ZUS sick note from abroad: what counts from 24 October 2026
Short answer: From 24 October 2026 a foreign sick note for ZUS must name the clinic or doctor, show the issue date, signature and first and last day. Certificates from EU, EEA, Swiss and UK doctors need no Polish translation.
What the new regulation is
A Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy regulation of 27 September 2026 (Journal of Laws 2026, item 1316) sets which documents ZUS needs to grant and pay sickness, maternity, care and rehabilitation benefits. It was published on 9 October 2026 and takes effect on 24 October 2026, according to the Journal of Laws record on eli.gov.pl. One provision, § 39, takes effect 12 months after publication. The regulation replaces the earlier regulation of 8 December 2015 on the same subject.
This article covers what it says about medical and civil documents issued abroad, which matters for expats who fall ill or have a baby while outside Poland. It is general information, not legal advice. Which benefit you are entitled to depends on your insurance and employment, and ZUS decides each case.
Sick leave abroad: what ZUS needs
For sickness benefit covering a period of incapacity to work certified abroad, § 7 of the regulation says the necessary document is a medical certificate issued by a foreign medical facility or a foreign doctor, translated into Polish. The certificate must:
contain the name of the foreign facility or the name of the foreign doctor, with a date of issue and a signature;
state the start date and end date of the incapacity.
The signature requirement is met by an electronic signature or another authentication method that identifies the issuer, protects the integrity of the document and allows its authenticity to be checked.
Certificates from EU and similar countries
Certificates issued under the rules of an EU member state, an EFTA state that is party to the EEA agreement, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, or a state with which Poland has a social security agreement are treated as meeting the signature requirement, if issued in line with the law of the issuing country (§ 7, point 3).
Under § 8, the Polish translation requirement does not apply to certificates issued in those countries in their official languages. So a certificate from a German or Spanish doctor does not need translating. A certificate from a country outside that group does.
Care allowance abroad
For the care allowance (zasiłek opiekuńczy) when caring for someone during a stay abroad, § 35 says the necessary document is a certificate from a foreign medical facility or doctor that meets the same conditions as in §§ 7 and 8.
Maternity benefit if the baby is born abroad
Under § 14, for maternity benefit when the child is born during a stay abroad, the necessary documents include:
for the period before the birth, a certificate from a foreign medical facility or doctor stating the expected date of birth, meeting the conditions in § 7;
for the period from the birth, a short copy of the birth certificate or a foreign document confirming the birth. If no birth certificate or foreign document was made, for example in a stillbirth, a certificate from a foreign facility or a doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, or a foreign midwife, based on medical records.
For marriage or death certificates needed for a benefit, § 9 requires a foreign document issued by the competent registration authority in an EU member state, an EFTA state that is party to the EEA agreement, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.
What to do
Ask the foreign doctor to state the clinic or doctor's name, the issue date, and the first and last day of incapacity, and to sign. If the certificate is from outside the EU, EEA, Switzerland, the UK or a treaty country, have it translated into Polish. Keep the original with the translation. Send it to your employer or to ZUS as instructed. ZUS decides what it will accept in your case.
* Photos: both images are US public domain medical photos via Wikimedia Commons and are illustrative only.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Polish translation of a doctor's note from Germany?
According to § 8 of the regulation, no: certificates from EU member states, EEA/EFTA states, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and treaty countries do not need to be translated and can stay in the official language of the issuing country.
What must a foreign sick note contain?
The name of the foreign facility or doctor, the date of issue, a signature, and the start and end dates of the incapacity. The signature can be electronic if it identifies the issuer and allows the document to be authenticated.
When does this start?
On 24 October 2026, except for § 39, which starts 12 months after publication. The regulation was published on 9 October 2026.
Does it cover a baby born abroad?
Yes. Section 14 lists documents for maternity benefit when a child is born during a stay abroad, including a foreign birth document and a foreign certificate of expected delivery date.
