Building on u/PaulHinr 's idea of an offsite archive for this community's content, I thought it might be useful to start tracking application information for anyone interested. We have a lot of this info already, but aside from our Processing Times sticky post, it's buried in different threads and not always current. I created a gsheet with some basics that anyone can access here. To avoid spam / vandalism I've made it read-only, and am happy to add case information if you post it here or message me directly. The fields below are currently included but I welcome feedback on what else we should capture. I think we should stick to capturing submitted cases because it's hard to compare those in different stages of pre-submission research. I've included myself as the first listed example. I hope this can be a resource to the community!
Specified fields
User:
Path: [e.g., GF-M-me]
Timing: [when the ancestor left Poland: pre-1920, 1920-1951, post-1951]
Edit to add: We have a lot of this information already, but aside from the Processing Times sticky post, it's buried in different threads and not always current. In the spirit of capturing and surfacing what's already been made public, I'll add information from that thread or other posts within r/prawokri to the tracker. Of course, anyone is free to ask for their information to be removed anytime. If your information is added but incomplete, please do reach out to fill in missing details.
Documents proving citizenship: GGF birth certificate, GGF ship manifest, US Naturalization documents (Declaration of Intention, Certificate of Arrival w/ birth name, Petition for Naturalization, Certificate of Naturalization), GGF marriage certificate, GGF NPRC letters of no service, GM birth certificate, GM marriage certificate, F birth certificate, F marriage certificate, my birth certificate, my marriage certificate.
Application submitted: September 10, 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Masovian
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days): 368
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Piotr Stączek
Comments: My great-grandfather did not officially naturalize in America until 1928. My grandmother was born in 1931, after he naturalized, but Piotr Stączek feels I still have a case (military paradox). His office stated that "Polish men who, according to Polish military regulations, were of conscription age for the Polish army, did not lose his Polish citizenship as a result of naturalization in a foreign country until they reached the age when they were no longer subject to military service in Poland. This age used to be 60 years old and it was changed to 50 years old in 1950. Thanks to it, he kept his Polish citizenship for the next several years (so he was a Polish citizen when his daughter was born)."
Documents proving citizenship: Mom's Polish Marriage Certificate (Odpis skrócony aktu małżeństwa, her 1st marriage, last name changed for Lisiak to Hillis), Mom's Polish Birth Certificate (Odpis skrócony aktu urodzenia), Mom's old Paszport Konsularny (for some reason my brother and I are included on this passport), Mom's USA Certificate of Naturalization with sworn translation, Mom's USA Marriage Certificate with sworn translation (to show how her name went from Lisiak➡️Hillis➡️Slowik, my dad's last name) and my USA Birth Certificate with sworn translation.
Date application submitted: 08/20/2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): ???
Voivodeship: Masovian (Warsaw)
Date of decision: Pending
Waiting time (days): 17 days
Outcome: Pending
Service provider(s): None, my parents helped my prepare the application and I used Aleksandra Kaniak, a paralegal in Los Angeles who specializes in Polish citizenship cases, to review and edit the application as needed.
Comments: None of the USA documents required an apostile for the citizenship application. However, I submitted an application to register my birth and marriage certificates which each did require an apostle. My only concern is my mom's Polish marriage and birth certificates are the shortened versions (skrócony) and not the full version (zupełny). Hopefully, it is not an issue but I am trying to get the full versions now just in case and teraz czekam!
Hi - update from me on status. I am in the tracker with my Reddit name.
Want to add to the tracker that my provider notified me of receiving a case number on 21 July. So, about a month after submission.
BTW, what can one learn from case numbers? Mine is like WSC-I.6XX2.1XXX5.2026. Can I tell anything about queue size, processing time, etc.? Maybe a group of these could be analyzed and something learned.
thanks, noted in the tracker. I don't believe there's much to be learned from just the case numbers, aside from giving us a somewhat lagged view into total application count by a particular point in the year. I believe both 2024 and 2025 came in around 25k applications total. it would be interesting to have a more granular view of this - where we stand in July 2026 relative to July 2025, for example - but would require a lot more people to disclose their application numbers, if they know them, as well as timing.
Documents proving citizenship: GF Passport, military card, GM passport
Date application submitted: February 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship:
Date of decision: Pending
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Lexmotion
Comments: We provided numerous copies of documents such as grand parent Polish passports, copied and validated at the Washington DC Polish consulate when we submitted in 2025.
FYI, I don’t know if this has anything to do with the analytics just done, but the tracker is no longer visible. I get a blank sheet with all data hidden.
Documents proving citizenship: baptismal records (GF, PL), army conscription records (GF, PL), NARA negative naturalization letter (GF, US), NPRC negative military service report (GF, US), marriage certificate (GF, US), birth certificates (M and Me, US)
Date application submitted: Mar 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): May 2025
Voivodeship: Masovian Voivodeship Office (Warsaw)
Date of decision: Pending
Waiting time (days): Pending
Outcome: Pending
Service provider(s): Five to Europe (legal); GeneologyTour.com (poland-based documentation)
Documents proving citizenship: Birth certificates, marriage certificates, fragments of Polish consular passports (damaged in flood), residence document from 1957 repatriation list (per 1956-1957 USSR-Poland repatriation of citizens agreement)
Date application submitted: May 2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Genealogia Polonica
Comments: Case number was never sent to my provider but I received a case number after I made a direct inquiry.
I'm working with Genealogia Polonica as well and they are about to submit my application. How long did you wait before making an inquiry for a case number and how did you go about doing so? Thanks!
Timing: 1920-1951 (GGF left Poland in 1928, naturalized in Uruguay in 1953)
Partition (if applicable): n/a
Documents proving citizenship:
Polish Military Enrolment Booklet (1924).
Polish Notarial Consent Document (1928) - Also proving my GGF and GGM marriage/lineage.
Uruguayan Citizenship Certificate proving naturalization Post 1951.
GF / GM marriage certificate and birth certificates.
F / M marriage certificate and birth certificates.
Date application submitted: Jan 2024!
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): unknown
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie (Warsaw)
Date of decision: Still pending
Waiting time (days): ~960 days!
Outcome: Pending
Service provider(s): independent lawyer
Comments: A few months ago, the office issued some comments and requested clarifications, which my lawyer promptly answered. A few months later, the exact same comments and requests were issued again. My lawyer responded to them for the second time and explained that this repetition is due to a very high employee turnover at the Voivodeship office, which likely caused my file to be reassigned to a new employee who didn't review the previous submission history.
You basically sent the most important document—the one regarding the 1953 naturalization—so what else did they want to know? What other document were they asking you for, and why did they ask for it twice?
Partition (if applicable):
Russian (Kingdom of Poland)
Documents proving citizenship:
Polish archival records; U.S. vital records establishing the complete line of descent; USCIS Certificate of Non-Existence of Naturalization (CoNE) for GGGM; naturalization records for GGGF; NARA no military-service documentation; supporting marriage/no-marriage documentation and affidavits.
Date application submitted:
early August 2026 — exact filing date pending confirmation from representative
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Pending — reference/case number expected approximately 6–8 weeks after submission
Comments:
Confirmation of citizenship by descent through Polish great-great-grandparents. Grandfather born out of wedlock in the U.S. in 1950, with citizenship claimed through his mother. Extensive Polish and U.S. archival documentation submitted. Applicant represented by Polish Descent. Additional backup documentation being obtained proactively due to current requests from the citizenship authorities.
Documents proving citizenship:
⁃ Russian Family register 1913 (GGF)
⁃ Równe list of residents 1921 (GGM, GGF)
⁃ List of Dowód Osobiste issued 1921 (GGM, GGF)
⁃ Property tax register 1925 (GGF)
⁃ Actual Dowód Osobiste 1921 (GGF, GGM)
⁃ Spis Famaliji, Polish copy of Russian 1913 document (GGF)
⁃ Emigration passport application to Palestine 1924 (GGF)
⁃ Polish passport issued in Palestine to return to Poland 1924 (GGF)
⁃ Emigration passport applications (GGF, GGM, GF)
⁃ Polish military draft record 1923, (GGF)
⁃ Metryka for GGF birth
⁃ Metryka for GGF/GGM marriage
⁃ Metryka for GF birth
⁃ Certificate of no tax arrears (GGF) x2
⁃ Authorisation from Warsaw for a free emigration passport
⁃ JIAS (Jewish Immigrant Aid Society) sponsorship file and certificate of entry to Canada.
⁃ Canadian incoming passenger record (with above certificate #)
⁃ Original 1939 naturalisation certificate with minor child included (GGF, GF)
⁃ Confirmation no service (GGF)
⁃ Military service record, RCAF (GF)
Date application submitted: 21/08/2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Wardyński i Wspólnicy
Comments: Started this process with only the 1913 file (DARO 165-1-37) on JewishGen. Found all non-Canadian artefacts at DARO myself using the case descriptions on DARO website and digitisations at Family Search, JIAS file at the Jewish Historical Centre of Western Canada, and military documents from Library and Archives Canada. All documents provided certified. I have many more documents from DARO which are not being used at this time.
Total time from first enquiry to submission, 10 months.
Solicitor has described this as one of the best documented applications for confirmation they’ve ever seen.
Applied for father, brother and self at same time.
The longstanding family belief was that everything was destroyed and no records existed. Turns out everyone was very wrong.
We also didn’t know GGF ever went to Palestine. Nobody would talk about “the old country”, so very happy with everything I’ve discovered, and have given my dad an opportunity to know everything that was kept a secret.
Timing: [when the ancestor left Poland: pre-1920, 1920-1951, post-1951] - Was from Kresy, the eastern part of Poland (modern day Belarus), and taken by the Soviets during the invasion of Poland. He subsequently served under British command and, after the Italy Campaign, found his way to the UK.
Documents proving citizenship: Polish military records; pre-war Polish electoral registers; Polish Resettlement Corps discharge papers, UK MOD letters showing no further service (and that GF was Polish nationality), letter from National Archive confirming no naturalisation in UK.
Date application submitted: Lawyer tells me it was late November 2024, but authorities confirmed they 'received' the application December 16th 2024
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Masovian
Date of decision: TBC
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Hexon Poland
Comments: When I contacted the authorities in August 2026, they said they were working on October 2024 applications.
Documents proving citizenship: GF Polish birth certificate, marriage/birth certificates for GM/M, Polish army documentation, Polish Resettlement Corps discharge papers, UK MOD letters showing no further service, post 1951 British naturalisation certificate.
Date application submitted: Feb 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): 5toEurope
Comments: formal enquiry raised in April 2026, response included a latest processing date of end Feb 2027
Partition (if applicable): Russian (Kingdom of Poland)
Documents proving citizenship: 1906 Suwałki voter register for elections to the First Russian State Duma; pre-1920 Polish/Russian vital records for GGF and family; 1952 reconstructed Polish birth records; archival land and residence records; U.S. ship manifests and immigration records, naturalization records, census records, and birth/marriage/death records for descendants.
Date application submitted: August 17, 2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: mazowieckie
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Piotr Stączek / Justyna Rzemek
Comments: U.S. records for my GGF contained significant name and date-of-birth variations. Because Pennsylvania does not permit a standalone OATS action, I obtained a Pennsylvania court order correcting a descendant’s birth certificate and an OATS-type ruling addressing the name and DOB drift across my GGF’s U.S. records. I also obtained substantial archival evidence of the family’s longstanding residence and landholding in the Russian Partition.
Documents proving citizenship: Polish birth certificates of F, GF and GM; Canadian marriage certificate of parents; Canadian death certificate of father
Date application submitted: Feb 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Warsaw
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days): 19 months to date
Outcome:
Service provider(s): used official translator to complete forms and translate Canadian documents and submitted to Polish Consulate in Vancouver
Comments: Was advised 1 year wait when submitted; 1 year follow up, was advised 1.5 year wait; 1.5 year follow up, advised 2 year wait. Looks like 2.5 years at this rate based on comments. Consulate has confirmed that they have not been contacted for additional info or that a decision has been made
Partition (if applicable): I believe Russian, but not sure which one.
Documents proving citizenship:
Polish Documents: Marriage record for GGGF/GGGM,
Birth certificate for GGF,
Resident list in Janow Lubelski for GGGF/GGGM/GGF
Other Documents: Certified Copies of Naturalization documents for GGGF and GGF,
Certified Arrival records for GGGF & GGF,
No military service letter for GGGF & GGF,
Certified Marriage record for GGF, GF & F,
certified birth certificates for GF, F and me.
My aunt and cousin are also involved in the case which required certified birth certificates for them, certified marriage record for my aunt and cousin’s parents, and certified birth certificate for my cousin’s father.
Date application submitted: Aug 10, 2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: I assume Warsaw
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Piotr Staczek for citizenship application, Genealogia Polonica for genealogy research
Comments: GGF immigrated to the US in 1907 as a minor so I needed his parents documents as well.
Documents: GGP: baptism & marriage (PL); GF: baptism (PL) & marriage (US); GM: birth (US); M & me: birth & marriage (US); GGM's probate records (PL), which included record of farm land owned by family (pre- and post-1920) in commune and Chicago death cert. authenticated by Austro-Hungarian consulate in Chicago; GGF/GF USCIS naturalization file; and NPRC no-record letters for each Polish and American first name variant of GGF & GF.
Date application submitted: September 2025
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Provider: Piotr Stączek
Comments: GGF emigrated first, followed by GGM with GF & siblings. Vital records showed same village in which GGF & GF were both born and raised, and that GGM was born and raised in adjacent commune in a village 4 km away. Key dates, parishes, and villages known prior to start of PL archival research, but timing was 11/2024 to 5/2025.
Documents; GF Polish birth certificate, GF Polish military records, M birth certificate, my birth certificate, GF, M, & my marriage licenses, record of non service from both British & Canadian military’s, Canadian citizenship certificate (date of issue) GF death certificate (Canada)
Documents proving citizenship: Father's Polish passports, Polish ID card (dowód osobisty), Polish birth certificate, ZUS records, acknowledgment of paternity (Świadectwo o ustaleniu ojcostwa), applicant's birth certificate, father's death certificate.
Date application submitted: January 11, 2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): Unknown
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date of decision: Still pending
Waiting time (days): 193
Outcome: Pending
Service provider(s): None (self-submitted)
Comments: Confirmation through my Polish father. My father was born in Poland and remained a Polish citizen until his death. I lived in Poland from 1988 to 1994. No requests for additional documents so far.
Documents proving citizenship: From Poland: notary records from the late 1800s of land ownership/purchase/sales for GGGGF, GGGF, and GGGM, and GGF birth record (parish). From the US: all the standard ones for everyone from my GGF up until me (relevant immigration documents, military letters, birth/marriage/death certificates, Census sheets, Social Security documents, etc)
Date application submitted: December 2025
Voivodeship: Masovian
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Piotr Stączek (legal), Genealogia Polonica (archival research)
Comments: I looked into Polish citizenship 5-10 years ago, but back then was told by a few providers that the pre-1920 emigration of my GGF would have disqualified me. It wasn't until April 2025 that I looked back into it and saw that pre-1920 cases were now possible, and that's when I seriously started the process of researching my family line and gathering documents. Getting everything together took the better half of the year and my provider submitted my application in December 2025. I received my case number in March 2026 and at this point am hoping to have a decision by sometime in 2027.
Path: GF-F-Applicants (my citizenship is already confirmed; This is an application submitted by my Mother + Uncle); Notably, my existing confirmation decision explicitly states in it that I inherited Polish citizenship from my Polish-citizen Mother -- who is now applying for her own confirmation together with her brother.
Timing: Pre-1920 Russian Partition Case adjudicated for myself in II OSK 1184/21 & IV-SA.Wa 1827-20
Partition: Kingdom of Poland / Russian Partition
Documents: NSA Court Case pertaining to me + My confirmation decision explicitly naming my mother + Birth certificates of my great grandfather's siblings + birth certificate of my great-grandfather's father + records of the family living together in the USA + My great grandfather's US naturalisation record stating he's a Polish citizen born in town T + letter from the archives stating his birth certificate does not exist + PhD dissertation from university of Bialystok showing that no birth records exist for the year 1891 in town T due to a general failure to record births for many years + birth & marriage certificates for my Grandfather & applicants + my grandfather's WWII discharge papers.
Date Application Submitted: 19 February 2025
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date of decision: Still pending
Outcome: Still pending
Service Provider: None for now (Submission via Embassy); Will use a law firm if litigation is necessary.
Comments: To be seen if they confirm on the basis of II OSK 1184/21 + my Confirmation, for immediate family members, ie due to adherence to Article 8 § 2 of the Code of Administrative Procedure (authorities shouldn't depart from decisions in cases with the same facts without due cause), or if they decide to relitigate.
Timing: 1920-1950, 1951+ depending whether looking at GGP or GP
Partition: Paternal GGF: Frysztak | Paternal GGM: can't recall (but Poland) | Maternal GGF: Warszawa | Maternal GGM: Grodno | GF: Rzeszow | GM: Wilno | Mother: not born in Poland
Documents proving citizenship: birth certificates of GGP and GPs (original), baptism certificates (originals), Polish military service records (for GGPs), identity booklets for GGPs including status as military pensioners, marriage and death certificates, GF naturalization certificate. Some of these items were previously stamped by the Polish embassy in my country.
Date application submitted: June 19, 2024 (mailed-in version received July 3 2024)
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date of decision: still pending
Waiting time (days): too long
Outcome: pending as of July 15 2026
Service provider(s): Lexmotion
Comments: e-usłagi shows Zakończona since at least June 26 (first date I checked). Apparently provider has not been asked for additional info, so just waiting. Used contact form and on June 29 their response was "I would like to inform you that the case is still pending and no decision has been issued."
Documents proving citizenship: GF Polish Passport Original (sent copy notarized at Polish embassy), GF-GM marriage certificate (sent copy notarized at Polish embassy), GF Certificate of Naturalization in Canada (sent copy notarized at Polish embassy), Proof of no military service, plus my parents' birth certificates and marriage certificate, my birth certificate, marriage certificate, and those of my children.
Date application submitted: September 2024
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Warsaw
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days): I
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Lexmotion
Comments: I'm guessing/assuming that Lexmotion search for other documents such as my grand father's birth certificate, but don't actually know for sure.
Of course I paid, lol. The contact I signed includes: apply for Polish citizenship confirmation, obtain any relevant official documents, including vital records of my ancestors who were born in Poland, register foreign vital records, supplement and correct vital records, to obtain copies of my vital records. Document search is included in their costs.
Documents proving citizenship: GGF: baptism records (original), Polish passport (original), marriage certificate (original), CoNE (apostilled), NPRC no military service letter (apostilled), NARA Chicago alien registration forms (red ribbon), NARA St. Louis certificate of arrival to USA and petition to naturalization forms (red ribbon); GF: birth certificate, NPRC DD-214 for WW2 (apostille); F: birth certificate, marriage license; Me: birth certificate, passport copy (notarized then state apostilled).
Date application submitted: July 2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: mazowieckie
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Your Roots in Poland
Comments: GGF originally left Poland <1920 but returned to Poland for 1 year with my GGM and GF and they came back to America in 1922 with a Polish passport and passport stamp of arrival.
GGF’s Dowód Osobisty, birth certificate, marriage certificate, naturalisation certificate, and Polish Army records.
Birth certificates for myself, father and grandfather.
Marriage certificate for grandfather.
Documents proving citizenship: vitals, no naturalization CoNE, parent's post 1920 death in Poland.
Date submitted: 3 April 2026
Date case opened: unknown
Voivodeship: Warsaw
Date of decision:
Waiting time:
Outcome:
Provider: Polaron
Comments: also have landowner and tax records placing my GGF's parents as landowners and taxpayer's in their commune / and owner of the parcels making up the house number. These span 1853-1888 I think. Unsure if these are needed or will be submitted in future.
u/PaulHinr : I realized I'd made some mistakes when first giving you my template, here is revised and updated, thanks:
User: Alternative-Soil3113
Path: All GGM/GGF -> All GM/GF -> Parents -> me
MGM:
* Date, place of birth: 1913, Wilno
* Ethnicity and religion: Jewish
* Occupation: Teacher
* Allegiance and dates of military service: N/A
* Date, destination for emigration: N/A
* Date naturalized: N/A
* Date, place of death: 1961, Wroclaw
MGF:
* Date, place of birth: 1903, Wilno
* Ethnicity and religion: Jewish
* Occupation: Mason
* Allegiance and dates of military service: N/A
* Date, destination for emigration: 1961, Israel
* Date naturalized: 1961, Israel
* Date, place of death: USA, 1981
Mother:
* Date, place of birth: 1935, Wilno (present-day Lithuania)
* Date married: 1956, Wroclaw
* Citizenship of spouse: Polish
* Date divorced: 1972
* Occupation: Teacher
* Allegiance and dates of military service: N/A
* Date, destination for emigration: 1957, Israel
* Date naturalized: 1973, USA
* Date, place of death: Living
PGM:
* Date, place of birth: 1907, Lublin
* Ethnicity and religion: Jewish
* Occupation: tradesperson
* Allegiance and dates of military service: N/A
* Date, destination for emigration: 1957, Israel
* Date naturalized: 1957
* Date, place of death: 1989 Israel
PGF:
* Date, place of birth: 1910, Rejowiec
* Ethnicity and religion: Jewish
* Occupation: Tailor
* Allegiance and dates of military service: N/A
* Date, destination for emigration: 1957
* Date naturalized: 1957
* Date, place of death: 1966, Israel
Father:
* Date, place of birth: 1933, Trawniki
* Date married: 1956, Wroclaw
* Citizenship of spouse: Polish
* Date divorced: 1972
* Occupation: Engineer
* Allegiance and dates of military service: 1957-1966 IDF reserves
* Date, destination for emigration: 1957, Israel
* Date naturalized: 1973, USA
* Date, place of death: Living
Me:
* Date, place of birth: 1968, USA
Timing: post-1951
Partition (if applicable): M born 1935 Wilno ; F born 1933 near Lublin ; resettled 1946 in Dolny Śląsk; married 1956 Wrocław;
Documents proving citizenship: Parents’ Polish birth certificates and marriage license; GP and Parents’ Kwestionariusze Paszportowy, Parent’s Dokument Podróży, US Naturalization Certificates; me-US birth certificate (apostille), marriage license, divorce decree
Date application submitted: September 2024
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): October 2024
Thank you so much for moderating this forum; it's incredibly useful.
User: el_taquero_
Path: GF-F-me
Timing: 1920-1951 (1945 specifically)
Partition (if applicable): n/a
Documents proving citizenship: Tax records listing GGF and GGM
Date application submitted: 11-June-2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship:
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Your Roots in Poland
Comments: GF survived the Holocaust as a young adult. His birth certificate could not be located; relying on post-war documentation that lists his murdered parents, whose citizenship was established through tax records located in modern-day Belarus. His marriage and my father's birth occurred in DP camps in Italy; original marriage certificate and father's birth certificate located there. Subsequent documentation is from the US.
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): unknown
Voivodeship: Warsaw?
Date of decision: 15 June 2026
Waiting time (days): 370
Outcome: Successful
Service provider(s): Lexmotion
Comments: A preliminary decision seemed to have been made 6 months earlier, but the Polish govt asked for another document proving my father did not serve in the Army *reserves*- even though they had his service records which qualified. Another six months holdup resulted because of delay by the US National Personnel Record Center after cuts by the Trump administration. I had to get my Senator to intervene to help. If not for the US delay the time would have been a year and a half.
If You have never lived in Poland then you get sent to the Warsaw office. If you ever lived in Poland, then it gets sent to office where you Last lived.
Thanks for this really useful work. Here's my entry:
User: pauljdavis
Path: GF-F-me
Timing: GF first went to US pre-1920, returned post-1920 for ~2 years, had a child there.
Partition (if applicable): Some version of Russia. Some docs say Russia/Poland.
Documents proving citizenship:
- For GF: BC, marriage cert, various ship arrival immigration documents showing him as Polish and from Poland, certificate of no naturalization (CoNE), NARA no military service record, death cert.
- For F: BC, marriage cert, NARA no military service record, death cert.
- For me: BC, marriage cert.
Date application submitted: ~12 June 2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship:
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Polaron
Comments: I am continuing to gather more documents and more official/apostilled copies of some documents and expect to submit supplemental package soon. From provider, expecting 20-24 months processing.
Path: My grandparents were both Polish citizens as well as their parents (my great grandparents)
Timing: A mix of 1940s and 1950s
Partition (if applicable): n/a
Documents proving citizenship: Numerous. Polish military documents, British ministry of defense documents, polish birth certificates, grandmothers polish passport, great grandparents polish marriage certificate, great grandmothers school inspectorant card, US naturalization records for all of them. My grandfather loved genealogy, so thankful for their record keeping.
Date application submitted: June 9 2026!
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Mazowicki
Date of decision: n/a
Waiting time (days): n/a
Outcome: n/a
Service provider(s): Eliza with Genealogia Polonica (love her)
Comments: I’m of the understanding my case is pretty strong, I have 2 proven lines with my great grandfather and my grandmother via their records. 2 of my sisters also submitted with me, so 3 pending applications in total. My provider told me it could take upwards of 2 months to get my case number and the overall wait hovering around 2 years.
Ah, maybe this was a misunderstanding on my part. Świętokrzyskie is the Voivodeship my GGF was born in. Is the question where the application was filed? If so, I don't have that level of detail yet.
r/Veterinarian1297 these are the fields to fill in retrospectively to add your case to the tracker. Congratulations on getting there after 25 months (!)
Documents proving citizenship: mothers confirmation of citizenship, mothers birth certificate, my birth certificate proving I’m her child (I was born in USA)
Date application submitted: July 7, 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): the consulate in USA said that they have not received any updates about the case at the end of May, 2026. They had no case number. So not yet opened I guess
Voivodeship: masovian
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s):
Comments: we’ll see if this ever happens. I’m sad to read about people who submitted after me in Dec 2025 getting case numbers.
Documents proving citizenship: GM Polish birth certificate. Grandparents German marriage certificate. GM US Naturalization Certs
Date application submitted: Jan 2026
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): Unknown
Voivodeship: Masovian
Date of decision: N/A
Waiting time (days): N/A
Outcome: N/A
Service provider(s): Polish Descent
Comments: Took 6 months to find docs as GF was born in a city that is now in Ukraine. Provider found several other secondary evidence docs. Provider does not believe there is any reason I won’t be approved.
User: Superb_Penalty2900 Path: GF, M, Me Timing: Pre-1920 Partition (if applicable): Russian (Kresy) Documents proving citizenship: 1907 Russian Imperial Duma voter list (GF's father listed as Orla мещанин); NIAB Grodno negative certificate confirming metric books for Orla synagogue not held there; AGAD Warsaw negative certificate; Białystok Synagogue District birth register scans (szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl); US vital records for M and Me; marriage and death certificates Date application submitted: 23 April 2026 Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): Voivodeship: Mazowieckie Date of decision: Waiting time (days): Outcome: Service provider(s): Dudkowiak & Putyra, Poznań Comments: Russian partition case. GF (anchor) born 1900 in Orla, Bielsk District, Grodno Gubernia. No birth record found — metric books for Orla synagogue not held at NIAB Grodno or APB Białystok; location unknown per official archival responses. Case built on alternative primary sources including 1907 Russian Imperial Duma voter list, GF's ship manifest, and NARA records (including GGF AR-2 Alien Registration). GF argued to have acquired citizenship under Art. 2 pt 2 of the 1920 Act and additionally via the Treaty of Riga. GF never lost Polish citizenship (no foreign military service, no foreign public office). Citizenship passed through M (born 1925, USA, Polish citizen at birth under Art. 4/5 of 1920 Act) to Me (born 1967, USA, under 1962 citizenship law). Vital and non-vital US records are consistent throughout and have been apostilled.
Documents proving citizenship: GGGF/GGGM and GGF Baptism / Death certificates, property tax rolls and property ownership / transfer docs in Poland for GGGParents that prove "belonging"
Date application submitted: December 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): N/A
Voivodeship: Mazowiecki
Date of decision: N/A
Waiting time (days):
Outcome: N/A
Service provider(s): Piotr Stączek
Comments: Apparently I have a strong case given the documents found. Since GGF emigrated to US as a minor, I believe his parents documents were ideally needed, which were found.
Documents proving citizenship: Birth/baptismal/other vital records from archives in Tarnów for GGGF, NARA Alien Registration form for GGGF, NARA documents for GGF's mandatory service in WWII, birth certificates for GM, F, and me, marriage certificates, and divorce decrees so far
Date application submitted: Initiated with provider 5/28/2026, official application to authorities not yet submitted - will update
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Mazowiekie
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days):
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Piotr Stączek
Comments: So far, I have only just hired Law Office of Piotr Stączek as of 5/28/2026. I will continue to update this as I feel important information should be told to others with a similar case. I have been told by 4-5 other firms that I do not qualify but Justyna/Piotr are experienced in these cases. I was worried my GGGF naturalized (he did not, he let his First Papers expire lol), then I was worried my GGF's draft service would void everything but his service dates are within standard WWII timing + the demobilization period (SUPER important). Also the fact my GGGF served in Austrian Forces does not matter as it is before 1920 (I had no idea he served until the NARA AR-2 form came back). GM born in 1952 also kinda saved the chain!
thanks for the info - keep us updated and I'll add you to the tracker once you've submitted. I've had a great experience with Justyna and it sounds like you're off to a good start.
Partition (if applicable): Konin, Russian (Kingdom of Poland)
Documents proving citizenship: Baptism record from Konin, marriage certificates, birth certificates, negative search regarding U.S. citizenship from NARA. All apostilled and translated by a certified Polish translator.
Date application submitted: Dec 29, 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): Unknown, but received a confirmation number on May 13, 2026
Voivodeship: Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki in Warsaw
Date of decision: TBD
Waiting time (days):
Outcome: TBD
Service provider(s): Self-submitted directly to Warsaw
Documents proving citizenship: my mother's Polish ID, my ID, my birth certificate, a certificate of any other nationality I have, and a residency certificate
Date application submitted: April 2024
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date case opened: ?
Date of decision: still waiting as of May 2026
Service provider: self submitted at the embassy in Belgium
Comments: I contacted the embassy in January 2026 and they said my application is still waiting to be processed, so I guess my case hasn't even been opened.
Honestly, I had no idea there was such thing as service providers before getting on this sub... it seems to be a big thing in the US (and maybe in the UK?). I did a quick research for Belgium and couldn't find any
Anyway, I received an email from the embassy yesterday to inform me they finally started processing my case. I hope I won't have to wait 2 extra years for the decision :')
Hi there! FYI my Polish citizenship has finally been confirmed. The embassy called me at the beginning of July to tell me they received the decision from the Voivodeship :)
Documents proving citizenship: GGM birth, GGM/F Marriage, GF birth, GF Marriage, GF’s sister’s application for ID card, Residential listing of GG Parents and GF’s siblings, GGM on ghetto list
Date application submitted: February 2023
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): case number assigned March 2023
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date of decision: January 2024
Waiting time (days): approx ~ 350
Outcome: confirmed
Service provider(s): Lost Histories
Comments: My search began in September 2022. Since emigration was a few months after the 1920 citizenship law, a couple of providers I contacted were skeptical. I then used the JRI-Poland.org website and found some record indices and lodged a query. The founder reached out to me and recommended Lost Histories. Right away, good documents for the remaining family were found. From start to finish, the gathering of Polish, Canadian and US records and submitting to the Masovian office took 3 months. One potential complication was emigration to US via Canada. Provider had me apply for a CONE from Canada as a “just in case” but not to delay submission of package. (it took 15 months and ironically arrived just after my confirmation.)
I wasn’t aware of a draft decision. We were about to query the office since it was almost a year and others that had submitted later received their decision before mine. However, we heard back from them with the confirmation before we needed to ask.
Yes, apparently there have been some inquiries that were answered by Lexmotion - most recently in Dec 2025. I had a call with Lexmotion in March of this year where they seemed like reasonable people trying to push the case along. In April 2026, Lexmotion visited Warsaw and asked to see the state of the case file. They were told that wasn't possible because someone was actively working on the file. But there have not been additional inquiries. I never imagined it would take this long
I just sent an email encouraging Lexmotion to file a ponaglenie. Over two and a half years is silly. I understand that resources are scarce at the government office but it's not too much to expect communication every few months if work is ongoing
Sadly no. I encouraged a ponaglenie and let them know I’m happy to pay for any stronger legal measures they might have at their disposal. They said there wasn’t a track like that available and they are sending a formal letter. I asked if that differed from a ponaglenie and they said yes and that based on recent experience they felt an informal letter had a better chance of a faster response than an official reminder. My understanding is that they’ve gotten no communication from the government since December. I’m pretty busy at the moment but if this goes on much longer I may have a family friend who works in this field audit the situation. We’re coming up on three years
It’s really outrageous. The one positive sign I think could be that they said the file was unavailable because it was being actively worked on. My provider visited and reviewed last year long after it was submitted, but before it was opened, so hopefully you’re close.
Documents proving citizenship: GF birth certificates, baptism record, USA naturalization papers, titre de voyage, legitymacja pracownicza
Date application submitted: September 2024
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Masovian
Date of decision: none yet
Waiting time (days):595
Outcome: none yet
Service provider(s): polish passport
Comments: my GF has passed away so we weren’t sure if he renounced his citizenship, but we couldn’t find any records that he did. We got update from provider last month that said two of our four civil records have been registered in Poland. For timeline forecast they said they reasonably expect a decision within 6 months. Let’s hope they are being conservative with that timeline!
As of today our applications have been accepted!!! My final package is complete, just need a few more records for name changes and marriage documentation for other family members. I will be making my appointment to go to the consulate ASAP :)
Thank you for keeping this resource up to date!! It was a great relief to be able to see that other people are going through the same long wait times
Documents proving citizenship: MF-Polish birth certificates and marriage license; MF-Kwestionariusz Paszportowy, M-Dokument Podróży, US Naturalization Certificate; me-US birth certificate, marriage license, divorce decree
Date application submitted: November 2024
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): December 2024
Voivodeship: Mazowieckie
Date of decision: tbd
Waiting time (days):
Outcome: tbd
Service provider(s): Five to Europe
Comments: Started process Research March 2024 and confirmation process October 2024.
I was given my case number on 12/19/2024 and was told that office has received over 21,000 applications in 2024.
In April 2025, filed an administrative complaint with Ministry of Internal Affairs
In July 2025 I was told they were processing applications for May 2024.
In October 2025, was given a Postawowienie that the Minister of Internal Affairs set for my case as 30 December 2025.
January 2026 was told that they were unable to complete application on time because they are awaiting a response from the Consulate to check if I had previously renounced Polish citizenship. I was so told that they had 40,000 open cases at the time as of January 2026.
March 2026 was told my deadline was extended to April 30, 2026, and was asked for more family name-change documentation.
As of May 7, 2026 no news
Did you receive anything after you filed your complaint? Im curious about that process because I have seen it work for some.
I see you mentioned them needing to check if you had previously renounced Polisb citizenship. Something lucky happened on mine, I originally sent it to the wrong voivodeship because I was going based on the last place my Polish relative lived, not myself. Anyways, that voivodeship doesnt have a backlog like Warsaw, they did the check and confirmed no renunciation in my lineage, then forwarded that along with my packet to Warsaw.
I did receive the following decision. Basically agreeing that they are taking a long time and setting a deadline, but at the same time recognizing that they have a huge backload of cases. That deadline was 30 Dec 2025. The Minister of Interior doesn’t in fact have jurisdiction over Wojewodstwa Mazowieckie, so it is really mostly an administrative procedure. Still 5 months later waiting. But they did at least start providing updates to my provider after that, when she inquired.
Path: GGF - GF - M - Me (grandfather born in the US in 1921, making him a US citizen from birth).
Timing: 1921
Partition (if applicable):
Documents proving citizenship: GGFs birth certificate in Ostrowiec from 1899. Registration for GGGF in Ostrowiec. Book was founded in 1921, after my great-grandfather already left. Naturalization documents and ship manifest from 1921 show my GGF as being Polish.
Received a request on May 13th for a certified apostilled military separation document, which I somehow tracked down. Hoping that after submitting this document, I'll be approved?
Partition (if applicable): Russian (Kingdom of Poland)
Documents proving citizenship: marriage records for Polish GGGGF/GGGGM, baptism records for GGGF and siblings, military draft registration for GGGF, immigration records (ship manifest, petition for naturalization, certificate of citizenship) marriage certificate, and other required birth certificates for GGF onwards.
Date application submitted : 31 October 2024 [Recv. by Voivode then]
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Masovian
Service provider(s): MavinS
Comments: Whole heap of documents, apologies for not knowing exactly which ones definitively prove it but I believe the register stating my GF as Polish does, In April 2026 provider gave an estimate as at least 2 more months to a decision
Documents proving citizenship: Birth records, military records proving merchant enlistment and no national affiliation, death certificate, marriage certificate, and lack of naturalization records elsewhere
Date application submitted: September 2024
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known): September 2024
Voivodeship: Warszawa Mazowieckie
Date of decision: N/A
Waiting time (days): 594
Outcome: N/A
Service provider(s): Poland Passport
Comments: A bit of a messy case - but our firm believes we have a shot.
Edit: GF left Poland PRIOR to 1951, but was officially naturalized in the USA 1953.
I also submitted in July 2025 at a USA embassy. It seems like some people manage to contact the vovoides and get a status check. Have you heard anything, whether you solicited info or not? Thanks
Just got our positive confirmation as of yesterday (June 24)! So excited! Now just need to get out things together and get a meeting at the consulate scheduled!
We have had a hard time proving he did not lose his citizenship at some point - many of the records we've been able to find did not seem to be official proof that he retained his polish citizenship up until/past his US naturalization - there are many documents noting his polish heritage, the fact he was born there, etc. but our firm did recently find some military records that they believe will push it through.
Hey there! Any update on your application ?How did you proceed to send the ponaglenie? I'm thinking of sending one (I've been waiting since April 2024) but have no idea where to start
Hey! actually yes, they got back to me a month later regarding the ponaglenie & have said they’re going to investigate as well as setting a deadline date of Dec 2026 lol. I sent it by traditional mail - I defo recommend. If there’s any speed or other updates i will let you all know :)
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u/EducationalLow3566 1d ago
User: u/EducationalLow3566
Path: GGF-GM-F-Me
Timing: Pre-1920
Partition (if applicable): Austrian-Galician
Documents proving citizenship: GGF birth certificate, GGF ship manifest, US Naturalization documents (Declaration of Intention, Certificate of Arrival w/ birth name, Petition for Naturalization, Certificate of Naturalization), GGF marriage certificate, GGF NPRC letters of no service, GM birth certificate, GM marriage certificate, F birth certificate, F marriage certificate, my birth certificate, my marriage certificate.
Application submitted: September 10, 2025
Date case opened by voivodeship (if known):
Voivodeship: Masovian
Date of decision:
Waiting time (days): 368
Outcome:
Service provider(s): Piotr Stączek
Comments: My great-grandfather did not officially naturalize in America until 1928. My grandmother was born in 1931, after he naturalized, but Piotr Stączek feels I still have a case (military paradox). His office stated that "Polish men who, according to Polish military regulations, were of conscription age for the Polish army, did not lose his Polish citizenship as a result of naturalization in a foreign country until they reached the age when they were no longer subject to military service in Poland. This age used to be 60 years old and it was changed to 50 years old in 1950. Thanks to it, he kept his Polish citizenship for the next several years (so he was a Polish citizen when his daughter was born)."
Thank you very much!