FAQs
American Citizen Service
- I need a copy of a U.S. vital statistic record. How do I obtain a copy?
- How can I get a U.S. vital statistic record authenticated to be presented to Polish authorities?
- How can I get a Polish vital statistic record, diploma, or other official document authenticated?
- I am an American citizen and my Polish relatives/friends/acquaintances were refused a nonimmigrant visa. Why?
- I need to renew my passport. How do I apply for a passport renewal?
- I need more space in my passport. How to get extra passport pages added?
- Can I take my dog or cat to the United States? What papers are needed?
- I would like to look for my family’s roots in Poland. How can I perform genealogical research in Poland and can the Embassy help me with my search?
- What is the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and how can I sign up for it?
I need a copy of a U.S. vital statistic record. How do I obtain a copy?
A: According to bilateral agreements between the United States and Poland, personal requests for assistance in locating birth, marriage or death certificates in the U.S. should be directed to the nearest Polish Consulate, if you are a Polish Citizen. If you are an American citizen, you may send your request directly to the Vital Statistics Office. The Polish Embassy is located at 2224 Wyoming Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone: (202) 234-3800, e-mail: polconsul.dc@verizon.net. The locations of other Polish Consulates are available at: http://www.polandembassy.org/. Fees for this service may be paid in Poland through the nearest Polish Office of Vital Statistics.
How can I get a U.S. vital statistic record authenticated to be presented to Polish authorities?
A: Information on how to obtain a Hague apostille on public documents issued in the United States is available here.
How can I get a Polish vital statistic record, diploma, or other official document authenticated?
A: The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents came into force in Poland on August 14, 2005. As of that date, the Embassy terminated the procedure of legalization/authentication of public documents executed in Poland for legal use in the United States with exception of certain administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations.
Polish public documents (e.g. court records, vital statistics documents) for use in the United States are certified by the Legalization Department of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs by means of an apostille. The document with affixed apostille does not require any further authentication by the Embassy. In order to obtain an apostille on a Polish public document please contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Al. Szucha 21, Warsaw, tel. (022) 523 9463 or (022) 523 9128.
I am an American citizen and my Polish relatives/friends/acquaintances were refused a nonimmigrant visa. Why?
A: In accordance with the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), applicants for nonimmigrant visas are refused on several possible grounds. Refusals under Section 214(b) of the INA are the most common. According to Section 214(b), consular officers must presume that every applicant for a nonimmigrant visa is an intending immigrant until the applicant convinces the interviewing consular officer otherwise. Section 291 of the INA places the burden of proof of entitlement to nonimmigrant status on the applicant. Applicants for student, business or tourist visas must convince the consular officer that they plan to travel to the United States solely for those purposes, and that they have permanent residences abroad that they do not intend to abandon. No specific criteria exist for issuance of a visa. When deciding whether to issue a visa, consular officers look at a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the stability of the applicant’s socio-economic situation, their previous travel record and the logic of their proposed travel plans. A visa refusal under section 214(b) is not permanent, and a previously denied applicant may choose to reapply at a later date. However, the consular officer’s decision is unlikely to change unless the applicant’s situation has changed as well. Therefore, we recommend that applicants wait at least a year before reapplying after a visa denial, unless there is a compelling reason for an earlier reapplication.
I need to renew my passport. How do I apply for a passport renewal?
A: To renew your U.S. passport, please come with your current passport to the American Citizen Services section of the Embassy or Consulate. Contact information for ACS, Warsaw and ACS, Krakow is available here.
If you are applying for a new passport or any changes in the passport of a child 16 years old or younger, both parents should be present along with the child. The fee for passport renewal for adults is $110 ($105 for children) or the equivalent in Polish currency, payable in cash, or by credit card. Please note that we do not accept payment by check. More information on renewals and passport issues is available here.
I need more space in my passport. How to get extra passport pages added?
A: The fee for inserting additional passport pages is $82. Contact information for ACS, Warsaw and ACS, Krakow is available here.
Can I take my dog or cat to the United States? What papers are needed?
A: U.S. regulations concerning the importation of dogs and cats into the United States are as follows: all domestic cats and dogs must be free of disease communicable to humans when examined at the U.S. port-of-entry, and must be accompanied by a health certificate, signed by a veterinarian, stating that they are free of diseases communicable to humans. Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to entry into the United States, and a valid rabies certificate must accompany the animal. For more information on bringing your pet to the United States, please click here.
I would like to look for my family’s roots in Poland. How can I perform genealogical research in Poland and can the Embassy help me with my search?
A: The Embassy is unable to perform genealogical research. Genealogical research in Poland is performed by Naczelna Dyrekcja Archiwów Państwowych (Central Office of the National Archives), ul. Rakowiecka 2D, 00-517 Warszawa, Poland, telephone: (48) (22) 565-4600. To request assistance, please write a letter to the Archives and include the following information: first and last name of the family members (include the original spelling if the names have been changed), date of births and deaths, religion at birth, dates and places of marriages, and names of spouses. If records exist, the Archives will ask you to make a preliminary payment of approximately $30.00. Information about original name spellings is often contained in immigration records, available at the Polish American Congress, 5711 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, Illinois, 60646-6215, telephone (773) 763-9944, or at http://www.polamcon.org, or in the Library of Congress at 101 Independence Ave., SE, Washington, D.C., 20540, telephone: (202) 707-5000.
If you have a question that is not answered here, or for more useful information for American Citizens, please visit the American Citizen Services page of this website here.