A child born in Poland is reported to the competent civil registry office. The usual deadline is 21 days after the birth card is issued, and registration itself is free.
Official source: Gov.plPoland Navigator
Family & children
Understand what to do about a child's documents, school, childcare, benefits, guardianship, maintenance, family reunification and important decisions concerning a child.
DryRights does not make people learn family law before they can protect a child or their family. DryRights explains what is happening, what to check and what to do next.
Start with your situation
What has happened?
My child was born in PolandThe birth has not been registered yetWe are not married and need to establish paternityI need a birth certificate or civil-status record for my childMy child needs a PESEL numberI need to understand my child's legal stay in PolandMy child has or may have UKR / temporary-protection statusMy child needs a passport or travel documentThe other parent will not consent to the child's passportThe child's name or personal data differ between documentsMy child was born abroad and I need to use the foreign birth record in PolandMy child is joining me in PolandI want to check family-reunification eligibilityMy family is split between Poland and another countryA parent's or child's residence basis has changedA child is in Poland without a parent or responsible adultA relative or another adult is caring for the childThe child needs a legal or temporary guardianA Ukrainian child is in foster or group careThe parents have separatedWe disagree about where the child should liveI need to arrange contact with the other parentWe disagree about school, healthcare, passport or another important decisionOne parent wants to move the child abroadMy child was taken or kept abroad without my consentI need child maintenance / alimonyThe other parent is not paying maintenanceI am a single parent and need to understand available supportMy child needs to start school in PolandA school refused admission or I cannot find a placeMy child needs to change schoolMy child does not know Polish well enough for schoolI need to understand Polish compulsory-education rules for a Ukrainian childMy child needs kindergarten or preschool preparationMy child needs nursery / childcare under age 3I need childcare so I can workMy child has a disability or special educational needsMy child is facing bullying, discrimination or a school crisisI want to apply for or check 800+I want to apply for Dobry Start 300+I want to understand the Aktywny Rodzic benefitsI need family allowance, becikowe or parental benefitI need disability or carer-related family benefitsA family benefit was refused, stopped or recalculatedThere is domestic violence in my familyI am worried that a child is being abused or neglectedMy family needs a safe place or immediate crisis supportI do not know which family procedure applies to meI want to marry in Poland and need to understand the formalitiesI need to use a foreign marriage or civil-status document in PolandI am divorcing or separating and we have a childMy spouse or partner needs to join me in Poland
Practical family guidance
Birth registration
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Birth registration.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Birth registration.
Open detailed family guideAcknowledgement / establishment of paternity
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Acknowledgement / establishment of paternity.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Acknowledgement / establishment of paternity.
Open detailed family guideCivil-status records and certificates
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Civil-status records and certificates.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Civil-status records and certificates.
Open detailed family guidePESEL for a child
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: PESEL for a child.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: PESEL for a child.
Open detailed family guideChild's legal stay
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Child's legal stay.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Child's legal stay.
Open detailed family guideUKR / temporary protection for a child
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: UKR / temporary protection for a child.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: UKR / temporary protection for a child.
Open detailed family guideChild passport and travel documents
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Child passport and travel documents.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Child passport and travel documents.
Open detailed family guideParental consent for passport and travel
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Parental consent for passport and travel.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Parental consent for passport and travel.
Open detailed family guideFamily reunification — spouse
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Family reunification — spouse.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Family reunification — spouse.
Open detailed family guideFamily reunification — child
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Family reunification — child.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Family reunification — child.
Open detailed family guideResidence of a child born in Poland
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Residence of a child born in Poland.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Residence of a child born in Poland.
Open detailed family guideMarriage formalities
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Marriage formalities.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Marriage formalities.
Open detailed family guideForeign civil-status documents
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Foreign civil-status documents.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Foreign civil-status documents.
Open detailed family guideDivorce and separation with children
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Divorce and separation with children.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Divorce and separation with children.
Open detailed family guideParental responsibility
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Parental responsibility.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Parental responsibility.
Open detailed family guideChild's place of residence
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Child's place of residence.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Child's place of residence.
Open detailed family guideContact with the child
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Contact with the child.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Contact with the child.
Open detailed family guideCourt substitute consent
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Court substitute consent.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Court substitute consent.
Open detailed family guideGuardianship
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Guardianship.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Guardianship.
Open detailed family guideTemporary guardian for a Ukrainian child
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Temporary guardian for a Ukrainian child.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Temporary guardian for a Ukrainian child.
Open detailed family guideUnaccompanied minors
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Unaccompanied minors.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Unaccompanied minors.
Open detailed family guideFoster and alternative care
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Foster and alternative care.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Foster and alternative care.
Open detailed family guideSchool admission
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: School admission.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: School admission.
Open detailed family guideCompulsory schooling and education
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Compulsory schooling and education.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Compulsory schooling and education.
Open detailed family guidePolish-language and adaptation support
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Polish-language and adaptation support.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Polish-language and adaptation support.
Open detailed family guideChanging school
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Changing school.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Changing school.
Open detailed family guideKindergarten and preschool preparation
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Kindergarten and preschool preparation.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Kindergarten and preschool preparation.
Open detailed family guideNursery and childcare under age 3
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Nursery and childcare under age 3.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Nursery and childcare under age 3.
Open detailed family guideSpecial educational needs and disability support
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Special educational needs and disability support.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Special educational needs and disability support.
Open detailed family guideBullying, discrimination and school crisis
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Bullying, discrimination and school crisis.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Bullying, discrimination and school crisis.
Open detailed family guide800+
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: 800+.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: 800+.
Open detailed family guideDobry Start 300+
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Dobry Start 300+.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Dobry Start 300+.
Open detailed family guideAktywny Rodzic
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Aktywny Rodzic.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Aktywny Rodzic.
Open detailed family guideFamily allowance
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Family allowance.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Family allowance.
Open detailed family guideBecikowe
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Becikowe.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Becikowe.
Open detailed family guideParental benefit
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Parental benefit.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Parental benefit.
Open detailed family guideDisability and carer benefits
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Disability and carer benefits.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Disability and carer benefits.
Open detailed family guideChild maintenance / alimony
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Child maintenance / alimony.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Child maintenance / alimony.
Open detailed family guideMaintenance Fund
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Maintenance Fund.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Maintenance Fund.
Open detailed family guideDomestic violence
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Domestic violence.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Domestic violence.
Open detailed family guideChild protection
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Child protection.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Child protection.
Open detailed family guideInternational child abduction
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: International child abduction.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: International child abduction.
Open detailed family guideFree legal, social and crisis support
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Free legal, social and crisis support.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Free legal, social and crisis support.
Open detailed family guideRelated domains: health, housing and parental work
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Related domains: health, housing and parental work.
Next action: Start with the short explanation below, keep any documents you already have and open the relevant official material: Related domains: health, housing and parental work.
Open detailed family guideConcept explanations
Best interests of the child
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Best interests of the child.
Parental responsibility (władza rodzicielska)
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Parental responsibility (władza rodzicielska).
Legal guardian (opiekun prawny)
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Legal guardian (opiekun prawny).
Temporary guardian (opiekun tymczasowy)
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Temporary guardian (opiekun tymczasowy).
Foster / alternative care
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Foster / alternative care.
Habitual residence
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Habitual residence.
Child's place of residence
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Child's place of residence.
Contact with a child
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Contact with a child.
Acknowledgement of paternity
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Acknowledgement of paternity.
Civil-status record
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Civil-status record.
PESEL
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: PESEL.
Residence status versus citizenship
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Residence status versus citizenship.
Family reunification
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Family reunification.
Sponsor in family-reunification procedure
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Sponsor in family-reunification procedure.
School obligation (obowiązek szkolny)
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: School obligation (obowiązek szkolny).
Education obligation (obowiązek nauki)
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Education obligation (obowiązek nauki).
Compulsory preschool preparation
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Compulsory preschool preparation.
Catchment school (szkoła obwodowa)
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Catchment school (szkoła obwodowa).
Universal benefit versus means-tested benefit
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Universal benefit versus means-tested benefit.
Professional-activity condition
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Professional-activity condition.
Maintenance / alimony
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Maintenance / alimony.
Substitute consent of the family court
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Substitute consent of the family court.
Domestic violence and the Blue Card procedure
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: Domestic violence and the Blue Card procedure.
International child abduction / Hague Convention route
This section helps you understand what to check and where to go in this situation: International child abduction / Hague Convention route.
Important current updates
From 2026, the online birth-registration service uses newer public digital channels; check the current Gov.pl instructions before applying.
Official source: Gov.plFor Ukrainian citizens applying for 800+ in 2026, a school-age child will generally need to attend the Polish education system. From 1 February 2026, a parental professional-activity condition also applies, subject to statutory exemptions and special rules.
Official source: Ministerstwo Rodziny, Pracy i Polityki SpołecznejDobry Start applications for the 2026/27 school year run from 1 July to 30 November 2026. A professional-activity condition applies to specified foreign nationals and UKR temporary-protection beneficiaries.
Official source: Ministerstwo Rodziny, Pracy i Polityki SpołecznejOfficial source: Ministerstwo Rodziny, Pracy i Polityki SpołecznejAktywny Rodzic has three benefits for care of children roughly aged 12 to 35 months. Check the current official information for the amount and conditions.
Official source: Ministerstwo Rodziny, Pracy i Polityki SpołecznejOfficial source: ELIChildren arriving from abroad can access Polish public schooling under the rules for Polish children, with Polish-language and adaptation support where needed.
Official source: Ministerstwo Edukacji NarodowejOfficial source: Urząd do Spraw CudzoziemcówEducation rules for Ukrainian children in 2026 are separately governed and should be checked independently from the general rules for foreign pupils.
Official source: ELIFamily-reunification eligibility depends on the family relationship and the sponsor's residence basis. The route for a minor child is not the same as the route for a spouse or other relatives.
Official source: MOS / Urząd do Spraw CudzoziemcówOfficial source: MOS / Urząd do Spraw CudzoziemcówA child born in Poland to foreign parents may need a separate residence-status route. Birth registration, PESEL, nationality and residence permission are different questions.
Official source: Gov.plOfficial source: Gov.plOfficial source: MOS / Urząd do Spraw CudzoziemcówAn unaccompanied Ukrainian minor covered by the Special Act is represented and cared for by a temporary guardian appointed under the statutory framework. Important matters may require family-court authorisation.
Official source: ELIIssuing a child's passport generally requires parental or guardian consent, or a family-court ruling if consent cannot be obtained. Passport consent and consent for foreign travel are different legal questions.
Official source: Gov.plOfficial source: Ministerstwo SprawiedliwościWhere domestic violence creates an immediate threat, seek emergency help first. Check official channels for crisis accommodation, support and the Blue Card procedure.
Official source: Gov.plThe nationwide victim-support line 116 006 is scheduled to operate from 1 September 2026.
Official source: Ministerstwo SprawiedliwościAcknowledgement of paternity requires the father's declaration and the mother's confirming declaration within the applicable period. If the declarations do not align, the court route is used.
Official source: Poland in Ukraine / Gov.plUpcoming verified changes
Available from 2026-10-01: The Maintenance Fund is income-tested. A new income criterion applies from 1 October 2026, so the applicable rule depends on the date.
Family & Children guide library
A changed or crisis family situation
Put the child's safety first; use only a verified local support service.
A child was born in Poland
Birth registration does not automatically determine citizenship or residence status.
A child's residence status
Do not infer status from a description alone: use the separate status route.
Change school
Transfer of records and education continuity are a separate local process.
Child healthcare hand-off
Check the basis of coverage; this domain does not determine medical entitlement.
Childcare support
Benefits and local programmes are not automatic: check the official route.
Documents for my child
Check the child's document, relationship to parent/guardian and the next official action.
Family 800+
Apply electronically to ZUS if your family meets the current conditions.
Family housing hand-off
A hand-off to the current Housing domain without duplicating housing rules.
Family in different countries
Combine status, documents, consent/guardianship and school continuity; disputes are not resolved automatically.
Family reunification
The family category, sponsor status and relationship evidence determine the route.
Family support
Check each benefit separately; status and residence can matter.
Guardian or child without a parent
Urgently check temporary guardianship and a safe official route.
I arrived in Poland with a child
Start with the child's status, documents, safety and education.
Kindergarten
Local recruitment, age, documents and current conditions are set by the municipality or city.
Parental rights at work
Employment rights belong to Work & Employment; this guide only identifies relevance.
PESEL / PESEL UKR for a child
A parent-facing route to the authority, documents and the next status step.
Polish for a child
School Polish support and a hand-off to Language & Integration.
School enrolment
Right and duty to education, local school, documents and steps if records are incomplete.
Single-parent administrative route
Check benefit recipient, address, documents and evidence of authority.