Polish inheritance case support
Support for international inheritance cases involving Polish property or assets: gathering the required Polish records, arranging certified translations and liaising with Polish notaries, all handled in English.
- Case reviewpaid first step, price agreed upfront
- Heirs abroadusually no need to travel
- One case filerecords gathered for you
Document support for Polish inheritance matters
The estate established
We work out what the case needs: the deceased, the heirs, any will and the assets in Poland.
Records gathered
Civil status records, land register and cadastral documents are gathered in one case file.
Notaries and lawyers
We coordinate with Polish notaries. Where an advocate or legal adviser is needed, you instruct them directly and we work alongside them.
Translations arranged
Sworn translations and apostilles are arranged for documents crossing borders.
Tell us about the case
Every inheritance case starts with a paid case review. We confirm its price before any work begins, and the review sets out the steps, documents and price of the file work.
How it works
You send the details
Who died, when and where, the assets in Poland and the heirs. In English.
We review the case
A paid case review sets out the steps, documents and price before the file work starts.
We gather the file
We obtain the underlying records, arrange translations and prepare the file for the notary or court.
We coordinate
We liaise with the Polish notary and any lawyer you instruct, and keep you informed at each stage.
What we need from you
- Who died, when and where
- What assets are in Poland
- Who the heirs are and where they live
- Whether there is a will
- Any Polish documents you already hold
Court decision or notarial deed?
Heirs acquire the inheritance when the person dies, but towards third parties they prove it only with a court decision confirming the acquisition of the inheritance or a registered notarial deed of succession.
Court declaration
stwierdzenie nabycia spadkuThe court confirms who the heirs are on the application of anyone with an interest. It takes longer but works when heirs are scattered, unknown or in dispute.
- Families spread across several countries
- Heirs who cannot all take part
- Disagreements about who inherits
Notarial deed of succession
akt poświadczenia dziedziczeniaA notary records the succession when all persons who may be heirs take part and make a joint request. They can confirm a draft record separately before a notary.
- Heirs who agree
- All possible heirs known and reachable
- Not available for every case
| Feature | Court | Notary |
|---|---|---|
| Proves the heirs’ rights towards third parties | Yes | Yes |
| Needs every possible heir to take part and agree | No | Yes |
| Works when heirs are unknown or in dispute | Yes | No |
| We gather the documents and coordinate | Yes | Yes |
Heirs abroad do not usually need to travel; much can be handled by power of attorney. The right route depends on the family and the estate.
Six months to accept or reject
An heir has six months from learning of the inheritance to accept it, accept it with limited liability for debts, or reject it. Where the estate may carry debts, establish when the clock started before anything else.
- 1
When did the clock start?
The six months run from the day the heir learnt of the grounds for inheriting, not necessarily from the date of death.
- 2
Choose how to respond
Simple acceptance, acceptance with the benefit of inventory (liability limited to the estate’s value), or rejection.
- 3
Make the declaration
Before a court or a notary, orally or in writing with an officially certified signature. A power of attorney also needs a certified signature.
- 4
If you say nothing
For deaths from 18 October 2015, silence means acceptance with the benefit of inventory. Earlier deaths follow the rules then in force.
How Polish inheritance works
The points that most often shape an international case.
Statutory order
Without a will, the deceased’s children and spouse inherit first; without descendants, the spouse and parents, with siblings and their descendants taking a parent’s share where needed.
Reserved portion
A will may change the shares, but descendants, the spouse and parents who would inherit by law keep a claim to a reserved portion (zachowek).
Not before six months
A court decision or notarial deed cannot be made before six months from the death, unless all known heirs have already made their declarations.
Documents the case needs
The death certificate and last place of residence, birth and marriage records linking each heir, any will, and evidence of the assets such as land register and cadastral documents.
Foreign documents
Documents from abroad generally need an apostille and a sworn translation. Gathering them for a family in several countries is the part that takes time.
Earlier generations
A property may still be registered to someone who died decades ago. Each succession must be resolved in turn before the current heirs can be entered in the register.
Before you order
Short answers to the questions international families ask most often.
Do all heirs have to travel to Poland?
Usually not. Most steps can be handled by power of attorney. A power of attorney to accept or reject an inheritance must be in writing with an officially certified signature.
What if we do not know what property exists?
Tell us what you know: addresses, old deeds, parcel or register numbers. We check the land register and cadastral records that can be identified from those details.
How long does the whole case take?
Simple cases a few months; contested or multi-property estates considerably longer. Document gathering typically takes 4–10 weeks.
Do you give legal advice?
No. Where the matter requires a Polish advocate, legal adviser or notary, you instruct them directly and we work alongside them.
Must all heirs attend the notary together?
Not necessarily. All persons who may be heirs must take part and agree, but each can confirm a draft succession record separately before a Polish notary. Tell us where the heirs live and we explain the practical options.
Explore a real Polish library document
Open the image to inspect the details, or follow the source link to explore the full catalogue record. Historical examples provide context; the document you request today follows the current official procedure.
