Poland in the UK

You can apply for a passport at any Polish consular post. Please remember that you apply for and collect your new passport at the same consular post.

Passport applications must be submitted in person.

You can book your appointment to apply for a passport via the e-konsulat.

You can apply for a passport electronically during your appointment at the consular post. A consular employee will prepare the electronic form, and you will confirm the accuracy of the data by signing on the designated device (Signature Pad).

•    A biometric colour photo—read what the photo should look like. 
PLEASE NOTE: You must attach a photo to the application. If you do not attach the photo or if it does not meet the requirements, the passport authority (consul) will not accept your application.

•    A valid passport or ID card (if issued) confirming your identity and Polish nationality.                                  

NOTE: In case of reasonable doubts as to your identity, nationality or other details necessary to file the passport application, the consul may request that you submit additional documents.  

•    A document confirming that you are entitled to a reduced fee or that you can have your passport issued free of charge (for example, a student ID, pensioner’s ID, disability pensioner’s ID, Large Family Card, etc.).

The issuance fee is 123 GBP. 

The fees must be paid at the consular post when submitting the application. 

Accepted forms of payment: cash, credit and debit cards.

The rules concerning reduced passport fees have been set out in Article 21(1) of the Act of 27 January 2022 on passports.

You are eligible for a reduced fee if you are, for example:

• a pupil, a student, or a university student aged between 18 and 26;

• a holder of a Large Family Card;

• a pensioner or a disability pensioner.

PLEASE NOTE: To be able to pay a reduced consular fee, you must present a document confirming your eligibility when submitting your application.

You are entitled to a passport free of charge in accordance with Article 22(1) of the Act of 27 January 2022 on passports if:

• you are 70 years old or over when submitting the application;

• there has been a technical defect or personal data inconsistency (for example, in your given name, surname, date or place of birth, sex, PESEL number).

When you apply for a passport, a consular employee will give you an estimated collection date. You will also receive a written confirmation of application receipt. On the receipt you will find the passport application number, which is useful if you want to track the application online.

If you need an ID document urgently, for example because of a coming trip, you should also apply for a temporary passport that will cover the waiting time for the delivery of the biometric passport. You will get it sooner than the biometric one.

Remember! If you are planning to travel abroad with the temporary passport, check the current rules of entry and stay of foreigners in the country of destination. Make sure that you can cross the border with the temporary passport and check the required validity period (at entry and departure).

More information on when to collect the passport can be found at the mission’s website: https://www.gov.pl/web/unitedkingdom/embassy-consulates

When collecting the new document, bring the previous valid passport (or temporary passport) to the consulate. The previous passport will be annulled and physically cancelled, except for pages with valid visas, and then returned.

IMPORTANT! In justified cases, particularly if traveling to the consular office is especially difficult, the consul may waive the requirement to collect your passport in person. You should discuss this option when you submit your passport application. If approved, you will need to submit a reasoned written request to the consul (a special form is available at the consular office) and cover the postage costs. The consul will send the passport to the indicated address by mail or courier, ensuring the security of the document. The consul will annul the current valid passport before the new document is sent. 

PLEASE NOTE: The consul does not send passports to persons staying outside the consular district in which the application was filed. It is also not possible to send a passport issued by a domestic passport authority (province governor) to a person staying outside Poland.

Do I have to apply for a replacement passport if my personal data have changed?

Yes, you must apply for a new passport if your personal data have changed or need to be corrected, including changes to your surname(s), name(s), date and place of birth, sex, or PESEL number. If this applies to you, you should apply for a new passport without delay.

PLEASE NOTE: Your current passport will automatically become invalid 120 days after the date on which your personal data were amended in the PESEL register.

Remember! The registration of foreign civil status events in Poland is mandatory if you apply for a Polish identity document or the PESEL number to be issued for you or for a child.

If you live abroad permanently, it is in the best interest of you and your loved ones to ensure that the personal data in your Polish and foreign documents are consistent.

My passport has run out of space for visas and border crossing stamps, but it expires in a few years' time. Does it need to be replaced?

There is no such obligation. If your passport has run out of space for visas and border crossing stamps and you plan to travel abroad, you should apply for a new passport.

It may also be wise to consider applying for a new passport even if you do not have immediate travel plans, as this can help prevent difficulties in the event of a sudden trip.

Can the consul refuse to issue a passport?

The consul may refuse to issue a passport when:

• based on the submitted documents and available registers, the consul could not confirm the authenticity of personal data to be included in the applicant's passport, provided in the passport application;

• based on the submitted documents and available registers, the consul could not confirm your nationality;

•  you have not paid the required passport or temporary passport fee;

Furthermore, the consul may refuse to issue a passport at the request of the following competent national authorities:

•  a court conducting criminal proceedings or proceedings relating to a fiscal offence, criminal proceedings concerning a minor, or civil proceedings against you;

• an authority conducting preliminary investigation or enforcement proceedings in a criminal case, including those relating to fiscal offences against you.

What can I do if the consul refuses to issue a passport?

The consul refuses to issue a passport by way of a decision.  You can appeal against the decision to the Minister of the Interior through the consul. You have 14 days to lodge an appeal from the date of the delivery of the decision.

However, you cannot appeal against a refusal to issue a passport at the request of competent national authorities (a court, public prosecution service) to the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. You can appeal to the Regional Administrative Court.

How do I get a passport if I was born abroad, I have never had a Polish passport or personal ID, I have never lived in Poland but one of my parents used to have a Polish passport?

To obtain a passport if you were born abroad, have never had a Polish passport or personal ID, have never lived in Poland, but one of your parents held a Polish passport, follow these steps:

1. Request Confirmation of Polish Citizenship:
   Submit a request to confirm your Polish citizenship.
    
2. Register Your Foreign Documents:
   After receiving the province governor's decision confirming your Polish citizenship, you must register your foreign birth certificate and, if applicable, your marriage certificate in Poland. This process will provide you with a copy of a Polish birth certificate and a Polish marriage certificate.
    
3. Prepare Documents for Your Passport Application:
   • a recent passport photo,
   • an abridged or unabridged copy of your Polish birth certificate,
   • an abridged or unabridged copy of your Polish marriage certificate (if applicable),
   • the decision confirming your Polish citizenship,
   • a valid ID card with a photograph.

4. When you attend your passport appointment, bring the following documents:

By following these steps, you will be able to apply for your Polish passport.

The consul may refuse to accept the application when:

1. you have not submitted a photograph meeting the necessary requirements set out in the Act on passports;

2. you refused to provide your fingerprints if providing fingerprints is required;

3. you refused to provide your signature if it is required;

4. a document confirming the authority to submit the application on behalf of a person who lacks legal capacity or has limited capacity to act in law in the case of an application filed by a legal guardian or an attorney ad litem has not been submitted.

If the above circumstances apply, the consul will not accept your application.