Translating UK Documents for Use in Poland: A Complete Guide

This guide is general legal information, not legal advice. How the rules apply depends on your individual circumstances, and the matter should be assessed by a qualified Polish lawyer. Twoja Sprawa helps you organise the documents for that assessment.

If you live in Poland, or you're moving there, and you're holding documents issued in the United Kingdom — a birth certificate, a diploma, a driving licence, a court judgment — you'll soon discover that many of them need translating from the UK into Polish. It isn't complicated, but it does mean finding the right translator and understanding when a translation has to be certified (i.e. authenticated with an official seal).

Legal notice: This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The legal position is current as of June 2026. Procedures, fees and requirements can change — always check the latest information with the Polish court or office you're submitting the document to. TwojaSprawa.com is an information platform, not a law firm or a translation agency.

Which UK documents need a certified translation?

The general rule is simple: if an English-language document is to be used before a Polish court, a Polish public office, or in an official procedure, it needs a certified translation into Polish. A certified (sworn) translation isn't just ordinary text — it's a document authenticated by a translator entered on the Ministry of Justice's official list, bearing that translator's seal and signature.

Certified translations are most often required for:

• Civil status records: a birth, marriage, or death certificate issued by a UK register office (General Register Office) — needed, for example, to marry in Poland, to obtain a PESEL number (the Polish national ID number), or to reopen a family-law case
• Educational documents: diplomas, certificates, course-completion records — when you submit them in Poland (to a university, or to an employer as part of court proceedings)
• Court judgments: rulings from English courts — when they're submitted to a Polish court, for example in maintenance, matrimonial-property, or criminal proceedings
• Vehicle documents: the vehicle registration certificate (V5C) and motor insurance policy — for registering a car in Poland
• Employment and contract documents: employment contracts, civil-law contracts, employer's certificates — when they form part of a court or administrative procedure
• Medical documents: medical certificates and reports — when required by a Polish court or office (for example, in guardianship or disability-benefit cases)

Apostille — the step before translation

Before you submit a UK document in Poland, you'll usually need to obtain an apostille first. This isn't a translation — it's a certification of the authenticity of a public document, issued by the relevant UK authority, so the document can be recognised as genuine in Poland.

Poland and the United Kingdom are both parties to the 1961 Hague Convention, so an apostille replaces the traditional consular legalisation process.

The apostille procedure in the UK: 1. Obtain the original document from the relevant authority (for example, the General Register Office for civil status records) 2. Send the document to the FCDO Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) in London — or apply online via gov.uk 3. The FCDO attaches the apostille certificate to the document — this usually takes 2–4 weeks

Once you have the apostille, the document is ready for translation. A sworn translator then translates it into Polish, and the resulting translation carries the force of an official document.

Ordinary translation vs. certified translation

Not every UK document needs a certified translation.

An ordinary translation is sufficient for: - reading a document for your own purposes - private correspondence - purely informational content, where the office in question has explicitly said certification isn't required (this is rare)

A certified (sworn) translation is mandatory when the document: - is to be used before a Polish court - will be submitted to a Polish public office (the registry office/USC, the CEIDG business register, ZUS the social insurance institution, or PZIP) - is required for an official procedure affecting an important legal status (vehicle registration, change of citizenship, inheritance matters)

The price difference between an ordinary and a certified translation is significant — a certified translation typically costs at least two to three times as much.

Where to find a sworn translator

A sworn (certified) translator is someone entered on the list of sworn translators maintained by the Polish Ministry of Justice — these are people who have passed a state examination and are authorised to certify translations with an official seal.

How to find one: - Search the register of sworn translators on the Ministry of Justice website (gov.pl) - Filter by language pair (English–Polish) and by the województwo (Polish administrative region) where you live - Contact several translators directly and compare prices and turnaround times - Ask whether they can work from a scanned copy — many translators now offer this to speed up the process

If you live in a different city from the translator, that's not usually a problem — the whole process can generally be completed electronically.

Cost of a certified translation

Fees for certified translations are regulated by a Polish Ministry of Justice regulation. A sworn translator should calculate the price based on the number of characters in the document.

As a rough guide: - Billing unit: 1,125 characters (roughly one A4 page) - Translations ordered by a court or prosecutor: an official statutory rate (this varies) - Translations for private use: a price agreed between you and the translator (typically 80–150 PLN per page)

There is no single fixed price — every translator can set their own terms, but these must be transparent and communicated to you in advance.

Multilingual civil status extracts — can you skip the translation?

A Polish registry office (USC) can issue a multilingual extract of a civil status record — a standard form containing the key information in several languages at once. Multilingual documents can be accepted abroad without any translation.

If you've received a UK document that's available in a multilingual format, always check with the relevant Polish office whether it will be accepted without translation.

FAQ

Can I translate a UK document myself? Not for official purposes. To carry legal weight, the translation must be done by a sworn translator on the official list. A translation you produce yourself won't be accepted by a court or a public office.

How long does a certified translation take? Usually 5–10 working days, depending on the translator's workload and the complexity of the text. Some translators offer an expedited service (2–3 days) for an additional fee.

Is a certified translation recognised everywhere? In Poland, yes — a certified translation produced by a translator on the Polish list carries the force of an official document. In a country other than Poland, it usually is not recognised without further certification. If you need to use the translation abroad, consult a lawyer in that country.

Do I need an apostille for every document? Yes, if the document is to be recognised in Poland as an authentic public document. The apostille is affixed to, or attached to, the document. If you already have a document with an apostille, you can go straight to a translator.

Can I ask a Polish public office to translate a document for me? No — Polish public offices don't translate foreign documents. You need to arrange the translation yourself, through a sworn translator.

Related articles

• When you need a certified translation
• What is an apostille
• Apostille in the UK for a document going to Poland
• Sworn translator or ordinary translator
• Multilingual civil status extracts without translation

Legal basis

• Act of 25 November 2004 on the Profession of Sworn Translator (consolidated text, Journal of Laws) — authorisation, official seal, Ministry of Justice list (in Polish)
• Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, The Hague, 5 October 1961 (apostille) — Journal of Laws 2005 No. 112, item 938 (in Polish)
• Regulation of the Minister of Justice on remuneration for the work of sworn translators — official statutory rates (in Polish)
• Act of 28 November 2014 — Civil Status Records Law (consolidated text, Journal of Laws) — transcription of foreign civil status records (in Polish)
• CIEC Convention No. 16 (Vienna, 1976) on the issue of multilingual extracts of civil status records — multilingual forms (in Polish)

Article last verified: June 2026.