This page covers interpreter services and document identification issues related to Polish: which authority issues the document, which form you have, how the surname is written and what has to be checked before translation. If you are interested in general written translation of Polish texts, see the separate page - Polish translation.
USC - the main source of Polish civil status records
In Poland, birth, marriage and death records are issued by the civil status office - Urząd Stanu Cywilnego, USC for short. It is with this authority's forms that we work most often.
From a practical point of view, the main thing is to establish which form you have in hand. An extract from a Polish civil status record is issued in two main versions: abridged and full. The abridged version reflects only the current status, while the full one includes the changes and annotations entered in the record - for example, a change of surname after marriage or a correction by court decision.
This difference is often decisive: some authorities require precisely the full form, because what matters to them is the history of the record and not only the current data. If you are not sure which form you have, send us a scan - this can be seen clearly from the title and structure of the form.
A separate case is the transfer of events that took place abroad into the Polish register. If a birth or marriage took place outside Poland and was later registered in the Polish system, the form reflects the data of both the original and the transferred record. Both must appear in the translation.
A Polish surname changes according to gender
This is the issue that most often causes inconsistencies with Georgian documents. A large share of Polish surnames have a male and a female form: the typical male ending -ski becomes -ska in the feminine, -cki becomes -cka, and -dzki becomes -dzka.
This means that members of one family will formally have different entries in Polish documents - the father one, the daughter another. This is not a mistake and not two different surnames; it is the norm of the language.
The problem arises when an authority perceives these two forms as two different surnames. In the translation the entry is carried over as it is in the original, and where needed it is noted that these are forms of one and the same surname. At the same time, the Latin spelling must match the passport version - and if the passport has one form and the birth certificate another, this must be identified in advance, not after submission to the authority.
The declension of names deserves a separate mention. In Polish, the first name and surname change their form in a sentence according to grammatical case, so you may find the name in several forms in one and the same document - in one form in the heading, in another in the text. This is the grammar of the language, not two different entries. In the translation the name is given in the nominative form.
Diacritical marks that get lost in scanning
Polish uses the Latin alphabet with additional marks: ą, ć, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź, ż. Ignoring them is not simply a matter of appearance - a mark changes the word and, most importantly, the name.
Particularly problematic is the letter ł, which is often taken for a plain l, and ń, which may be read as n because of the scan quality. ó and o are also often confused. Losing a single mark means that the name no longer matches the passport or another document.
That is why we ask for a clear, complete scan and not a low-quality photo - especially when the document is old, is a copy or was sent by fax.
PESEL and identification data
In Poland, the identification number of a natural person is the PESEL. It appears in most documents and is carried over into the translation unchanged, digit by digit. The same applies to the series and number of the document.
Business documents contain data from the court register - KRS - and the tax identifiers NIP and REGON. When a company extract is translated, these codes and the official names of the authorities keep their form unchanged, because it is precisely by them that the legal entity is identified. The abbreviations of the legal form, which are part of the company name, also remain unchanged.
Educational documents
Polish academic documents are a separate group with their own terminology. School leaving documents and master's and bachelor's documents are issued on different forms, and the grading system differs from the Georgian one.
In the translation, grades are carried over as they are in the original - with the scale indicated, without automatic conversion. Comparing the systems and recognition are the competence of the institution to which you submit the document, not of the translator. The official name of the educational institution also remains unchanged.
A diploma is often accompanied by a supplement listing the subjects and hours. If the authority has also asked for the supplement, it is translated as a separate document - please clarify in advance whether you need it.
Apostille and legalization of documents
For submission abroad, a Polish document often needs additional certification. The order is important: first the document is obtained in the form the authority requires, then it is certified, and only after that is it translated, if the receiving party requires this.
The wrong order often means that the work has to be redone: for example, if the translation has already been made and a seal or annotation is then added to the document, the translation no longer matches the original. So tell us in advance where and in what form you have to submit the document.
Interpreter and official procedures
Interpreting in connection with Polish is most often needed at business meetings, online consultations, medical visits and administrative procedures. Such a service is provided by prior arrangement - please tell us the subject, the format and the expected duration.
It should be noted separately that Poland has the institution of the sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły), whose certification is sometimes mandatory for submission to Polish authorities. This is Poland's internal system and differs from a notarized translation prepared in Georgia. If your document has to be submitted in Poland, check in advance with the receiving authority which form is accepted - we cannot confirm this on their behalf.
What you need to send us
All pages of the document in full, including the back side if there is any entry, seal or annotation on it. On USC records it is often precisely the annotations that contain the most important information.
We also need the Latin spelling of the first name and surname as it appears in your passport - this is the reference against which we align the spelling in the translation. If different documents contain different forms, send us both.
For official submission, additional steps are often needed too: a notarized translation or preparation for an apostille. For civil status records, see also birth certificate translation, and for educational documents - diploma translation.
Need a Polish translation? Send us the document or give us a call. We will tell you the turnaround time and the form required, and help you prepare the document correctly.
Call: 501 113 200Frequently asked questions about Polish documents
In my mother's document my surname ends in -ska, in my father's in -ski - is that a mistake?
No. Polish surnames have a male and a female form, and this is the norm of the language, not a mistake. In the translation the entry is carried over as it is in the original, and where needed it is noted that these are forms of one and the same surname.
Which extract should I get - abridged or full?
That depends on the receiving authority. The full form includes the changes and annotations entered in the record, while the abridged one shows only the current status. If the authority has asked for the history, you will need the full form.
On the scan, ł looks like l - does it matter?
Yes, very much. Losing a diacritical mark changes the name and causes an inconsistency with the passport. That is why we ask for a clear, complete scan.
My name appears in several forms in the document - why?
In Polish, the first name and surname change their form according to grammatical case. This is grammar, not different entries. In the translation the name is given in the nominative form.
Will a notarized translation made in Georgia be accepted in Poland?
That depends on the rules of the receiving authority. Poland has a system of sworn translators, and some authorities require exactly that. We recommend checking with the receiving body in advance.
Will you convert the diploma grades to the Georgian system?
No. The grade is carried over as it is in the original, with the scale indicated. Comparing the systems is the competence of the assessing institution.