Polish Sejm Approves Revolutionary Administrative Divorce Procedure at Registry Offices

Poland's Sejm passed a government amendment to the Family and Guardianship Code on Friday, March 13, 2026, allowing couples to divorce at a Civil Registry Office without going to court. The law introduces two strict conditions: the spouses must have no common minor children, and both must submit a joint application with unanimous consent to dissolve the marriage. The procedure mirrors the administrative simplicity of registering a marriage, moving the process out of the judicial system entirely. According to web search results, the cost of a divorce at the registry office is set at 600 zloty, the same fee currently charged for court proceedings. The law is expected to enter into force 12 months after its publication in the Journal of Laws, meaning the new rules will likely take effect in early 2027.

The legislation is designed to reduce the significant backlog in Polish common courts, where divorce cases currently take months or even years to resolve. According to web search results, couples without minor children account for approximately 30 to 40 percent of all divorces filed annually in Poland, meaning a substantial share of cases could be redirected away from courts under the new rules. The amendment does not eliminate judicial divorce proceedings — spouses who do not meet the criteria, or who prefer a court process, will still be able to pursue that route. The change represents a shift in how Polish law treats the dissolution of marriage, treating it in certain circumstances as an administrative rather than judicial matter.

Poland's divorce law has historically been among the more restrictive in Europe, rooted in the country's civil law tradition and the social influence of the Catholic Church. Divorce proceedings in Polish courts have long been criticized for their length and cost, with contested cases in particular dragging on for extended periods. The Civil Registry Office already plays a central role in formalizing marriages in Poland, making it a natural institutional candidate for handling uncontested dissolutions under the new framework.

The new law now awaits the signature of President Karol Nawrocki, who has the constitutional authority to sign or veto the bill. According to naTemat.pl, there is speculation that Nawrocki may align with the position of the opposition Law and Justice party and refuse to sign the legislation. If Nawrocki vetoes the bill, it would return to the Sejm, where the ruling coalition would need a sufficient majority to override the veto. The outcome of the presidential decision will determine whether the administrative divorce pathway becomes available to Polish couples as planned in 2027.