Registration of foreign death certificates in a Polish registry office
Where to apply?
A foreign civil status certificate can be registered at a selected civil status office in Poland. Registration can be done in three ways: a) in person at the Civil Registry Office in Poland; b) by proxy (e.g. a family member living in Poland); c) through the consul.
Personal registration is the fastest method of registering a civil status certificate.
In the matter of registering a foreign civil status certificate through a proxy or immediate family: ascendants (grandparents, parents), descendants (children, grandchildren), spouse, siblings, please contact the relevant Civil Registry Office in advance to arrange the required documents.
You can also submit an application for registration to the territorially competent consular office of the Republic of Poland.
W sprawie rejestracji zagranicznego aktu stanu cywilnego za pośrednictwem pełnomocnika lub najbliższej rodziny: wstępni (dziadkowie, rodzice), zstępni (dzieci, wnuki), małżonek, rodzeństwo, prosimy o uprzedni kontakt z właściwym USC w celu ustalenia wymaganych dokumentów.
Wniosek o rejestrację możesz też złożyć we właściwym terytorialnie urzędzie konsularnym RP.
Do I have to apply in person?
Documents can be submitted in person or sent by post.
How to book an appointment?
You can book your appointment to apply for a visa via the e-konsulat system, by choosing “Legal matters” from the menu on the left of the screen. If the system does not show a date you want, it means there are no slots available on that date or the Consular Section is closed. New appointments are opened every Tuesday from 10.00-10.30 a.m. local time.
What documents do I need to submit?
Thai offices already issue English-language civil status certificates (birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, etc.). Having an English-language act facilitates the procedure of document registration in Poland.
Documents required:
1) transcription application (downloadable at the bottom of this page),
2) original foreign marriage certificate, legalized by the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
3) translation of a foreign marriage certificate into Polish
Documents prepared in a foreign language must be submitted with an official translation into Polish by:
1) a sworn translator entered on the list kept by the Minister of Justice,
2) consul.
If the foreign marriage certificate contains information about the surnames of the spouses after the marriage and about the surnames of the children born out of the marriage, you can also include statements on this matter when submitting the transcription application or submit a statement to the consul for the record.
How much does it cost?
- The visa fee is 1806 THB.
- Consular fees should be paid upon submitting your application at the Consular Section.
- Accepted forms of payment: cash.
- The final amount of the fee will be determined during the visit after analyzing the submitted documents.
- More information about the payment is available here: Consular fees.
What is the waiting time?
The consul will immediately forward your application to the head of the Register Office of your choice.
How to collect the documents?
A Polish copy of the marriage certificate can be collected in person at the consulate or sent by post.
How to appeal?
The head of the Register Office will refuse to transcribe a foreign civil status document if:
- A document is not considered to be a civil status document or is not a valid official document or has not been issued by the competent authority in the issuing state, or raises doubts as to its authenticity, or confirms an occurrence other than birth, marriage or death.
- A foreign document was created as a result of transcription in a state other than the state of occurrence.
- It would be contrary to basic principles of Poland’s legal order.
A refusal to transcribe a foreign civil status certificate will take the form of an administrative decision which may be appealed with the competent provincial governor for the territory in question.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to submit an application to transcribe a death certificate to be able to receive a certificate allowing the repatriation of body or ashes?
No, transcribing a death certificate is not a necessary condition for issuing a certificate allowing the repatriation of body or ashes.
Legal basis
Ustawa z dnia 28 listopada 2014 roku Prawo o aktach stanu cywilnego