PESEL (Personal Identification Number),


In order to acquire a Polish passport it is necessary to receive a PESEL number.

The population register is handled by the Powszechny Elektroniczny System Ewidencji Ludności which constitutes a register of PESEL numbers. The PESEL register includes the following data:

  1. of Polish citizens living within Poland;
  2. of Polish citizens living outside of Poland due to their application for receiving a Polish ID;
  3. of foreigners living within Poland;

The following data are stored in the PESEL register and register of citizens:

  1. surname and name (names);
  2. birth name
  3. birth names and surnames of parents;
  4. date of birth;
  5. place of birth;
  6. country of birth;
  7. marital status;
  8. reference number of the birth certificate and registry office in which it was prepared;
  9. gender;
  10. PESEL number;
  11. citizenship or the status of a stateless person;
  12. birth name and PESEL number of the spouse, if it was issued;
  13. date of marriage, reference number of the marriage certificate and registry office in which it has been prepared, date of divorce, case number and name of court which performed the annulment of the marriage, spouse's date of death or date of finding the corpse, reference number of the death certificate and registry office in which it has been prepared;
  14. address and date of permanent residence;
  15. country of residence;
  16. previous country of residence;
  17. date of de-registering the permanent residence address;
  18. address and date of registering a temporary stay, as well as the declared expiry date of the stay;
  19. date of de-registering the temporary stay address;
  20. date of traveling outside of Poland for more than 6 months and providing the country of destination;
    20a) expected duration of stay outside of Poland lasting for more than 6 months
  21. date of returning from outside of Poland which lasted more than 6 months;
  22. series, number, and expiry date of the last issued Polish citizen ID, as well as the identifier of the authority issuing the document;
  23. series, name, and expiry date of the last issued Polish citizen passport;
  24. date of death or date of finding the corpse, reference number of the death certificate and registry office in which it has been prepared; furthermore, for foreigners:
    24a) the status of a foreigner - citizen of the EU, family member of an EU's citizen, or a citizen of a country which is not part of the EU, and not a family member of such a resident
  25. series, number, and expiry date of a foreigner's travel document or other valid document confirming the identity and citizenship;
  26. expiry date of the stay declared by the foreigner;

Assigning a PESEL number to Polish citizens living outside of Poland takes place at the consul's request. Without a PESEL number it is impossible to register an application for a passport. In terms of the passport procedure, assigning the PESEL number is free of charge. In order to assign a PESEL number to a child living permanently with its parents outside of Poland there is no need to travel to Poland or register a fictitious residence in Poland.

In order to apply for a PESEL number with a consul it is necessary to present the following at a consulate:

  • original abridged or full copy of the given person's birth certificate,
  • abridged or full copy of a Polish marriage certificate in case of adults - married, divorced, or widowed.

see the legal guide: