Explore country-specific rules for recognising foreign documents for official use.
This map shows when certified or sworn translations, apostilles, or legalisation are required for official use.
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Requirement: Sworn
| Apostille required | Sometimes (when a Polish public document is used abroad). Apostilles are issued by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Official guidance |
|---|---|
| Translation type required | Sworn translation (tłumaczenie przysięgłe) |
| Who can translate | Sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły) registered with the Ministry of Justice |
| Official translator registry | Ministry of Justice – Sworn Translators Register (search) |
| Accepted languages | Polish (for official use in Poland) |
| Legalisation authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs (apostille / legalisation) |
| Official source | Ministry of Justice – Register | Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Certification/Apostille | EU e-Justice Portal (Poland – legal translators/interpreters) |
Important: If an apostille/legalisation is required for a Polish document to be used abroad, obtain it on the original document before arranging translation.
Find a sworn translator in PolandIn Poland, official translations for courts, government offices, and other formal procedures are typically performed by a sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły) who is entered in the official register kept by the Ministry of Justice.
You can verify a translator’s status using the official search tool: Ministry of Justice – Sworn Translators Register .
A sworn translation is made official by the sworn translator’s stamp/seal and signature, together with a certification statement confirming the translation is faithful to the original. Authorities commonly expect the translation to clearly identify the source document and to be produced in Polish for use in Poland.
Foreign public documents submitted in Poland may need to be apostilled or legalised in the country of origin, depending on the issuing country and document type. After that, the document is typically translated into Polish by a sworn translator for official use.
The sworn translator profession and the official register are maintained by the Polish Ministry of Justice. For practical confirmation of the official list and how it operates, see: EU e-Justice Portal – Poland .
