Under the proposal, if both spouses agree to the divorce, it could be granted by a local civil registrar rather than a judge. The government says the reform aims to ease the burden on Poland’s overloaded courts.
Divorce without a judge in Poland - who can apply?
To qualify, couples must have been married for at least a year, fully agree on ending the marriage, have no underage children together, and demonstrate a complete and lasting breakdown of their relationship.
No other divorce, separation, or annulment proceedings can be pending between them. At least one spouse must reside in Poland, and both must be Polish citizens or live in the country.
Two-step procedure
The process would take place in two stages. First, the couple would jointly visit any civil registry office to submit written declarations confirming they meet the legal requirements.
These declarations would remain valid for six months. After at least one month, they would return - either to the same or another office - to submit final, matching statements confirming their wish to divorce.
The registrar would then officially record the divorce by adding an annotation to the marriage certificate. Officials would also have the right to refuse the divorce if legal conditions were not met.
If approved by parliament and signed into law, the new system would take effect 12 months after publication in the official journal.
(mp)
Source: KPRM/PAP