Can you keep your Poland citizenship when you become a U.S. citizen?
Allowed with conditions
Only in some cases
Polish citizens who voluntarily acquire another citizenship generally keep Polish citizenship today, but acquisition of a foreign citizenship before 1951 caused loss of Polish citizenship.
What the law says
- Polish law does not explicitly allow dual citizenship, but possession of another citizenship is tolerated with no penalties for possession alone.
- Penalties exist for exercising foreign citizenship, such as identifying oneself to Polish authorities using a foreign identification document.
- Between 1918 and 1951, acquisition of another citizenship caused the loss of Polish citizenship.
- Polish citizens who emigrated to Israel between 1958 and 1984 and became Israeli citizens on arrival lost Polish citizenship automatically, though they and descendants may reacquire by declaration.
- A person who obtained foreign citizenship due to post-WWII border changes, or had Soviet/Ukrainian/Belarusian/Lithuanian/Latvian/Estonian citizenship in 1951, lost Polish citizenship.
“Polish law does not explicitly allow dual citizenship, but possession of another citizenship is tolerated”
What about the U.S. side?
The United States allows dual citizenship. At the oath ceremony you promise to renounce allegiance to other countries, but U.S. law does not make you formally give up your other passport. The question is only whether Poland lets you keep yours.
Source: Polish nationality law (Wikipedia, summarized on 2026-11-11). Laws change — confirm with the Poland embassy or consulate before your oath ceremony. This is not legal advice.
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