberta Canada

Grandparent (Grandmother):
* Sex: Female
* Date, place of birth: May 3rd, 1927, Pinsk, Poland
* Date married: July 21st, 1948
* Citizenship of spouse: Canadian
* Date divorced: 1978
* Occupation: Teacher, Clerk-Typist
* Allegiance and dates of military service: n/a
* Date, destination for emigration: October 1927, Alberta Canada (emigrated later in life to USA after getting married) 
* Date naturalized: December 17th, 1934, Canada (Listed as "minor" on father's naturalization certificate).  Later in life she moved to The United States and became a US citizen in 1961
* Date, place of death: October 17, 2002, Arizona USA

Parent (Father):
* Sex: Male
* Date, place of birth: January 11 1954, New York USA
* Date married: August 19th, 1979
* Date divorced: n/a

You:
* Date, place of birth: February 26 1986, Virginia USA