A Polish Sp. z o.o. opens an account with a bank in the UAE, registers a subsidiary in Georgia, bids for a tender in Kazakhstan, or files a trademark in Turkey. In each case the counterparty asks for "apostilled company documents" - and the confusion starts, because Poland issues no document called a certificate of good standing.
Here is what to order, in what sequence, and what it costs.
What is usually requested
| Requested abroad | Polish equivalent | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of incorporation | Odpis aktualny z KRS (current company register extract) | Sąd rejestrowy (registry court) |
| Certificate of good standing | KRS extract + tax and social security clearance certificates | KRS, tax office, ZUS |
| Articles of association | Umowa spółki (notarial deed) or consolidated text | Notary |
| Board resolution | Uchwała zarządu / shareholders' resolution | The company, with notarised signatures |
| Power of attorney | Pełnomocnictwo | Notary |
| Register of shareholders | Lista wspólników | The company, signature notarised |
| Tax residency certificate | Certyfikat rezydencji CFR-1 | Tax office |
A separate item is the criminal record certificate for a collective entity, often required in tenders. That is a standalone KRK document, covered separately.
Three certification routes
The key point: the MSZ issues the apostille, but not on everything directly. Some documents pass through an intermediate authority, and the order cannot be skipped.
Route 1: the KRS extract goes straight to the MSZ. Collect a paper extract - current or full - bearing the court's signature and seal, take it to the MSZ, pay PLN 60, receive the apostille. The simplest path.
Route 2: notarial documents go through the regional court. Articles of association, a notarial power of attorney, a certified copy of a deed. The president of the Sąd Okręgowy (regional court) certifies the notary's signature first; the MSZ apostilles afterwards.
Route 3: private company documents go through both. A board resolution, a shareholders' list, a statement signed by a board member. The MSZ will not take these on their own. The notary certifies the signatory's signature, the regional court certifies the notary's signature, then comes the apostille.
The most common client mistake is bringing a system printout. More on that below.
Why the eKRS printout is not accepted
A printout from the eKRS system carries the force of an official document within Poland. The MSZ, however, works only with paper originals bearing a signature and a seal, and a website printout has neither.
Two ways out:
- Order a paper extract from the registry court - in person, by post or through a representative. PLN 30-60 depending on type, one to seven days.
- Have the printout notarised and run it through route three. More expensive and slower, but sometimes faster when the court is backed up.
The same logic applies to e-KRK and other electronic documents - detailed breakdown here.
Cost and timing
| Item | Cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Current KRS extract (paper) | PLN 30 | 1-7 days |
| Full KRS extract | PLN 60 | 1-7 days |
| Notarised signature | PLN 20-50 + VAT | same day |
| Certified copy of a notarial deed | PLN 6 + VAT per page | same day |
| Regional court certification | PLN 26 per document | 1-5 days |
| MSZ apostille | PLN 60 per document | 1-3 days |
| Sworn translation | by volume | 1-3 days |
A full set - KRS extract, articles, power of attorney - with apostilles and translations lands at PLN 700-1,200 in official fees and seven to fourteen working days, assuming nothing derails.
Three traps that cost weeks
Translating before the apostille. The apostille attaches to the original. Translate first and the apostille clause stays untranslated, which the receiving side usually rejects. Correct order: original, apostille, then a sworn translation of everything including the apostille text.
An extract older than three months. The apostille never expires, but banks and registrars almost always want a KRS extract no older than three - occasionally six - months on the filing date. Order it against a specific deadline, not "in advance, just in case".
A country outside the Hague Convention. The UAE, Vietnam, Iraq, Egypt and a dozen other jurisdictions do not recognise apostilles; they require full consular legalisation. Different chain, different fees, different timelines. We map the fork separately.
What we do
- Pin down the requirement. We ask the counterparty for an exact list - "company documents" is not one. Half the items usually turn out to be unnecessary.
- Obtain the originals - KRS, tax and ZUS clearances, notarial copies - under a power of attorney.
- Run the chain - notary, regional court, MSZ or embassy - as one process with one party accountable for the deadline.
- Sworn translation at the right point, including the apostille clause.
- Delivery of originals by courier to the destination country.
Timelines and pricing sit on the service page. If you are also setting up a structure abroad, see our piece on business relocation and representative offices.
Frequently asked questions
Does an EU bank need an apostille on a KRS extract? Usually not. Regulation 2016/1191 and mutual register recognition mean most European banks accept the extract with a translation. Apostilles are demanded by institutions outside the EU.
Can a document in English be apostilled? The apostille goes on the Polish original. An English version follows as a sworn translation. Some courts issue KRS extracts in a bilingual format for EU purposes.
How many apostilles do I need for two destination countries? As many originals as countries. The apostille binds to one specific copy.
Who can collect documents from the MSZ? Anyone holding a power of attorney - which is exactly how we work.
The company was just registered and has no KRS entry yet. No extract will be issued before the entry. With S24 registration the entry usually appears within one to three days - how that works.
A corporate apostille is not a single stamp but a chain of two or three authorities where sequence matters more than speed. Getting the sequence wrong costs a week and a second set of fees.
Send us the counterparty's requirement - we will identify what is genuinely needed and assemble the pack end to end.
This material is informational. Foreign authorities differ in their requirements - consult a lawyer about your situation.