A passport and identity card (dowód osobisty is the Polish name for a national ID card) are the first documents requested for a residence permit application, bank account, marriage registration or employment. If the document was not issued in Polish, sworn translation is required for official procedures — usually the photo and personal data page. Below — when translation is mandatory, which pages to translate, office requirements and how to avoid rejection.
Regular translation without a sworn translator seal will not be accepted by the office, bank or employer — you will need to order sworn translation again. Names in the translation must exactly match the original and other documents in the package.
QuoteBefore ordering, confirm with the office or employer which pages are needed — usually the photo and data spread, but for marriage registration they may request pages with marital status stamps. Extra pages increase cost without benefit.
LEGIX Team
When is passport or dowód osobisty translation required?
Translation is required when a foreign passport or ID card is submitted in an official procedure in Poland and the receiving institution does not read the original language.
Residence permit: the voivodeship office requires a passport with sworn translation of the data page.
Bank and ZUS: account opening, contract — passport with translation.
Marriage registration: the civil registry may require passport translation and pages with marital status stamps.
Employment: employer — translation of the data page.
Rental and notary: lease agreement, power of attorney — passport with sworn translation.
PESEL and registration: foreign passport or ID translation when registering residence.
What to translate: passport and ID pages
Translation scope depends on document type and office requirements. Use the table — it helps avoid ordering too much or too little.
Data page (passport): spread with photo, name, date of birth, number, validity — translated in 90% of cases for residence permit, bank, work.
Stamped pages: registration, marital status, visa stamps — only if the office requires them.
Foreign dowód osobisty / ID card: front with data is translated; back — on request.
Polish dowód osobisty: document in Polish — no translation needed for Polish offices.
Biometric passport: MRZ zone at the bottom is included in translation — it is part of the official text.
Translation requirements for passport and ID
Offices, banks, employers and residence permit applications require sworn translation into Polish with a Ministry of Justice register translator seal.
Name accuracy: names must match the original, passport and other documents in the package.
Completeness: all page elements are translated — stamps, signatures, MRZ, official language text.
Validity: translation is done on a valid passport; an expired document may be rejected.
Scan quality: photo, text and stamps must be clearly readable.
Common mistakes and consequences
Regular translation instead of sworn: the office will return the package — you must reorder.
Incomplete scope: only the data page was translated but the office required a marital status page.
Name mismatch: one transliteration in the passport, another in the birth certificate; the office may suspend the case.
Expired passport: translation ready but document no longer valid — new passport and translation required.
How to order passport translation: step by step
Step 1. Confirm with the office, bank or employer which passport or ID pages are required.
Step 2. Check document validity.
Step 3. Make quality scans of required pages — photo, text, stamps and MRZ must be clearly visible.
Step 4. Send scans to a translation agency — after review they confirm exact cost and turnaround (usually 24–48 hours).
Step 5. Receive sworn translation with seal. At LEGIX we match a translator from the Ministry of Justice register for the correct language pair.
Step 6. Before submission, verify names, dates and document number against the original and other documents.
Cost and turnaround
Cost depends on number of pages and source language. Exact pricing is confirmed after reviewing scans — indicative rates on the price list.
Standard turnaround: 24–48 hours after order confirmation. Express available on request.
Pre-submission checklist: (1) sworn translation into Polish with Ministry of Justice register seal; (2) all required pages translated; (3) names match other documents; (4) passport valid; (5) scans clear, MRZ readable.
FAQ
Yes — offices, banks, employers and residence permit applications usually require sworn translation of the personal data page into Polish. Regular translation without a sworn translator seal is not accepted.