In short
  • A death certificate (karta zgonu) is issued by a doctor, while the civil death record (akt zgonu) is issued by the local Polish civil registry office (USC), regardless of the deceased’s citizenship;
  • Since January 1, 2026, the ZUS funeral grant (zasiłek pogrzebowy) is PLN 7,000 (up from PLN 4,000 through the end of 2025);
  • The grant can be claimed by anyone who actually covered the funeral costs, not only a family member, but also an employer, a funeral home acting under a power of attorney, or a municipality (gmina);
  • For certain categories of foreigners (e.g. those with international protection), an additional state-budget benefit is available from the Head of the Office for Foreigners.

The death of a foreigner in Poland is not only a tragic event for the family, but also a bureaucratic process that must be completed to arrange a dignified funeral and settle the formalities. Here is an up-to-date (2026) checklist of the necessary steps.

How death is confirmed

Under Polish law (the Act of January 31, 1959 on Cemeteries and Burial of the Deceased), the fact of death in Poland, regardless of the deceased’s citizenship, can be confirmed by:

  • the doctor who treated the deceased;
  • a midwife;
  • an ambulance/emergency doctor;
  • a doctor appointed by the prosecutor’s office or a court;
  • in certain exceptional cases, another authorized person.

The medical confirmation of death is called stwierdzenie zgonu in Polish. The document confirming this fact and serving as the basis for burial is the karta zgonu (death certificate). The death must be reported to the civil registry office within 3 days of the karta zgonu being issued (24 hours if an infectious disease is suspected).

Registering the death at the USC

Based on the karta zgonu, the civil death record (akt zgonu) is drawn up by the head of the local Urząd Stanu Cywilnego (USC), the Polish civil registry office competent for the place of death or where the body was found. This rule (the Act of November 28, 2014, Prawo o aktach stanu cywilnego) applies equally to Polish citizens and foreigners.

The obligation to report the death to the USC falls on: the spouse, relatives in the direct line, relatives in the collateral line up to the 4th degree, or a person who was present at the death or found the body. In practice, this obligation is often handled by the hospital, a care home, or a funeral home.

More about what Ukrainian and Belarusian consulates in Poland actually handle in our articles “Ukrainian consulates in Poland” and “Belarusian consulates in Poland”.

Notifying the consulate of the deceased’s country

Since this concerns the death of a foreigner, the diplomatic mission or consular office of their country of citizenship must also be notified. The notification is filed by the deceased’s relatives, the Polish medical facility, or other persons, based on:

  • the medical document (karta zgonu) issued by the relevant institution;
  • the Polish death record (odpis aktu zgonu) issued by the USC.

Note: in most cases (for example, the Embassy of Ukraine in Poland), documents issued by Polish authorities must be officially translated into the language of the country represented by the diplomatic office.

Funeral grant (zasiłek pogrzebowy): PLN 7,000 since 2026

If the deceased was legally insured with ZUS at the time of death (e.g. employed under an employment contract, or self-employed/JDG and paying contributions), the person who actually covered the funeral costs is entitled to the zasiłek pogrzebowy, a funeral grant paid by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS).

Key 2026 update: since January 1, 2026, the grant has been raised from PLN 4,000 to PLN 7,000 (Communication of the President of ZUS of January 27, 2026, based on the Act of December 17, 1998 on Pensions from the Social Insurance Fund). The right to the grant belongs to:

  • a family member (spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc.);
  • any other individual who actually paid for the funeral;
  • an employer, municipality (gmina), care home, or funeral home (acting under a power of attorney), if they covered the costs.

The application is filed on form Z-12: in person at ZUS, by mail, electronically via PUE/mZUS, or through a funeral home holding a power of attorney. The deadline for filing is 12 months from the date of death.

Separately, certain categories of foreigners (e.g. persons with international protection in Poland) may receive an additional benefit from the state budget, paid by the Head of the Office for Foreigners (Szef Urzędu do Spraw Cudzoziemców, under the Act of June 13, 2003 on Granting Protection to Foreigners in the Territory of Poland); this is a separate mechanism that does not replace the ZUS grant.

Transporting the body abroad

To transport the body of a deceased foreigner from Poland to another country, the following are usually required:

  • the Polish death record (odpis aktu zgonu) from the USC;
  • the karta zgonu;
  • a permit from the relevant sanitary inspector for cross-border transport of the body;
  • often, consent/confirmation from the consulate of the destination country.

In practice, the funeral home or relatives contact the destination country’s consulate directly to obtain the required permit.

If no one wants to bury the deceased

By decision of the competent local authorities, the body may be transferred to a medical institution for scientific research. If no such decision is made, the body is buried at the expense of the municipality (gmina) within the district where the death occurred.

FAQ

How much is the zasiłek pogrzebowy now?
Since January 1, 2026: PLN 7,000, regardless of the actual funeral costs (for family members of the deceased).

Who can apply for the grant if I’m not a relative?
Anyone or any organization that actually paid for the funeral, including an employer, a municipality, or a funeral home.

Do Polish documents need to be translated for the consulate?
In most cases, yes, many consulates (including Ukraine’s) require an official translation of the karta zgonu/akt zgonu into their country’s language.

Bibliography and Legal Basis

  • Act of January 31, 1959 on Cemeteries and Burial of the Deceased (Ustawa o cmentarzach i chowaniu zmarłych).
  • Act of November 28, 2014: Prawo o aktach stanu cywilnego.
  • Act of December 17, 1998 on Pensions from the Social Insurance Fund (zasiłek pogrzebowy).
  • ZUS: “Wyższy zasiłek pogrzebowy od 1 stycznia 2026 roku” (2026).
  • Act of June 13, 2003 on Granting Protection to Foreigners in the Territory of the Republic of Poland.

Author: the MojaFirma team.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation depends on the specific circumstances. If your case is complicated, feel free to book a free consultation with our team.