Get a police clearance certificate

A Ukrainian police clearance certificate is an extract from the Ministry of Internal Affairs information system "Records of criminal liability and criminal record". Foreign authorities accept the paper extract with an apostille for visas, residence permits and citizenship; the electronic extract cannot be apostilled. RegService obtains the apostilled extract through our representative under your power of attorney, so you can order it while living abroad.

When may I need a certificate of no criminal record?

When applying for a job; applying for a passport, visa for traveling abroad; issuing or renewing passport documents; obtaining a permit to carry weapons; obtaining a residence permit for foreigners and its extension in case of temporary stay in Ukraine; obtaining a license to work with narcotic or psychotropic substances, precursors; obtaining the right to work with explosive substances; employment abroad; for submission to institutions of other states; submission of documents to social security authorities; for

In short, any situation in which the state, including not only the Ukrainian state, has the right to demand from a person reliability and guarantees of adequate behavior. Obviously, a person may face the need to obtain a certificate of no criminal record regardless of his or her citizenship, both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners. 

Documents required to obtain a police clearance certificate:

• A copy of the passport: for Ukrainian citizens - 1-2 pages and the page with the registration of the passport of a citizen of Ukraine; for foreign citizens - 1 page of the foreign passport.
• Application form for the certificate with the reason for obtaining it (it is extremely important to indicate, if any, changes in the full name, usually a change of surname, and for foreign citizens, to fill in personal data in Russian, if not in Ukrainian, and to indicate the place of birth and last place of residence in Russian).
• If you have a previous criminal record, you may also need a court decision stating that your criminal record has been closed or a certificate of release.

The Ukrainian criminal record certificate today

The official name of the document is an extract from the information system "Records of criminal liability and criminal record" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. It is issued under Ministry Order No. 207 of 30 March 2022, as amended. There is a short form, which states only whether the person has a criminal record, and a full form, which also covers criminal liability and restrictions under criminal procedure law.

• Electronic extract. It carries a qualified electronic seal and a QR code for verification and works for Ukrainian employers and authorities. The extract itself states that it cannot be apostilled or legalised. A printout of the electronic extract made at an administrative service centre cannot be apostilled either.

• Paper extract. Printed on A4 with a signature and seal by the Ministry's Unified Information System service or an authorised office. Requests are accepted regardless of the applicant's registered address, in person or from a representative.

• Paper extract with an apostille. This is the version for use abroad. It is released only by the Ministry's Unified Information System service: to the applicant, to a representative, or by post or courier.

Police clearance with an apostille for immigration, visas and citizenship

Foreign authorities accept the paper extract with an apostille for visas, residence permits, citizenship and employment. Ukraine is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, so no consular legalisation is needed in other member states. The document is then translated into the language of the destination country, and in many EU states this is done by local sworn translators.

Country rules are collected on our document package pages: Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland.

How to get the certificate from abroad

1. You sign a power of attorney for our representative at a Ukrainian consulate or before a local notary with an apostille. We draft the text.
2. You send a copy of your passport, your Ukrainian tax number and the request details: all previous surnames, place of birth and purpose.
3. Our representative files a paper request with the Ministry's service and orders the extract with an apostille.
4. We collect the apostilled extract and send it to you or to your lawyer abroad.

Foreigners who lived in Ukraine can also obtain the extract. The foreign passport is submitted with a notarised Ukrainian translation.

What the request must contain

The Ministry's order lists the grounds for refusal: the person cannot be identified, the representative has not proved their authority, the data is incomplete or incorrect, or the purpose or type of extract is missing. Before filing we check:

• full name and all previous surnames;

• date and place of birth as written in your documents;

• purpose and type of extract, short or full;

• a power of attorney that expressly covers filing the request and receiving the apostilled extract.

Immigration lawyers who need Ukrainian documents for their clients can read about working with us on the page For immigration lawyers: documents from Ukraine.

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