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Report the birth of a child

If your child is born, you must report this fact to the appropriate civil registry (USC). The head of the office will register the birth of your child, provide you with a PESEL number for the child and register it for residence. Check how to report the birth of a child – online or at the office.

Online

If you want to report the birth of a child online, you need a trusted profile (eGO) or an e-identity card to verify your identity.

Find out how to create a trusted profile or use an e-identity card.

If you want to log in using an e-identity card, you need an ePUAP inbox to communicate with the office. In this inbox you will find, for example, letters that you have sent to the office via the Obywatel website and the ePUAP platform.

To accept your application, the office must receive a birth card for the child.The card is submitted to the office by an authorised person who delivered the baby – e.g. doctor or midwife.

Who can report

The child's mother or father who has full legal capacity.

You can only report the birth of a child born in Poland.

The child's father must first submit a declaration of paternity, if he is not the husband of the child's mother.Only then can the head of the civil registry office accept a birth report from the child's father and enter his data in the child's birth certificate.

The child’s father can submit such a declaration to:

  • the head of any registry office,
  • the consul of the Republic of Poland,
  • a competent court.

For the declaration to be valid, the child’s mother must confirm it within 3 months after submission of the declaration by the child’s father.

What you need to prepare

One of the following:

  • login and password for a trusted profile and a mobile phone,
  • qualified signature,
  • e-identity card.

What you need to do

  1. Click the ‘Report birth of a child’ button.
  2. You will be redirected to login.gov.pl. Choose a login method.
  3. Complete the report form. In step 3, enter the child's first name(s) – see ‘Name for the child’ for instructions.
  4. After completing the form, you will be redirected to the e-signature service at pz.gov.pl where you can check and sign the report form electronically.
  5. You can sign the report form using:
    • trusted profile,
    • ID card with an electronic element (e-identity card),
    • qualified electronic signature,
  6. You will receive proof of sending for your report to ePUAP inbox and the e-mail address provided in the report form.
  7. Wait for a reply from the office. For details, see ‘Childbirth registration process’ and ‘How long to wait’.

 

If the official examining your report finds any deficiencies or errors, you will be notified via ePUAP.Check your inbox – if you reply to the official’s message, you will speed up processing of your case.

How to set up email notifications for new messages on ePUAP inbox:

  1. Log in to your ePUAP account.
  2. Go to ‘My inbox’ (upper right corner of the screen).
  3. Select ‘Operations’ in the bar on the left.
  4. Select ‘Settings’.
  5. Select ‘always’ as an option to receive notifications.
  6. Save changes.

 

Now you will be notified via e-mail about all messages from the office.

When to report

Within 21 days after issue of the birth card.

The birth card will be issued by an authorised person who delivered the baby – e.g. doctor or midwife. They will forward it to the civil registry office no later than 3 days after its issue.

If you do not report the birth of your child to the office within 21 days, the head of the civil registry office will choose the name for your child and register their birth on the basis of a birth card.

How much you will pay

The service is free of charge.

How long you will wait

The head of the civil registry office draws up a birth certificate on the next working day after the birth is reported – provided that they have received the child's birth card.
Remember that:

  • the waiting time depends on your chosen method of receiving documents from the office,
  • the head of the civil registry office may ask you to provide explanations.Provide your e-mail address and telephone number in the report form to speed up processing of your case.

You select the method of collecting documents in the report form.You have 3 options:

  • to your ePUAP inbox:
  • by post,
  • in person at the office.

Childbirth registration process

Head of the civil registry office:

  • draws up a birth certificate based on your application and birth card;
  • provides you with the following documents:
  • one free abridged certified copy of the birth certificate,
  • notification that a PESEL number has been assignment (if the child has received a PESEL number),
  • permanent residence registration certificate for your child (if the child is registered as permanent resident).

Name for the child

There is no formal list of names you can give your baby, but you must consider the following restrictions:

  • you cannot give your child more than 2 names,
  • the name you give cannot be ridiculous or indecent,
  • you cannot use a diminutive form of the first name.

You can choose a foreign name or names – e.g. Mercedes, Andrea – regardless of the citizenship and nationality of the child's parents. You can choose a name that does not clearly identify gender, but is generally attributed to a given gender.

The head of the civil registry office may refuse to accept the names you have chosen for your child. This may happen when they decide that the names do not meet the requirements listed above. In such a situation, the head of the civil registry office will choose the child's name ex officio. This will allow them to register the birth immediately.

You will then be issued with an administrative decision. If the head of the civil registry office issues such a decision, you have 14 days to lodge an appeal with the competent province governor.Submit the appeal to the head of the civil registry office who issued the decision.

What you need to do if your child is stillborn

If the child is born still – report their birth within 3 days of issuing the stillbirth card.

The stillbirth card will be issued by an authorised person who delivered the baby – e.g. doctor or midwife. They will then forward the card to the civil registry office within 1 day of its issue.

The stillbirth card will be submitted to the civil registry office, if the doctor establishes the child's gender.Only then can the birth be registered with the civil registry office. In such a situation, the head of the civil registry office draws up a birth certificate for the child with the note that the child is stillborn. In this case, no death certificate is issued.

If the gender of the child is not determined, the stillbirth card will not be submitted to the civil registry office. If you are authorised to make burial arrangements (e.g. the child's parent), the doctor may issue a death card upon your request. With this card, you will be able to bury your child without having to register their death with the civil registry office.

Legal basis

  • Vital Records Law Act of 28 November 2014 (Journal of Laws 2014, item 1741, as amended),
  • Population Register Act of 24 September 2010 (Journal of Laws 2010, No 217, item 1427, as amended).

At the office

Who can report

  • the child’s mother or father who is at least 16 and has not been deprived of legal capacity,
  • in other situations, e.g. if the child’s mother is less than 16 years of age or has been deprived of legal capacity – for a statutory representative (e.g. a parent) or guardian of the child's mother.

You can only report the birth of a child born in Poland.

You can report the birth yourself or by proxy. Find out at the office how to proceed by proxy.

What you need to prepare

  • identity document (identity card or passport),
  • if you proceed via proxy – prepare the relevant power of attorney.

When to report

Within 21 days after issue of the birth card.

The birth card will be issued by an authorised person who delivered the baby – e.g. doctor or midwife. They will forward it to the civil registry office no later than 3 days after its issue. Before visiting the civil registry office, find out if the document has already been forwarded there.

If you do not notify the office within 21 days, the head of the civil registry office will choose the name for your child and register their birth on the basis of a birth card.

Where to report

At the civil registry office for the area where the child was born.

How much you will pay

The service is free of charge.

How long you will wait

You will be immediately issued with the documents – on the day you report the birth.

Childbirth registration process

The head of the civil registry office will prepare a report with details of the child and their parents. You and the head of the civil registry office will sign the report.

The head of the office will register the birth of your child, provide you with a PESEL number for the child and register them for permanent residence.

You will be issued with:

  • one free abridged certified copy of the birth certificate,
  • notification that a PESEL number has been assignment (if the child has received a PESEL number),
  • proof of permanent residence registration for the child (if the child is registered as permanent resident).

Name for the child

There is no formal list of names you can give your baby, but you must consider the following restrictions:

  • you cannot give your child more than 2 names,
  • the name you give cannot be ridiculous or indecent,
  • you cannot use a diminutive form of the first name.

You can choose a foreign name or names – e.g. Mercedes, Andrea – regardless of the citizenship and nationality of the child's parents. You can choose a name that does not clearly identify gender, but is generally attributed to a given gender.

The head of the civil registry office may refuse to accept the names you have chosen for your child. This may happen when they decide that the names do not meet the requirements listed above. In such a situation, the head of the civil registry office will choose the child's name ex officio. This will allow them to register the birth immediately.

You will then be issued with an administrative decision. If the head of the civil registry office issues such a decision, you have 14 days to lodge an appeal with the competent province governor.Submit the appeal to the head of the civil registry office who issued the decision.

What you need to do if your child is stillborn

If the child is born still – report their birth within 3 days of issuing the stillbirth card.
The stillbirth card will be issued by an authorised person who delivered the baby – e.g. doctor or midwife. They will then forward the card to the civil registry office within 1 day of its issue.
The stillbirth card will be submitted to the civil registry office, if the doctor establishes the child's gender.Only then can the birth be registered with the civil registry office. In such a situation, the head of the civil registry office draws up a birth certificate for the child with the note that the child is stillborn. In this case, no death certificate is issued.
If the gender of the child is not determined, the stillbirth card will not be submitted to the civil registry office. If you are authorised to make burial arrangements (e.g. the child's parent), the doctor may issue a death card upon your request. With this card, you will be able to bury your child without having to register their death with the civil registry office.

Legal basis

  • Vital Records Law Act of 28 November 2014 (Journal of Laws 2014, item 1741, as amended),
  • Population Register Act of 24 September 2010 (Journal of Laws 2010, No 217, item 1427, as amended).
     
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