Civil Marriage

Before visiting the civil registry, prepare documents for both spouses-to-be:

Polish citizens

• ID card or passport (valid)
• Abridged birth certificate transcript — if the certificate is at a different civil registry than the one where you are getting married (the civil registry can retrieve it itself if it is in the electronic system)
• Abridged marriage certificate transcript with divorce annotation — if you were previously married
• Abridged death certificate transcript of the previous spouse — if you are a widow/widower

Foreign nationals (additional documents)

• Birth certificate transcript with a sworn translation into Polish
• Certificate of legal capacity to marry issued by the competent authority of the country of origin (with a sworn translation into Polish)
• Valid passport

If the foreign national cannot obtain the certificate of legal capacity, they may apply to the district court in Poland for exemption from the requirement to present this document.

Both spouses-to-be submit a declaration of no impediment to marriage at the chosen civil registry.

How to do it?

1. Book an appointment at the civil registry (by phone or online)
2. Come together in person with identity documents
3. Each of you will sign a separate declaration before the head of the civil registry
4. Set the date and time of the ceremony
5. Submit declarations on surnames (what surnames you will use after the wedding and what surname the children will bear)

Deadline

Marriage may not be contracted earlier than one month after the declarations are submitted. A declaration is valid for 6 months.

The head of the civil registry may shorten the one-month period for good reasons (e.g. pregnancy, illness).

At least one month must pass from the day the declarations are submitted before the marriage ceremony.

Shortening the period

The head of the civil registry may shorten the one-month period for good reasons, e.g.:

• pregnancy
• serious illness of one of the spouses-to-be
• other special circumstances

The application for shortening must be submitted verbally or in writing at the civil registry. The decision is at the head's discretion.

In the meantime

• Work out the ceremony details with the head of the civil registry
• If you are planning a wedding outside the civil registry — agree on the location and date
• Prepare wedding rings and two witnesses (adults, with identity documents)

Stamp duty for drawing up the marriage certificate

• 84 PLN — mandatory for everyone
• Payable to the account of the municipal office where the civil registry is located

Additional fee for a wedding outside the civil registry

• 1,000 PLN — if the ceremony is held outside the civil registry premises (outdoor, restaurant, hotel)
• Payable to the account of the municipal office

How to pay?

• By bank transfer to the civil registry account (the account number is provided by the office or on the BIP website)
• In cash at the office cashier
• By card — in some offices

Present proof of payment at the civil registry before the ceremony or on the day of the wedding.

How the ceremony proceeds

1. The head of the civil registry verifies the identities of the spouses-to-be and witnesses
2. The head reads excerpts from the Family and Guardianship Code on the rights and duties of spouses
3. The spouses-to-be exchange declarations of intent to marry
4. The head announces that the marriage has been contracted
5. The newlyweds, witnesses and head sign the marriage certificate
6. Exchange of rings (tradition, not a legal requirement)

Requirements

• Two witnesses — adults, with identity documents
• Wedding rings — traditional, but not legally required
• ID cards or passports of the newlyweds

Wedding outside the civil registry

A ceremony outside the civil registry premises is possible if the venue provides a solemn form and safety for participants. The location is agreed with the head of the civil registry.

After the ceremony the head of the civil registry draws up the marriage certificate in the civil register.

Marriage certificate transcripts

• First abridged transcript — issued free of charge ex officio after the wedding
• Subsequent abridged transcripts — 22 PLN each
• Full transcript — 33 PLN each

The transcript is needed, among other things, for:

• changing data on the ID card (if surname changes)
• updating data at the tax office, ZUS, bank
• handling inheritance matters

You can order a transcript at any civil registry in Poland or online via gov.pl.

If you changed your surname after the wedding, you must update your documents:

Within 4 weeks

• ID card — submit an application for a new ID card at the municipal office or online (the old card remains valid for 4 months from the name change)
• Passport — if you are planning international travel

Within 30 days

• Driving licence — report the data change at the county (starost) office

As soon as possible

• Tax office — data update (form ZAP-3)
• ZUS — if you are self-employed
• Bank — update customer data
• Employer — update HR records
• CEIDG — if you run a business
• University — if you are a student