UK Apostille for a Document Going to Poland

If you have a document issued in the UK — a birth certificate, a divorce certificate, or a university diploma, say — and you need to use it in Poland, you'll need an apostille. This is a certificate confirming that a document is genuine, and it's recognised between the UK and Poland under the 1961 Hague Convention. Without an apostille, followed by a certified translation, a Polish authority or court is entitled to reject the document as an unverified copy.

Legal notice: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. The legal position is current as of June 2026. Procedures and fees may change. Every case is individual — consult a Polish lawyer (adwokat or radca prawny) or the relevant authority before submitting any document. TwojaSprawa.com is an information platform, not a law firm.

When do you need an apostille on a UK document going to Poland?

An apostille will be required whenever the document needs to have legal effect in Poland:

• you are submitting the document to a Polish court (e.g. as part of a claim or as evidence);
• the document is going to a Polish public authority (registry office — urząd stanu cywilnego, USC; local council office; the social insurance institution ZUS; the business register CEIDG);
• the document concerns the transcription of a foreign civil-status record into Polish registers (birth or marriage certificate);
• the document is needed for vehicle registration or another administrative procedure in Poland;
• a sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły — a translator certified by the Polish Ministry of Justice) in Poland requires confirmation that the original is authentic.

You will not need an apostille if the document is purely informational (for example, for private reading or personal correspondence).

Where to apply in the UK — the FCDO Legalisation Office

In the UK, apostilles are issued by the FCDO Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office).

The process broadly looks like this:

1. Obtain the original document or an official certified copy — an apostille can only be issued on a document produced by a public authority (e.g. a registry office, a council, a state school, or a court).
2. Prepare your application to the FCDO — usually in writing, requesting an apostille.
3. Send the document to the FCDO (usually by post), or submit it in person if you plan to visit their office in the UK.
4. Wait for processing — this can range from a few days to several weeks, depending on the office's workload and the type of document.
5. Receive the document back with the apostille attached — the FCDO returns your document with the apostille certificate sealed to it.

Apostille fee —.

Which UK documents can receive an apostille?

An apostille can be issued on documents produced by public authorities in the UK:

• civil-status records — birth, marriage or death certificates (from a registry office);
• court documents — judgments, orders, or court certificates;
• notarial documents — a power of attorney or notarial deed (if issued by a public notary);
• diplomas and educational certificates — from a university or a state school;
• local authority documents — certificates from a council;
• public-service documents — certificates from the NHS, the police, etc.

An apostille will NOT be possible on documents issued by private bodies (for example a translation agency or an insurance company), or on documents you have written yourself without an official's certification.

What to do after getting the apostille — certified translation into Polish

Having an apostille on your UK document is only the first step. In Poland you'll usually then need a certified (sworn) translation into Polish.

An apostille confirms the document is genuine — it doesn't translate it. If your document is in English and the Polish authority requires the text in Polish, you'll need to instruct a sworn translator.

Order of the process:

1. Obtain the apostille in the UK (original document plus apostille certificate).
2. Send the document to Poland.
3. Instruct a Polish sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły) — the translator should work from the original bearing the apostille.
4. The translator certifies the translation with their own seal and signature.
5. Submit the original, the apostille, and the certified translation to the relevant authority or court in Poland.

Cost of certified translation — this varies broadly depending on word count and the translator's rates..

Rough timeline — and what to say to the authority

Phase 1: UK (apostille) - Late May/early June: you prepare the application to the FCDO plus the document - Late June/July: the FCDO processes it and issues the apostille - Total: 2–8 weeks

Phase 2: Sending the document to Poland - The package with the apostille arrives in Poland: 1–2 weeks by standard post

Phase 3: Certified translation in Poland - You find a translator on the Ministry of Justice's list - Translation: 1–7 days (depending on volume and the translator's availability) - Cost:

Phase 4: Submission to the authority or court - The document is ready for use

What to say to the authority or court: - "Please accept this document, issued in the UK, bearing an apostille and a certified translation into Polish." - If the authority pushes back: "This document carries an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention, together with a certified translation, which is equivalent to consular legalisation."

Can I use multilingual extracts instead of an apostille?

Polish registry offices can issue multilingual extracts of civil-status records (for example a birth certificate) under the 1976 Vienna Convention (CIEC Convention No. 16). Such documents usually do not require translation abroad and can be used directly in the UK.

Conversely, if you need an English-language document based on a Polish multilingual extract, you must order it from a Polish USC. In the UK, such forms are accepted without translation.

For documents issued in the UK: the UK does not issue multilingual extracts under the same scheme. So for UK documents you will need to rely on an apostille plus a certified translation.

FAQ

Will an apostille from the FCDO be valid in Poland? Yes, without doubt. The UK and Poland are both parties to the 1961 Hague Convention, which dispenses with the need for legalisation between these countries. The Convention has remained in force after Brexit.

How long does it take to get an apostille from the FCDO? Roughly a few to several working days, but this depends on the office's workload and the type of document.. In some cases it may be faster, in others slower. Never promise a client a specific timeframe.

Do I need to be in the UK to apply for an apostille? Not always. If you have the original document or a certified copy, you can post it to the FCDO with a written application.. If you are in the UK, you can also attend in person.

Does an apostille ever expire? No, an apostille does not expire. A document bearing an apostille remains valid indefinitely, as long as the underlying document is still valid (a passport can expire, for example, but a birth certificate remains valid indefinitely).

What if a Polish authority refuses to accept a document with an apostille? Refer them to the 1961 Hague Convention. If the authority still refuses, contact a Polish lawyer (adwokat or radca prawny) — it may be necessary to file a complaint about the authority's inaction.

Is the FCDO apostille enough on its own, or do I always need a certified translation? An apostille confirms authenticity but does not translate the document. If your document is in English and the Polish court or authority requires Polish, you will need a certified translation. Some offices may accept a document in English if the official handling it happens to speak English, but you cannot rely on this. It is always safer to have a certified translation.

Related articles

• What is an apostille (in Polish)
• Translating documents from the UK to Poland (in Polish)

Legal basis

• Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Hague Apostille Convention), The Hague, 5 October 1961 — Dz.U. 2005 nr 112 poz. 938
• Polish Act of 25 November 2004 on the Profession of Sworn Translator (consolidated text, Dz.U. 2023 poz. 1556)
• FCDO Legalisation Office — gov.uk/get-document-legalised

Content last checked: 30 June 2026.