Poland
How to Transcribe a U.S. Birth Certificate Into the Polish Civil Registry (Transkrypcja)
Transcription (transkrypcja) turns a foreign birth, marriage or death certificate into a Polish civil-status record. Source: gov.pl, Ministry of the Interior
Why it matters for descendants
Poland says transcription is required when a Polish citizen applies for a Polish identity document or a PESEL number. Source: gov.pl For people born abroad without a registered address in Poland, a Polish birth certificate made by transcription is a necessary condition for getting a PESEL number; the PESEL application itself is made at the passport appointment. Source: Poland in US
If you transcribe your certificate while your confirmation of Polish citizenship is still pending, a positive decision from the voivode confirming your citizenship is an extra condition before a passport application is accepted and a PESEL number assigned. Source: Poland in US
Applying through a consulate in the U.S.
Apply at the Polish consular post for your area, in person or by mail. Appointments are booked through the e-konsulat system. Source: Poland in US You'll need:
- the transcription application form (from the consulate or downloadable from the consulate's page)
- the original foreign birth certificate, showing the parents' first and last names
- a Polish translation by a sworn translator or a consul
Source: Poland in US The Polish-language version of the page also allows a translation by any translator, if its accuracy is certified by the consul. Source: Polska w USA
If one parent doesn't have a Polish birth certificate and the parents' marriage wasn't registered in Poland, the consulate recommends also sending that parent's original birth certificate with a sworn translation (an apostille or legalization may be needed). Without it, the transcription can still be done, but the Polish record won't have all the details, and a PESEL number and passport might not be possible. Source: Poland in US
Fee and timing
The consular fee is $71. Source: Poland in US If the consul certifies a translation, that's another $36, and the apostille clause itself doesn't need to be translated. Source: Polska w USA The consul forwards your application right away to the Polish civil registry office you choose. You can collect the Polish copy at the consulate or have it mailed. Source: Poland in US
Polish spelling
If names on the U.S. certificate were written without Polish letters, you can ask for the spelling to be adapted to Polish rules, or corrected based on Polish marriage or birth records. Registry offices don't always correct the child's own details this way, so parents' and child's names can end up spelled differently. Source: Poland in US
If it's refused
A registry office refuses transcription if, for example, the document isn't recognized as a civil-status document where it was issued, raises doubts about its authenticity, or was itself created by transcription in a country other than where the event happened. A refusal is an administrative decision you can appeal to the provincial governor (voivode). Source: Poland in US