Civil wedding of a foreign couple in Poland

A wedding of a foreign couple in Poland is not only a unique event, but also a fascinating journey through a variety of cultures and traditions. More and more foreign couples get married in Poland every year. For foreigners, getting married in Poland, a country with a rich history and beautiful landscapes, becomes an unforgettable experience.

Have you ever wondered what formalities need to be completed and what unique attractions await foreign couples who decide to have a civil wedding here?

 

Formal requirements for foreigners for a civil wedding in Poland

Marriage in Poland can only be concluded between a man and a woman. In Poland, it is not possible to get married between two people of the same sex.

One month before the planned civil wedding, each future spouse must submit the necessary documents to the head of the Civil Registry Office.

Moreover, an assurance must be submitted to the Civil Registry Office that the future spouses do not know about the existence of circumstances excluding the planned marriage.

 

Documents needed for foreigners to enter into a civil marriage

Both foreigners must submit the following documents to the head of the Civil Registry Office:

• a copy of the birth certificate with a sworn translation into Polish
• if a foreigner was previously married, he or she must submit a copy of the marriage certificate with a note on its termination, annulment or declaration of its non-existence (all documents must be translated by a sworn translator into Polish)
• a document stating that, in accordance with the applicable national law, a foreigner may enter into marriage.

In practice, the biggest problems are related to obtaining a certificate confirming that the foreigner is capable of entering into marriage under national law.

This problem results from the fact that the home country does not issue such certificates (e.g. Ukraine, USA, Korea, India, Venezuela) or obtaining such a certificate is very difficult (e.g. Belarus).

 

Wedding of a foreign man and a foreign woman in Poland – step by step

If the home country of foreigners does not prepare the certificates required by the Polish Civil Registry Office, there is nothing left to do but submit an application to the court for permission to marry a foreigner.

If two foreigners want to get married, each of them must submit such an application to the court. Each of the future spouses must obtain an appropriate decision exempting the foreigner from submitting proof of legal capacity to marry.

Example:

An American woman with a Indian fiancé must submit an application to the court indicating the person of her future spouse. The Indian fiancé must submit a separate application seeking permission to marry the American fiancée.

The court may combine both applications for joint consideration and then both consents will be included in two separate points of one court decision.

 

Civil wedding of a foreign couple in Poland – frequently asked questions

Below we answer the most frequently asked questions about the wedding of two foreigners in Poland.

I am Ukrainian. My fiancé is also Ukrainian, but he lives permanently in Germany. Can we get married in Poland?

Of course, foreigners who do not live in Poland can get married in Poland! However, you must submit the documents to the court well in advance. Entry to Poland for the purpose of getting married is subject to the same visa requirements as, for example, tourism. Poland does not issue the so-called marriage visas (i.e. for the purpose of getting married in Poland.

We cannot speak Polish fluently. Can we write an application for marriage consent in another language?

Unfortunately, the only official language in Poland is Polish. This means that an application submitted to the court must be written in Polish and all foreign documents must be translated into Polish.

How much time does it take to obtain court consent for the wedding of two foreigners?

Our office usually obtains decisions within 3 months of completing the documents. The quickest way we obtained a decision consenting to the wedding of a Ukrainian couple was within 7 weeks of submitting the application to the court! Remember, however, that courts have different case loads and this deadline may be up to 6 months. For this reason, you should apply to the court for permission to marry two foreigners well in advance.

Can both foreigners work legally after getting married in Poland?

After the wedding between two foreigners, they are subject to the same requirements regarding legalization of stay and work permit as their other compatriots – foreigners.

 

Wedding of a foreign couple in Poland – an English lawyer will definitely make the whole process easier

Foreign couples have a slightly more complicated path to marriage in Poland than relationships between a Pole and a foreigner.

Ignorance of the Polish language and lack of knowledge about Polish law are obstacles that make it difficult to get married between foreigners in Poland.

Our law firm for foreigners comes to the aid of such foreign couples. We have one of the greatest experiences on the market in this type of matters. We cordially invite you to contact our family lawyer. We speak fluent English!