Poland - Apply for Change of Name

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Procedure

The procedure to change the name or surname is conducted only on application and ends with a decision to change the name or surname or a decision to refuse a change of name or surname, from which may be appealed to the local provincial governor.

The competent authority, the documents - application for a change of name or surname

Request for change of name or names shall be submitted to the Superintendent Registrar.

Persons residing outside the Polish may submit a request via the Polish consul pointing to the head of the marital status, to which the request is to be forwarded.

Proposal for a minor child shall be submitted by the legal representative (e.g. Parent).

1. Go to the competent authority to apply for change of name.
2. Submit all necessary documents.

Changing the name of a minor child Changing the child's surname may be due to changes in the names of his/her parents. Changing the names of both parents extends to the minor children. If the name change applies only to one parent, extending the change to the minor children requires the consent of the other parent. Application to change the name of the minor can only be done through a written request from the parent / legal representative of the child, subject to the consent of the other parent / legal representatives and a child aged 13 years. Name change may be filed without the consent of the other parent in the following situation:

• Does not have full legal capacity
• Dead,
• Not known
• Deprived of any parental authority

Note:

• Individuals are only allowed to have a maximum of two names (not applicable to citizens with dual nationality);
• After the name change, the applicant is only allowed to have a maximum of two names

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Required Documents

• Request for Change of Name - submitted in person to the right registry office or in the case of persons residing abroad - the consular post. There is also the possibility of correspondence sent the request, subject to notarial certification of the affixed signature. The application shall include the following information:
  • The person to which the change applies (first name, surname, maiden name, address of permanent residence or last permanent residence in their absence - the address of a temporary stay lasting more than three months, social security number);
  • New first or last name
  • Reasons behind applying for name change
• Changes to the civil status of the applicant and his minor children, if the change will also extend to them.
• Other documents confirming the validity of the applicant's claims
• Document establishing identity (for inspection).
• In the case where the above-mentioned documents does not contain the social security number, the applicant must also submit a notification of the assignment of a social security number or certificate of assignment of this number;
• Proof of payment of stamp duty in the amount of 37 z?.

Office Locations & Contacts

Department of Civil Affairs
ul. Pawi?skiego 17/21, 02-106 Warsaw
Secretariat:
Tel: (0-22) 602-84-50
Fax: (0-22) 60-28-035
E-mail: [email protected]
Addresses of Civil Registry Offices

Ministry of Interior
Stefana Batorego 5, 02-591 Warszawa
Tel: (22) 143 60 66
Fax (22) 601 39 88
Website

Customer Service Point (CSP MSW)
ul. Rakowiecka 2A, on the first floor Offices Passes MSW
Tel: (22) 60 143 66 (8:15am - 4:15pm)

Eligibility

• Polish citizens
• Foreigners who do not possess citizenship in any country, and are currently permanent residents of Poland.
• Foreigners who have obtained refugee status in Poland - only in cases where there are particularly important reasons associated with the threat of their rights to life, health, liberty or security of person.

Fees

37 PLN if applying in Poland.

~50 EUR/USD/GBP if applying abroad in consulate/embassy.

To be paid in advance.

The amount is returned if the application is denied.

Validity

The administrative decision is valid indefinitely from the date of issue.

Documents to Use

Most Civil Registry Offices over a PDF application.

Just Google for "Wniosek o zmianę imienia PDF" + the name of the city of your office.

If applying abroad, you will get a paper form at the consulate.

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Processing Time

Up to one month.

Applications filed abroad can take longer due to mailing delays.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites. 	
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

Applications may be filed in the following offices:

• Head of the registry office who have jurisdiction over the place of where the applicant is a permanent resident, in the absence of such a place - the head of the registry office of the last place of permanent residence of the applicant. In case you are not sure where to apply you may go to the head of the state civil jurisdiction at the city of Warsaw
• Voivod - is a body of appeal against administrative decisions issued by the head of USC and supervises the activities of the USC managers in the implementation of the obligations set out in the Act.
• Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration - supervises the matters covered by the Act.

Change may be first or last name.

After the change, you can have at most two-word name (in principle), or at most two names.

Change the name means:

• replacing the name of another name
• replacing two names one name or vice versa
• adding a second name
• change the spelling of the name or names
• change the order of names

Changing the name is changing:

• other name
• change the spelling of names
• change the name because of the form appropriate for a female or male

Required Information

The application includes:

• details of the person, which the change applies to:
  • name (s) and name and family name
  • PESEL number, if any, allocated
• first or last name, to which should be changed
• the mailing address of the applicant
• grounds
• declaration by the applicant that the same matter has submitted an application to another manager or registrar's office has taken a decision to refuse access

Need for the Document

Polish Law allows individuals to change their name as long as there is a justifiable reason to do so. A person may change his/her name or change its spelling. An application to change name may also be filed after marriage. Rules on name change follows Law of 17 October about amending the name.

Provision of the act mentioned some cases where request for change of name may be filed:

• the current first or last name is ridiculous, offensive or degrading
• a first or last name other than the one in passport is used in daily life (pseudonym)
• first or last name that has been illegally modified
• for applicants with dual citizenship, if they have another name in that country

This is not an exclusive list, other reasons are valid if they are important. The head of the Civil Registry Office examines each application individually.

Application for change of name may be denied if the applicant would like to change his/her name using the name of somebody famous in the field of history, culture, science, politics, social or military, unless he/she have family members with that name.

Following are procedures on how to apply for name change.

Information which might help

Changing the names of both parents extends to the minor children, and for children who will arise out of this marriage.

If the name changes only one of the parents change extends to the minor children and children from the same parents, provided that the other parent has given his consent, unless it does not have full legal capacity or is deprived of parental authority or dead. If the child is 13 years at the time of the change of name, his consent is required.

Parent agrees to change the name of the child:

• person before the registrar or his deputy
• in writing, signed by a notary
• through the Polish consul who is living abroad

Note: In case of disagreement between the parents of the child, each of them may apply to the guardianship court for permission to change the child's name.

Child agrees to change his name:

• person before the registrar or his deputy
• in writing, signed by a notary
• through the Polish consul who is living abroad

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Ministry of Interior:

https://www.msw.gov.pl/pl/sprawy-obywatelskie/rejestracja-stanu-cywi

Government Ministries & Agencies

Administrative change of name or surname

Polish Government

[https://www.msw.gov.pl/pl The

Others

More information which might help people.