How to register a birth

The birth of a child in Poland should be registered within two weeks (but Polish authorities are sometimes flexible) at a Registry office (the hospital where the child is born will advise on the appropriate one).

Parents of a child born in Poland, who has a claim to British nationality, may apply for Consular birth registration for their child. This entitles the child to a British-style birth certificate.

This form of registration is not compulsory, and does not in itself confer British nationality, but it is proof of citizenship and provides a permanent record of the event for the General Register Office (GRO) in the United Kingdom. Such registration will ensure that the birth is included among the records of the General Register Office in the United Kingdom.

How to apply to register the birth of a child born in Poland

• Complete Birth Registration Form;
  
• Provide the child's full Polish birth certificate, parents' full birth and marriage certificates and their passports;
  
• Pay fee No 14. and 16. in cash at the time of application

According to the provisions of the British Nationality Act 1981, which took effect on 1 January 1983, the following births may be registered in the Consular Register of Births:

1. The birth of a child born before 1 January 1983 whose father was at the time of the birth a Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies otherwise than by descent.
   
   
2. The birth of a child born on or after 1 January 1983 whose mother or father is either:

• a British Citizen or a British Dependent Territories Citizen otherwise than by descent
  
• a British Citizen/British Dependent Territories Citizen in Crown service, or in European Community or certain other types of designated service, at the time of the birth (subject to specific conditions). Further information on this is available on request.

Note on children born out of wedlock

A mother can transmit her citizenship to her child born abroad on or after 1 January 1983 but a father cannot transmit his citizenship to children born before 1 July 2006 unless his child is subsequently legitimated according to British law. If you require advice on legitimation please contact the Consular Section of the Embassy.

Copies of certificates

For information about applying for copies of original British documents, please see the website of the UK Statistics Authority.

• Pay fee No. 14 and 16 in cash at the time of application
  
• All fees are payable in Polish zloty at the current Consular rate of exchange.