CHANGING NAME OR SURNAME
In cases of Polish emigrants who apply for a Polish passport it sometimes happens that changing the name or surname is necessary. It happens for example when a Person born in Poland began to use a different name after leaving the country. Such a situation takes place when someone formally changed their name or surname in a different country, but it hasn't been registered in a Polish registry office.
Changing a name or surname takes place in a Registry Office on the base of the change of name and surname act dated October 17th 2008. Changing the name and surname may be carried out only for significant reasons, especially when they concern changing:
- a deriding or undignified name or surname;
- to a used name or surname;
- to a name which has been unlawfully changed;
- to a name or surname used in accordance with the provisions of law applicable in a country which citizenship the given person also possesses
Changing the surname is not made in cases of applying for a historical surname, famous in the field of culture, science, political, social, or military activity, unless the person applying for the change possesses family members with that surname.
Changing the name means:
- exchanging the selected name with a different name
- exchanging two names for one name or the other way around
- adding a second name
- changing the spelling of the name or names
- changing the order of names
Changing the surname means changing:
- to a different surname
- changing the spelling of the surname
- changing the surname due to its proper masculine or feminine form
The application fee is at PLN 37. The decision time is up to 1 month (in difficult cases up to 2 months). It is possible to appeal with the Province Governor.