Polish → English · UKVI Para 39B

Certified Translation from Poland for the UK

USC certificates, KRK criminal records, dyplom and matura, court and medical documents. UKVI-accepted, ENIC-ready, apostille chain handled. £39.99 per page.

£39.99/page 24h standard UKVI Accepted Apostille Handled
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Who This Page Is For

If you are in the UK and holding a Polish document that a UK authority has asked you to submit in English — this page covers you. That includes people applying for UK visas with Polish civil documents (spouse, skilled worker, student, ILR, citizenship), people using Polish education credentials for UK universities or professional registration, and UK-based Polish nationals dealing with UK courts, NHS Trusts, employers, or DBS checks on records issued in Poland.

It also covers the reverse: UK residents needing Polish documents for use in the UK after they were originally issued abroad — for example a Polish birth certificate obtained decades ago that a UK bank, pension provider, or local authority now needs.

Polish Documents We Translate for UK Use

The document set below covers 95%+ of what UK authorities actually ask for. If yours is not listed, WhatsApp us a photo and we will confirm feasibility and price the same day.

Civil Registry (USC — Urząd Stanu Cywilnego)

  • Akt urodzenia (birth certificate) — short-form (skrócony) or full (zupełny). UKVI accepts both, but a full copy is safer when the receiving authority may look at parental details or later marginal notes (adoption, name change, paternity acknowledgement).
  • Akt małżeństwa (marriage certificate) — short-form or full. Spouse-visa applications from a Polish marriage almost always need this.
  • Akt zgonu (death certificate) — for probate, pension, and estate matters affecting a UK-resident heir or executor.
  • Zaświadczenie o zdolności prawnej do zawarcia małżeństwa — Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry, needed by UK register offices when a Polish national marries in the UK.

Criminal Record (KRK — Krajowy Rejestr Karny)

  • Zaświadczenie o niekaralności — Polish criminal record certificate. Common for skilled worker sponsorship, teaching, healthcare, and childcare roles in the UK where the employer needs an overseas criminal record check. Also required in some UK settlement routes.

Education (świadectwo, dyplom, suplement)

  • Świadectwo ukończenia szkoły podstawowej / gimnazjum / liceum — primary, gimnazjum (pre-2017 system), or secondary school completion certificates.
  • Świadectwo dojrzałości (matura) — Polish secondary school leaving exam. UK universities typically match matura to A-level equivalence via UK ENIC.
  • Dyplom ukończenia studiów — bachelor’s (licencjat / inżynier) and master’s (magister) degree certificates.
  • Suplement do dyplomu — diploma supplement in the EU Diploma Supplement format. Most UK universities and ENIC prefer to see the supplement alongside the diploma for full recognition.
  • Karta okresowych osiągnięć studenta / wykaz ocen — official transcript of grades. Required for professional registration (medicine, dentistry, engineering) and for postgraduate admission.

Courts & Legal (sądy, notariusze)

  • Wyrok rozwodowy — divorce judgment. Sygnatura akt (case reference), issuing court, and date of legal force (data prawomocności) are all translated verbatim.
  • Postanowienie / nakaz zapłaty — court orders and payment orders.
  • Akt notarialny — notarial deed, common for property matters, powers of attorney, and inheritance declarations.
  • Odpis z KRS — Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy extract (Polish companies register), for UK-side commercial or legal proceedings involving a Polish company.

Medical (dokumentacja medyczna)

  • Karta informacyjna leczenia szpitalnego (hospital discharge summary).
  • Historia choroby (medical history).
  • Wyniki badań (test results, including laboratory and imaging reports).
  • Zaświadczenie lekarskie (medical certificate) for insurance, fitness-to-work, or NHS second-opinion contexts.

Driving, Vehicles, Employment

  • Prawo jazdy (driving licence) — although the DVLA typically accepts photocard exchange without a translation, some UK employers and vehicle-hire firms request a certified translation.
  • Dowód rejestracyjny (vehicle registration document) — for imports and V5C matters.
  • Świadectwo pracy (employment reference / work certificate) — for UK skilled worker sponsorship evidence and CIPD-style verification.
  • Umowa o pracę (employment contract) — for financial evidence bundles.

Apostille and Legalisation: The Actual Chain

The apostille chain confuses more UK applicants than any other part of the Polish document flow. It is more straightforward than it looks. Here is what actually happens.

Case 1: Polish civil-registry document, UKVI destination

UKVI (Home Office) generally does not require an apostille on the Polish original. A UK-side certified translation with UKVI Para 39B Statement of Accuracy is sufficient. This covers the majority of spouse, skilled worker, student, family, ILR, and citizenship applications.

Case 2: Polish civil-registry document, UK court or DBS destination

UK courts and some regulated bodies (SRA, GMC, NMC) may ask for a legalised original. The chain is: obtain the Polish document → have MSZ Warszawa apostille it under the 1961 Hague Convention → translate the apostilled document (the apostille itself is translated as part of the certification) in the UK to UKVI-compliant format. No further UK legalisation is needed because Poland-UK is Hague-recognised.

Case 3: Polish educational document, UK university or ENIC recognition

The chain here is longer because education documents need pre-apostille authentication:

  1. NAWA (Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej) or the relevant Polish education ministry authenticates the diploma or supplement.
  2. MSZ Warszawa issues the Hague apostille on the authenticated document.
  3. The UK-side certified translation is produced, translating both the diploma / supplement and the apostille.
  4. The translated set goes to UK ENIC for a Statement of Comparability (matching Polish qualifications to UK degree levels).

Not every UK university requires all four steps. Bachelor and master graduates applying for postgraduate admission usually need at least the ENIC statement plus the translated diploma and supplement. Full apostille is more common for professional-registration bodies (Medical, Dental, Nursing councils).

Case 4: Pre-1946 or non-Hague-era Polish document

Documents in old Polish record-book formats (pre-war territories now in Ukraine, Belarus, or Lithuania; PRL-era rural USC records that were rewritten in the 1950s to 1970s) may need reissue by the current-holder USC before apostille and translation. USC Warszawa Śródmieście holds records for many pre-1945 eastern territories. We flag this at quote if the source document form suggests reissue is worth requesting first.

Which UK Authorities Accept What

The acceptance matrix below summarises how the main UK receiving bodies treat certified translations of Polish documents. Always check with the specific caseworker or admissions officer, but the pattern below is what applies to 95%+ of live applications.

Authority Certified translation Apostille required Notarisation
UKVI (Home Office) — all visa routesRequired, Para 39B formatNo (generally)No
General Register Office — marriage in UK register officeRequired for Certificate of No ImpedimentSome register offices askNo
UK universities (ENIC-fed)Required, alongside originalsSome ask, most do notRare
UK ENIC (Statement of Comparability)Required for non-English education documentsNot required by ENIC itselfNo
NHS Trusts (professional registration)Required for medical, dental, nursing evidenceCommon for GMC / NMC / GDCSometimes
UK courts (family, civil)Required for any non-English evidenceCommon on original Polish documentCase-by-case
DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service)Required on overseas criminal-record checkSometimes on the KRK originalNo
UK employers (Right to Work, sponsor duties)Required for non-English supporting evidenceRarelyNo
HMRC (tax residency, foreign income)Required for foreign evidenceNot requiredNo
UK banks (KYC, source of funds)Required for foreign supporting evidenceBank-specificBank-specific

UK Visa Routes Where Polish Documents Come Up Most

Spouse and Partner Visa

Polish marriage certificate (akt małżeństwa) is the anchor document. Add birth certificates for any children (akt urodzenia). If either spouse was previously married, add the divorce judgment (wyrok rozwodowy) with the data prawomocności (date the judgment became legally binding). Financial evidence from Polish banks or Polish employer letters need certified translation if they support the £29,000+ minimum income route.

Skilled Worker Visa

Polish education documents (dyplom, suplement) are the core evidence for meeting RQF Level 6 requirements. Employer reference letters (świadectwo pracy) support the work-history bundle. Polish KRK (criminal record certificate) is required for sponsorship in specific SOC codes (healthcare, teaching, senior care, some financial roles). We handle the full bundle at one order reference.

Student Visa (Sponsored Study)

Świadectwo dojrzałości (matura) plus, for postgraduate applicants, the dyplom and suplement. UK ENIC Statement of Comparability is required by most universities to confirm equivalence to A-level or bachelor level. English-language exemption evidence (where the Polish qualification was in English) also needs translation.

ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain)

Life in the UK test results are in English by default. Absences evidence (foreign travel receipts, foreign employer letters) needs translation. Polish criminal record for the 5-year lookback if UKVI questions absences to Poland during the qualifying period.

British Citizenship

Polish birth certificate for the applicant, plus (where children are being naturalised) birth certificates for each child. Referee documents, where the referee is Polish-based, need certified translation of their supporting identification.

Family Reunion and Adoption

Polish court orders confirming custody, adoption papers, and guardianship declarations. All need certified translation in the UKVI-compliant format, with court references (sygnatura akt) preserved verbatim.

Pricing

Polish to English certified translation (per page) £39.99
Handwritten page add-on (common on pre-2015 USC records) +£5 / page
Stamped hard copy by post (whole order) +£10 flat
UK notarisation on translation (per document, when required) Quoted per document
FCDO apostille on UK translation (pass-through) £30–£75 / document
Polish-side apostille via MSZ Warszawa (referral) Advice included, MSZ rate applies

A page is 250 source words or one A4 side, whichever gives the lower count. UKVI Para 39B compliant on every document. B2B invoicing available on 30-day terms.

How to Order (Our Process)

Four steps from upload to certified translation delivered.

1

Send Us the Polish Document

Upload a scan or photo, or WhatsApp us the file. For USC certificates, a clear photo of the front (and reverse, if there are marginal notes) is enough. For diplomas, include the supplement (suplement) as a second file. Original Polish document does not have to be posted to us.

2

Fixed Quote, Then Payment

We confirm page count, add-ons, and any apostille or notarisation step. You pay by card at checkout, or B2B accounts are invoiced on 30-day terms. Order reference issued in the format TIR-UK-YYYY-NNNN for tracking.

3

Polish-Native Translation, Second Review

A Polish-native translator produces the English translation. A second Polish-speaking reviewer checks names (with proper diminutive and declension handling), dates, court references, and legal terminology. Every stamp, seal, and marginal note is described.

4

Delivery, Ready for UKVI

Certified PDF by email within 24 to 48 hours for standard orders. Hard copy by Royal Mail Tracked 24 the same day when ordered. Statement of Accuracy on every certified page: translator name (‘Tatkowski Certified Translator’), signature, contact details, and date. UKVI Para 39B in full.

Client Reviews from Polish-UK Document Work

"Full spouse-visa bundle from Poland — akt urodzenia for both of us, akt małżeństwa, and a divorce judgment for me. Fixed £39.99/page across 8 pages, delivered inside 36 hours, Home Office accepted first time."

Client, Manchester — spouse visa

"Polish dyplom + suplement translated for ENIC recognition. Advised me the suplement was worth sending alongside the diploma — university admissions office was happy, ENIC turned around the Statement of Comparability without follow-up."

Postgraduate applicant, University of Edinburgh

"Needed a Polish KRK translated fast for a Skilled Worker sponsorship start date. Same-day quote on WhatsApp, translation the next morning. Clear on apostille steps we would need if the sponsor asked for extra legalisation."

Applicant, sponsored care role, Leeds

"Handled a divorce file (wyrok rozwodowy plus notarised addendum) with all the case references and dates of legal force translated verbatim. Family Court accepted the bundle. Beat two competing quotes."

Family law solicitor, London EC1

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Polish documents can you translate for UK use?

Every civil, judicial, educational, medical, and commercial document issued in Poland. Common examples: birth certificates (akt urodzenia), marriage certificates (akt małżeństwa), death certificates (akt zgonu) from USC, criminal record certificates (zaświadczenie o niekaralności) from Krajowy Rejestr Karny, secondary school certificates (świadectwo), matura certificates, university diplomas (dyplom) with transcripts (suplement / karta okresowych osiągnięć), medical records (dokumentacja medyczna), court judgments (wyrok), and enterprise register extracts (KRS, CEIDG).

Do I need an apostille on the Polish document before translation?

Depends on the receiving authority in the UK. UKVI generally accepts a UK-side certified translation of the Polish original without a separate apostille on the Polish document. Most UK universities using ENIC (formerly UK NARIC) statements of comparability also accept the translation without apostille. UK courts, some UK employers doing DBS-linked checks, and some regulated professional bodies (GMC, NMC, SRA) may require apostille on the Polish original. Ask the receiving authority in writing, or send us the request letter and we will identify what is actually needed.

How does the Hague apostille work for Polish documents?

Poland is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention. The Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych (MSZ) in Warsaw issues apostilles on Polish public documents (USC certificates, court documents, notarised documents). Educational documents (diplomas, transcripts) require prior authentication by NAWA (Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej) or the relevant education ministry before MSZ apostille. Once apostilled in Poland, no further legalisation is needed for UK use — the apostille is recognised in the UK directly.

What about older Polish documents from before 1989 or from partitioned Poland?

Pre-1989 PRL (Polish People's Republic) documents are still valid, but civil-registry certificates from pre-1946 books or from territories now outside modern Poland (Lwów / Lviv, Wilno / Vilnius, and pre-war eastern voivodeships) sometimes need reissue by the current-holder USC (usually USC Warszawa Śródmieście for territories now in Ukraine, Belarus, or Lithuania). We flag when a document’s form suggests reissue is worth requesting before translation.

How much does it cost?

£39.99 per translated page. A page is 250 source words or one A4 side, whichever gives the lower count. Handwriting adds £5/page (common on older USC certificates from pre-2015 record books). Physical hard copy adds £10 flat. Notarisation and FCDO apostille on the UK side, where required, are quoted at cost. UKVI Para 39B compliant on every document.

How quickly can you turn around a Polish document set?

Standard turnaround: 24 hours for 1 to 3 pages, 36 hours for 4 to 6 pages, 48 hours for 7 to 10 pages. Full immigration evidence bundles (birth certificates for two spouses and children, marriage certificate, KRK, financial evidence — typically 6 to 12 pages) are usually delivered inside 48 hours. Time-critical Home Office deadlines: message us on WhatsApp with the exact deadline and we will confirm feasibility before you pay.

Do you translate directly from Polish, or via Polish-to-English machine?

A Polish-native translator produces the English translation. A second reviewer (also Polish-speaking) checks names, dates, addresses, court references (sygnatura akt), and legal terminology against the source. We do not run raw machine translation on certified work — Polish inflection, personal-name declension (Krzysztof / Krzysztofa / Krzysztofie), and diminutive handling need human judgment.

Do you translate the Polish stamps and marginal notes?

Yes. Every stamp, seal, marginal note (wzmianka dodatkowa), correction (sprostowanie), and handwritten annotation on the source is described in the translation. This is UKVI requirement and standard practice — a certified translation must describe the whole document, not only the printed text.

Related UK Guidance