Administrative change of name and surname

No, the documents can be submitted in person or by mail.

Make an appointment using the e-konsulat system .

1. a valid Polish passport or ID card (or a document confirming Polish citizenship and a document confirming identity),
2. application (available at the consular office),
3. divorce judgment (if applicable),
4. document confirming the change of surname or name in Senegal ( if applicable),
5.other documents justifying the change of your name or surname,
6. a statement that you have not previously submitted an application to another head of the registry office in the same case or have not received a negative decision.

Remember! Changing the name or surname causes the necessity to change the birth certificate and marriage certificate. When submitting the application, indicate where they were drawn up (indicate the head of the registry office who prepared them). The head of the registry office himself will pass the information on to other heads of registry offices so that they can make appropriate changes to the marital status records of persons affected by the change of name or surname.

Remember! If you and your minor children do not have Polish marital status records – together with the application for a change of name or surname, the applicant should submit an application for transcription of foreign marital status documents.

The fee is 50 EUR.

The consul will immediately forward your application to the head of the registry office indicated by you.

You can pick up the documents in person. The consul can also send documents to the address you specify – discuss this issue when submitting the application.

The refusal to change the name or surname may be appealed against to the locally competent voivode.

Who can request an administrative change of name and surname?

A Polish citizen may request a change of his name or surname upon a written request submitted to the selected head of the registry office. A person residing abroad may submit such an application through the consul, indicating the head of the registry office to whom the application is to be forwarded. The decision to change the name or surname or the decision to refuse to change the name or surname is issued by the head of the registry office to which the application was submitted, or by his deputy.

When can I request an administrative name change?

You can submit an application for an administrative change of name and surname if your data has not changed as a result of, for example, getting married or submitting a declaration of returning to the surname before marriage , and you still want to change your name or surname for some reasons.

In accordance with the applicable administrative regulations, the name or surname may be changed for important reasons, in particular when:

• the given name or surname is either ridiculing or not in harmony with human dignity;
• a different name or surname is used,
• the given name or surname has been unlawfully changed,
• in accordance with the law of the state of which one is also a citizen, a different name or surname is given.

If I change my name, will my child’s name also change?

If the change of surname affects only one of the parents, extending it to a minor child requires the consent of the other parent, unless that parent does not have full legal capacity, is dead or unknown, or is deprived of parental authority.

If the child is over 13 at the time of the change of name, the child’s consent is also required. The consent of the parent and the child to change the child’s surname should be given in person before the competent head of the registry office or in writing with a notarized signature. Persons residing abroad may give their consent to the consul.

The change of surname of both parents applies to their minor children.

Can I add a third name from confirmation under the administrative name change?

It is not possible. Instead, you can replace the given name with another name, replace two names with one name or vice versa, add a middle name, change the spelling of the first name or names, or change the order of the names. You can also change the surname to a different surname, change the spelling of the surname, or change the feminine or masculine form.

What is the difference between an administrative surname change and a surname change as a result of transcription of a marriage certificate?

The administrative change of surname is not related to the change of marital status and includes a broader catalog of options for choosing a new surname. However, one of the above-mentioned reasons for changing the surname must occur, e.g. the fact that the current surname is ridiculous. In the case of transcription of a marriage certificate, you can take the spouse’s surname, remain with the current surname or create a two-part surname from the spouse’s surname and the current surname. However, this procedure involves only a change of surname in connection with the registration of a marriage contracted abroad in Poland.