An apostille is a certification of the authenticity of the signature and seal on an official document, so it's valid in another country party to the Hague Convention (120+ states). For countries outside the convention — full consular legalisation. Different documents are certified by different authorities, and some require two stages. We handle the whole route: from preparing the document to the apostille and a sworn translation.
The authority depends on the type of document: MSZ (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) — for most official documents; NAWA — for university diplomas; Kuratorium Oświaty — for school certificates; ZRP — for craft diplomas. We map out the exact route for your document and destination country.
Notarial and court documents are first certified by the president of the regional court (sąd okręgowy) — only the courts hold notaries' signature specimens. KRS extracts — with the seal of the Central Information of the KRS. We handle this stage before applying for the apostille.
We submit the document to the appropriate authority with the 60 PLN fee per document. The apostille can only go on an original or an officially certified copy — it can't be affixed to a plain photocopy. We monitor the process.
If the document will be used in a country where Polish isn't the official language, a sworn translation is needed. Important: the translation is done AFTER the apostille is affixed, so the translator captures the apostille itself. We arrange the translation with a sworn translator.
If the destination country hasn't signed the Hague Convention (for example, Canada, China, some Arab states), an apostille isn't enough — full consular legalisation is required: first certification at the MSZ, then at the destination country's embassy. We handle the whole route.
We help in the other direction too: if your foreign document needs to be used in Poland — we explain where to obtain the apostille in the issuing country and, if needed, arrange a sworn translation into Polish.
Civil registry certificates, diplomas, powers of attorney, criminal record certificates — for use abroad in a Hague Convention country.
Notarial powers of attorney, KRS extracts, corporate documents for representation, setting up a company, or a transaction in another country.
A foreign birth or marriage certificate, or a diploma — for registration in Poland, obtaining a PESEL, or recognition of qualifications.
Full consular legalisation through an embassy is required — we handle both stages.
We determine the type, authority, number of stages, and whether a translation is needed.
Court, KRS, ministry — if required before the apostille.
Affixing the apostille at the appropriate authority, or consular legalisation.
Translation of the apostilled document if needed.
The apostille fee is fixed — 60 PLN per document (school certificates at the kuratorium are often free). Our work covers mapping the route, preliminary certifications, filing, and translation. There are no add-on charges along the way — your quote doesn't change until the matter is resolved.
No surprise charges — your quote is fixed until the decision is issued.
An apostille is a special stamp that confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal on an official document, so it's recognised in another country. It's needed when you use a Polish document abroad (or a foreign one in Poland) in a country that signed the 1961 Hague Convention. It's a simplified form of legalisation: one stamp instead of a lengthy consular procedure.
Civil registry certificates (birth, marriage), criminal record certificates, diplomas and school certificates, notarial powers of attorney and deeds, court documents, KRS extracts. Each type has its own authority and sometimes additional stages.
It depends on the document: most official, notarial, and court documents — MSZ (Ministry of Foreign Affairs); university diplomas — NAWA; school certificates — Kuratorium Oświaty; craft diplomas — ZRP. Notarial and court documents first require certification by the president of the regional court, and only then the apostille at the MSZ — two separate steps that we go through for you.
The government fee is 60 PLN per document (often free at the kuratorium). With an in-person visit to the MSZ, the apostille is often affixed the same day (up to 10 documents at a time); by post — up to 30 days; at courts — 2–7 days. An apostille is indefinite and doesn't lose validity over time.
If the document is used in a country where Polish isn't the official language, a sworn translation is needed. Important: the apostille is affixed first, and only then is the document, together with the apostille, translated by a sworn translator — so the translation covers the stamp itself. We arrange the correct sequence.
Then an apostille isn't enough — full consular legalisation is required: first certification at the MSZ, then at the destination country's embassy or consulate. This is longer and more complex than an apostille, but we manage the whole route. Within the EU, by contrast, civil-status records (birth, marriage, etc.) don't require an apostille at all.
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