Getting Married in Poland to a Foreigner: Documents and Certified Translations
Planning to get married in Poland when one of you is not a Polish citizen? Before the civil registry office (Urząd Stanu Cywilnego, USC) sets a date, the registrar has to confirm who you are and that nothing prevents either of you from marrying under the law that applies to you. Most of the documents that prove this come from abroad, so in practice they have to be translated into Polish.
Below I explain which documents you need, which of them require a certified translation and in what order to deal with the formalities, so that nothing has to be translated twice.
Which documents does a foreigner need to marry in Poland?
The list is set out in Article 79(1) of the Polish Act on Civil Status Records. A foreign national who wants to marry in Poland submits:
a written declaration (zapewnienie) that there are no circumstances preventing the marriage, signed in person before the registrar on the office's form;
a birth certificate;
if you were married before: the marriage certificate with an annotation that the marriage ended, was annulled or declared non-existent, or the marriage certificate together with a separate document proving that it ended, such as a divorce judgment or your former spouse's death certificate;
a document confirming that you are free to marry under the law that applies to you, often called a certificate of no impediment, certificate of legal capacity to marry or single status certificate.
You will also need a valid passport or ID card.
The certificate of no impediment usually causes the most trouble. It is issued by an authority of the country whose citizen you are: depending on the country, a civil registry, a ministry, a court, or your embassy or consulate in Poland. Its name, form and content differ from country to country.
Which documents need a certified translation?
Every document in a foreign language must be submitted to the USC together with an official translation into Polish. Under Article 31(1) of the Act, the translation can be made by:
a sworn translator entered on the list kept by the Polish Minister of Justice,
a sworn translator authorised in another EU or EEA member state,
a consul.
In practice, this means a certified translation of:
your birth certificate,
the certificate of no impediment,
documents relating to a previous marriage, if you were married before,
sometimes other documents, for example a court decision exempting you from the certificate of no impediment or proof of a change of name.
The written declaration itself is not translated: it is drawn up on the spot, on a Polish form.
I translate all of these documents from English and French into Polish.
If you don't speak Polish: an interpreter at the USC
If either of you does not speak Polish, the written declaration has to be made in the presence of an interpreter. The same applies on the wedding day if either spouse or a witness does not speak Polish. Ask the USC in advance which interpreter it accepts.
What if you cannot get a certificate of no impediment?
Not every country issues such a document. Some have no equivalent at all; in others, the procedure is slow or unavailable to people living abroad.
Polish law provides for this. Under Article 79(2) of the Act, a Polish court may, at your request, exempt you from submitting the certificate. In these non-contentious proceedings, the court itself checks, under the law that applies to you, whether you are free to marry. The application usually has to include translated documents as well, such as your birth certificate and evidence of your previous marital status.
Apostille and legalisation: before the translation
Public documents issued in another EU member state are exempt from any form of legalisation under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191. Documents from outside the EU may need an apostille, if the issuing country is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, or consular legalisation.
The order matters: first get the apostille in the country that issued the document, then have the document translated. The apostille is part of the document and is translated too. If it is added after the translation, the translation will have to be supplemented.
Paper translations for the civil registry office
A certified translation can be issued on paper, with the translator's seal and signature, or as a PDF with a qualified electronic signature. For civil registry procedures I prepare translations on paper, because USC offices generally expect this form.
You can collect the translation in person at my office in Saska Kępa, Warsaw (ul. Zwycięzców 59/35), or have it delivered by courier.
Bilingual documents from Canada, Quebec, Belgium or Switzerland
Documents with both English and French text may need two separate translations if part of the content appears only in one language and part only in the other, because a translator authorised for just one of those languages cannot cover the whole document.
I am authorised for both languages, so I translate such a document in full as a single certified translation, with a certification clause naming both source languages. For Canadian couples, this means one set of translations instead of two and a shorter turnaround.
How much does it cost and how to order
A certified translation of a foreign birth certificate from English or French into Polish typically costs PLN 200–300, depending on the issuing country. For other documents, I give a free quote after seeing a scan.
Send a scan or photo of your documents to kontakt@mplazinski.com. A legible image is enough for a quote.
Receive a free, no-obligation quote with the price and turnaround time.
Show me the originals. The USC generally expects translations made from the original documents, with the apostille where one is required.
Collect the translation in person in Warsaw or have it delivered by courier.
Certified translator of English and French in Warsaw
I am a certified translator of English and French (TP/84/17) based in Warsaw. More about my qualifications · Frequently asked questions · Contact
Have documents for your wedding? Email kontakt@mplazinski.com or call +48 600 499 567. The quote is free.
Frequently asked questions
Does the certificate of no impediment need a certified translation?
Yes, if it is not in Polish. Under Article 31(1) of the Act on Civil Status Records, foreign-language documents must be submitted to the civil registry office together with an official translation into Polish.
Can I use a translation made in my home country?
Only if it was made by a sworn translator authorised in an EU or EEA member state, or by a consul. A translation made by a translator from outside the EU or EEA, for example in the UK, the US or Canada, does not meet this requirement.
Is a PDF translation with an electronic signature enough for the USC?
In practice, civil registry offices expect a paper translation, so I prepare documents for wedding procedures in this form. An electronic translation is worth considering for institutions that explicitly accept documents with a qualified electronic signature.
Do I need an interpreter at the wedding?
Yes, if either of you or a witness does not speak Polish. An interpreter must also be present when you make the written declaration at the USC. Ask the office in advance which interpreter it accepts.
How long does the translation take?
A single document, such as a birth certificate, usually takes 1–3 working days. For several documents, I give the turnaround time in the quote. An express service is available at an extra charge.
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