Birth Records from Poland – How to obtain – Guide

Birth certificates from Poland are valuable documents for anyone researching their family history or conducting official proceedings. In Poland, these documents are usually kept in the relevant state archives and registry offices where the event was registered. With the help of birth registers, we can find out where and when our ancestors were born, who their parents were and where the whole family came from.

In this article you will find information about available birth certificates from the current and former territories of Poland, both from the present day and from the 19th century. Since sometimes you may need assistance in finding and ordering documentation, we offer professional help in obtaining birth certificates and other official documents from Poland. With our help, you will save time and avoid unnecessary formalities.

Copies of birth certificates in Poland

From March 1, 2015, you can choose the form in which you would like to receive a copy of your birth certificate from Poland – electronically or on paper.

1. The abridged version contains the current content of the civil status file.
2. A complete copy contains more information than an abridged copy. It accurately reflects the content of the civil status book. It contains both the data that was current at the time the entry was created and all subsequent changes (e.g. information on name changes).
3. A multilingual summary is a document that you need abroad, for example. You do not need to translate or notarize it if you want to use it in the following countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Moldova, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Cape Verde.

How to obtain documents from the Polish Civil Registry Office

The application can be made in person, in writing or by an authorized representative. The full name, exact date and place of birth and the names of the parents must be stated. An application for a birth certificate from Poland can be made in the following forms:

1. Depending on the date of birth, the application must be submitted to the registry office responsible for the place of birth registration.
2. If the birth was registered in the national database of registry offices, the application can be submitted to any office in Poland without having to specify the place of the first registration.
3. The application can be submitted via the electronic platform ePUAP.

Apostille and legalization of documents from Poland

The apostille, a simplified form of legalization, is used in countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention of 1961. This special certificate, which is attached to the document, confirms its authenticity and enables it to be used in other member countries. For countries that are not part of the Hague Convention, full legalization is required – a process that involves verification of the document by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the consulate or embassy of the country where the document is to be used. This procedure applies to many types of documents, including civil status documents, educational documents and court documents.

Vital Records in Poland

In Poland, the offices responsible for issuing birth certificates are the so-called civil status offices (USC). Birth certificates contain information about the child, such as surname, first name, gender, date of birth, place of birth and information about the parents. To obtain a copy of the Polish birth certificate, it is important to contact the registry office responsible for the person’s place of birth.

International Birth Certificate from Poland

The international birth certificate from Poland is a document confirming the birth of a person in Poland in an international format. It is useful for proving the birth of a person born in Poland abroad. To obtain an international birth certificate from Poland, you must contact the relevant Polish registry office or consulate. The certificate contains basic information such as the child’s name, date of birth, place of birth and details of the parents. An international birth certificate from Poland is important for people born abroad who need official confirmation of their birth in their country of residence.