Getting married before a consul

Yes, you must submit the documents in person.

To make an appointment, contact the consulate: dakar@msz.gov.pl or (+221) 33 859 57 70.

1. an abridged or full copy of the birth certificate (multilingual copies are insufficient) of both future spouses,
2. in the case of persons who were previously married – a copy of the marriage certificate with a note on its termination, annulment or declaration of its non-existence, or a copy of the marriage certificate with a document confirming its termination or annulment, or a document confirming the non-existence of marriage (if the divorce was pronounced outside the Republic of Poland, it must first be registered in Poland, more: Registration of a divorce judgment issued by a foreign court ),
3. a written assurance that there are no circumstances excluding marriage,
4. a valid Polish ID card or passport (documents must be valid both on the date of the marriage assurances and on the designated wedding date),
5. a permit to contract a marriage, if required by the provisions of the Family and Guardianship Code of the Republic of Poland (e.g. in the case of a marriage by a woman who is 16 years of age but under 18),
6. photocopies of passports or ID cards of witnesses (documents must be valid on the specified wedding date),
7. guest name list (for safety reasons, the number of guests should be limited – to be agreed with the facility).

It is not necessary for witnesses to have Polish citizenship, but they should know Polish or provide an interpreter during the ceremony. Two witnesses are needed for the wedding ceremony.

Remember! At the latest one month before the date of the ceremony, the bride and groom must pay the consular fee and submit personally to the consul assurances that there are no circumstances excluding the marriage.

Consular fees for the preparation of documentation on marriage before a consul, preparation of a report on submitting declarations on entering into marriage and organizing the ceremony at a consular office are in total: EUR 500 – according to the Table of Consular Fees .

Discuss the possible date of the ceremony when visiting the consulate or by phone.

During the ceremony, a marriage protocol is signed before the consul. This document and previously submitted assurances will be then sent by the consul to the Registry Office in Warsaw, competent for the registration of marriages contracted abroad. After about a month, the newlyweds will receive a Polish copy of the marriage certificate by post (to the address indicated in the application for marriage before the consul).

The refusal to issue a certificate takes place by way of a written notification of refusal to perform the action.

After receiving the notification from the consul, you have 14 days from the delivery of the notification to apply to the court competent for the registry office competent for the capital city of Warsaw for a decision whether the indicated reasons for refusal justify the refusal to perform the act.

Can I get married to a Senegalese fiancé at the consulate?

No. Only Polish citizens can marry in a consular office. Marriage with a foreigner can be concluded in the Polish or Senegalese registry office.

Can the assurance that there are no marital obstacles be submitted to the head of the civil registry office in Poland, and then submitted to the consulate for the consul to accept declarations on entering into marriage?

It is possible for the consul to accept assurances for the purposes of celebrating a wedding in Poland before the head of the registry office. However, it is not possible to make assurances in Poland for the purpose of a wedding before the consul. Therefore, it is necessary to visit the consular office twice: the first – connected with the assurances and the required documentation (one month before the scheduled ceremony); the second – related to the assurances of entering into marriage.

A few years ago we were getting married in one of the Polish consular offices, does this mean that we can now get a divorce in the consular office?

No. A marriage may only be dissolved by a court decision. As a rule, the territorial jurisdiction will be the court of the spouses’ last joint residence. If the divorce is adjudicated by a court in Senegal, it should then be registered in the Polish registry office, more: Registration of a divorce judgment issued by a foreign court .