wiadectwom
Wiadectwo, commonly translated as “certificate” in English, is a legal document issued by an official authority that confirms the occurrence of a specific event or the possession of a certain status. In Poland, the most frequently encountered wiadectwa are the birth certificate (akt urodzenia), marriage certificate (akt małżeństwa), and death certificate (akt zgonu). Each of these documents contains basic personal data, such as full names, dates, places, and identifiers of parents or spouses, and is required for a wide range of administrative procedures.
The word “wiadectwo” derives from the Old Slavic root meaning “to testify” or “to witness.” It is
Because these documents are integral to state administration, they are typically stored in local civil registration