How to Obtain a Death Certificate from the USA for Matters in Poland

An American death certificate is needed for many matters in Poland: ZUS, inheritance, land registers, account closures. To be recognized by Polish authorities, it must go through several stages.

Step 1: Order the Death Certificate in the USA

The death certificate is issued by the state Department of Health or the appropriate Vital Records Office of the state where the death occurred.

How to Order

• Online through VitalChek (most states) — 25–35 USD plus fee
• Directly on the state’s website (e.g., for Illinois: idph.illinois.gov)
• In person at the local office

How Many Copies to Order

Recommendation: at least 10 original copies + 2-3 backups. Each procedure in Poland requires an original — copies are not sufficient. Updating after running out of stock is slow and costly.

Costs

• First copy: 12–25 USD
• Additional copies of the same order: 4–15 USD
• Apostille: 8–20 USD per piece
• VitalChek expedited service fee: an additional 10–30 USD
• International shipping: 20–60 USD

Step 2: Apostille

Apostille is a legalization clause confirming the authenticity of the document in countries that are parties to the Hague Convention of 1961. The USA and Poland are parties to this convention.

Where to Order Apostille

Apostille is issued by the state Secretary of State of the state that issued the death certificate. NOT a federal institution, NOT the Polish consulate.

• Illinois: cyberdriveillinois.com
• New York: dos.ny.gov
• New Jersey: nj.gov
• California: sos.ca.gov
• Florida: floridasos.gov

Procedure

1. Order the death certificate with apostille — some states offer this option with one application
2. Or: order the certificate, then separately send it to the Secretary of State for apostille
3. Time: 1-4 weeks

NOTE: The state Secretary of State may require that the death certificate was issued recently (sometimes max 6 months ago). Check the requirements of the specific state.

Step 3: Sworn Translation

After receiving the certificate with apostille — translate it into Polish by a sworn translator.

Where to Translate

• In the USA — at the Polish consulate or by Polish sworn translators (usually from the Polish community)
• In Poland — send the certificate to a translator in Poland; a list of sworn translators is available on the Ministry of Justice website

Costs

• Sworn translation in Poland: 50–80 PLN per page
• Translation in the USA by the Polish consulate: 30–60 USD
• Translation by a private Polish community translator in the USA: 40–100 USD

Step 4 (Optional): Registration in the Polish USC

Some Polish offices prefer a Polish copy of the death certificate issued by the Polish Civil Registry Office (USC). This is an additional step, but it simplifies multiple uses.

Procedure for “Transcription”

1. Submit an application for transcription to the USC in Poland (usually at the last residence of the deceased or in Warsaw)
2. Attach: original American certificate with apostille + sworn translation
3. Stamp duty: 50 PLN
4. After transcription, you receive a Polish copy of the death certificate
5. This can also be done through the Polish consulate in the USA (additional consular fee)

Time

Transcription: 1–3 months. In urgent cases, you can apply for expedited processing.

Where the Death Certificate is Needed in Poland

• ZUS — reporting the death, applications for family benefits
• Notary / court — certificate of inheritance
• Tax office — reporting inheritance acquisition (form SD-Z2)
• Land register — entry of the new property owner
• Polish banks — account closure
• Insurer — payout of the policy
• Department of Motor Vehicles — deregistration of the vehicle

Common Mistakes

• Ordering too few copies (each procedure requires an original)
• Omitting apostille — Polish authorities will reject it
• Regular translation instead of sworn translation
• Ordering the certificate without apostille and then delaying a separate apostille
• Counting on the Polish consulate to issue the death certificate — the consulate only certifies, the certificate is issued by the USA
• Lack of transcription to USC — issues when dealing with multiple matters simultaneously

What to Consider in Urgent Matters

The entire procedure (certificate + apostille + translation + possible transcription) takes 3–8 weeks. If the matter in Poland is urgent (e.g., court deadline), start immediately and choose expedited processing at each stage.