Find USC by place of birth

The birth of a child in Poland is registered at the Urząd Stanu Cywilnego at the place of birth, not automatically at the parents' rental address. The deadline is 21 days from the date of the birth certificate. It is handed over to USC by the authorized health care provider who delivered the child; check that the card has been received before the visit.

Do not confuse the medical birth card with the certificate that the USC will issue. Write down the hospital, date of birth and the child's supposed name. In a family with different spelling of surnames, check the passports and available civil status documents in advance so as not to correct the entry later.

What to take and who serves

The official service lists the identity document of the applicant - passport or dowód osobisty; in the case of representation, the provided power of attorney is needed. In the case of a foreign family, contact the USC in advance to obtain the details of marriage, parentage and foreign acts, if they are not already reflected in the Polish registers. Do not order apostille or translation without a requirement for a specific document.

If the parents are not married, the information on the father and the possibility of registration by him are linked to the recognition of paternity. This is a separate statement that can be made in the appropriate body. Do not expect that entering the father's surname from the words in the electronic form replaces this procedure.

Paper folders
Paper files. Photo: Wesley Tingey / Unsplash. Illustration.

In person or online

Personal filing remains a reasonable option in the case of unusual situations with documents. Open the online route through the existing official service gov.pl; it requires proof of identity and in 2026 indicates e-Doręczenia for the corresponding electronic communication. Do not use the saved old ePUAP form without verification.

Check all the details in the protocol before signing: parents' names, surname, date and place of birth of the child. If you do not understand the text, ask to explain the entry before signing. Make a list of differences between passport transliterations to ask questions specifically.

What to get and check

  • One free abbreviated copy of the birth certificate.
  • Notification of PESEL, if a number is assigned.
  • Confirmation registration addressif the child is registered.
  • Write the name and surname in all documents issued.
  • Information on the next action if the body still needs the documents.
Verification and signing of documents at the desk
Verification and signing of documents at the desk. Photo: Gabrielle Henderson / Unsplash. Illustration.

What registration does not resolve automatically

Check-in is free of charge. But birth in Poland does not in itself mean automatic Polish citizenship for any child of foreigners. The passport or other document of the child is issued according to the rules of the relevant state; the question of his stay must be checked separately on the status of the parents.

Then register the child in insurance with the appropriate parent's ground. Do not leave all further actions until the first trip: you will need valid documents for the trip. If you noticed an error in the record, contact the USC with a specific line and documents confirming the correct data, without creating a second notification of birth.

Official sources