Application to change a first name or surname (Poland)

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An application to a Polish civil registry office (urząd stanu cywilnego) for an administrative change of first name or surname, with what the Act on changing names requires: the applicant's details and birth surname, the offices holding the birth and marriage certificates, the new name, any children it extends to, the important reason, and a statement that no application in the same matter was made elsewhere and no refusal was issued. It can be filed at any civil registry office.

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Common questions

On what grounds can a first name or surname be changed in Poland?

Only for important reasons (art. 4(1) of the Act on changing first names and surnames), notably where the name is ridiculous or beneath human dignity, where the applicant actually uses another name, where it was changed unlawfully, or where the applicant bears another name under the law of a country whose citizenship they also hold. The list is open, but the reason must be properly justified. A historic or famous surname cannot be taken unless the applicant's family bears it.

How much does a name change cost in Poland and how long does it take?

The stamp duty for a decision changing a first name or surname is 37 zł. The head of the civil registry office decides without undue delay, within a month at most, or two months in a particularly complex case. The decision can be appealed to the voivode within 14 days of it being served. After the change, the identity card has to be replaced.

Does a parent's change of surname extend to the children?

A change of both parents' surname extends to their minor children. A change of one parent's surname covers the children only with the other parent's consent, unless that parent has died, is unknown, lacks full legal capacity or has been deprived of parental authority (art. 8 of the Act on changing first names and surnames). A child aged 13 or over must also consent — in person at the office, or in writing with a notarised signature.