Karta Polaka: the consul interview and how much Polish you need
Published 28 October 2026
For the Karta Polaka the Act asks for "at least a basic knowledge of the Polish language" — the consul or the voivode judges it in a conversation in Polish, unless you bring a state certificate or a certificate from a school taught in Polish. No certificate is required. It is the next step that requires one: for citizenship after the Karta Polaka, the law asks for a state certificate at B1 or above.
In short
- Karta Polaka: at least basic Polish, judged in a conversation in Polish about your ties to Poland and Polish traditions and customs. The procedure is free.
- There is no language conversation if you bring a state certificate, a certificate from a school or university in Poland, or from a school abroad taught in Polish. A language-course certificate is not enough.
- Citizenship after the Karta Polaka: at least 1 year on a permanent residence permit and a state certificate at B1 or above, or a school certificate.
From the Karta Polaka to citizenship
- 1Karta Polakaat least basic Polish — shown in a conversation or by a documentfree, valid for 10 years
- 2Permanent residence permitthe Karta Polaka lapses on the day it is grantedapplied for to the voivode
- 3Citizenshipa state certificate at B1 or above, or a school certificateafter at least 1 year of permanent residence
Under the Karta Polaka Act and the Polish Citizenship Act.
What level of Polish does the Karta Polaka require?
"At least basic" — and the Act does not translate that into A1–C2. Article 2 asks applicants to show their tie to Polishness through a basic knowledge of Polish, which they regard as their mother tongue, and through knowing and keeping Polish traditions and customs. On top of that they sign a written declaration of belonging to the Polish nation and show Polish nationality — their own, a parent's, a grandparent's or two great-grandparents' — or bring a certificate from a Polish or Polonia organisation covering at least three years of activity.
What is the interview like?
It is held in Polish, in person, and covers your ties to Poland and Polish traditions and customs — that is how the consulate in Ukraine and the voivode's office in Poznań describe it. Neither publishes a list of questions, and the Act does not say how long the conversation lasts.
- Abroad, the application goes to the consul for the place you live.
- In Poland — if you are a citizen of Ukraine, Belarus or Russia (or stateless there) — to any of the 16 voivodes. The voivode then judges your Polish.
- Once the application is in the register, the Internal Security Agency has 30 days to report on you, and the office another 30 days to decide.
- A refusal is appealed to the Council for Poles Abroad within 30 days, through the same office.
When is your Polish not judged in a conversation?
When you bring one of the three documents in Article 13(7): the official confirmation of Polish, that is a state exam certificate; a certificate from a school or university in Poland; or a certificate from a school abroad taught in Polish. The Act does not say what level the certificate must be. The consulate points out that a certificate from a Polish course is not enough.
The Karta Polaka Act does not name the telc certificate — only the state confirmation and school certificates. If you want a document instead of the conversation, that means the state exam.
What does the Karta Polaka give you, and what not?
| Gives (Art. 6) | Does not give (Art. 7) |
|---|---|
| work under the Act on employing foreigners, and a business on the same terms as citizens | Polish citizenship |
| university, doctoral school and school education, and emergency healthcare | the right to cross the border |
| 37% off train fares, free entry to state museums, a national visa with no fee | the right to settle in Poland |
The card is valid for 10 years; granted to someone over 65, indefinitely. It is refused to anyone who already holds Polish citizenship or a permanent residence permit (Art. 19), so the order matters: the Karta Polaka first, permanent residence after.
The Karta Polaka and citizenship: here the conversation is not enough
With the Karta Polaka you can apply to the voivode for a permanent residence permit — the card lapses on the day it is issued (Art. 20(1a)). After at least 1 year of uninterrupted residence on that permit you can apply to be recognised as a Polish citizen (Art. 30(1)(7) of the Citizenship Act).
And here the bar goes up. Article 30(2) asks for Polish confirmed by a state certificate at B1 or above, a certificate from a school in Poland, or one from a school abroad taught in Polish. The consul's conversation is not on that list, and the telc certificate does not count. What the application needs exactly is on the certificate for citizenship page; what the exam looks like — the state B1 exam.
As of 28.10.2026: there is no bill in the Sejm amending the Karta Polaka Act; three bills amending the Citizenship Act (prints 1273, 1759 and 1888) have not been passed. Check the requirements on your consulate's or voivode's office's site before you apply.
How to prepare
For the conversation — by talking in Polish about your family, its ties to Poland and the traditions you know from home, since that is what the offices say it covers. For citizenship — for the state exam: B1 has five parts and you need the pass mark in each. When the sittings are and how long the whole road to a certificate takes: exam dates.