U.S. Document Legalization

All official documents issued or certified by US authorities (i.e. US Department of State, universities, schools, court decrees, vital records, powers of attorney, agreements, commercial documents such as: articles of incorporation, articles of organization, certificates of amendment, certificates of existence etc.) must be legalized by the Polish Consulate if they are going to be presented to Polish authorities in Poland.

You need to present to the Consulate the original documents or at least certified copies in order to obtain consular legalization. Powers of Attorney must be notarized before legalization. Commercial documents and powers of attorney transferring the ownership of real estates in Poland must be additionally certified by the Office of the Secretary of State.

Consular legalization fees:

1. Legalization: $41 (document must bear notary's public seal and signature, vital records and court decrees must bear the seal of the County Clerk);
2. Legalization and authentication: $65 (all commercial documents);
3. Legalization and authentication of US powers of attorney transferring the ownership of real estates in Poland: $160.

All payments must be made by money orders or cashier's checks.

For the last two categories of documents mentioned above a previous legalization by a notary public and the office of the Secretary of State is obligatory.