Extract from the Information and Analytical System “Record of Information on Criminal Prosecution and Criminal Convictions” or Criminal Record Certificate

What Is a Criminal Record Extract and What Information Does It Confirm?

A criminal record extract is an official document containing information that is current as of the date it is issued. It provides details on whether a person has been subject to criminal prosecution, whether they have a criminal record and, depending on the type of extract, other information prescribed by law.

The document’s full official name is an Extract from the Information and Analytical System “Records of Information on Criminal Prosecution and Criminal Convictions.” In practice, this lengthy title is mainly used in official documentation. In everyday communication, the document is more commonly referred to as a “criminal record extract,” “criminal record certificate,” “police clearance certificate,” or “certificate of no criminal record.”

The extract is generated through the information and analytical system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (MIA). It may be required for procedures in Ukraine as well as for submission to government authorities, employers, educational institutions and other organizations abroad.

Are a Criminal Record Certificate and a Criminal Record Extract the Same Document?

Under the current official procedure in Ukraine, the correct term is “extract.” Following the introduction of the new MIA procedure in 2022, the relevant information has been provided in the form of an extract from the information and analytical system.

However, terms such as “criminal record certificate,” “police clearance certificate” and “certificate of no criminal record” remain widely used by applicants, employers and even some institutions. Therefore, if you are asked to provide a criminal record certificate or police clearance certificate from Ukraine, you should first check the receiving institution’s requirements. In most cases, the document required is the current MIA criminal record extract.

What Is a Criminal Record Extract Required For?

A criminal record extract is required when you need official confirmation of whether you have a criminal record or other information included in the relevant form of the document.

It is most commonly requested:

• when applying for jobs that require official confirmation of criminal record status;
• for visa, citizenship, residence permit or other immigration procedures;
• for study purposes or when submitting documents to institutions abroad;
• when participating in tenders;
• for adoption or guardianship procedures;
• when applying for or renewing certain documents;
• for submission to government authorities, consulates, courts and other institutions abroad.

The fact that a criminal record extract is required for a particular procedure does not automatically determine which type of extract you need. One institution may accept a short extract, while another may require a full extract. When the document is intended for use abroad, there may also be additional requirements concerning an apostille, translation, certification and the date on which the document was issued. It is therefore advisable to obtain an exact list of requirements from the authority or organization to which the extract will be submitted. This helps prevent situations where the document has already been obtained and translated but its format or method of certification does not meet the receiving institution’s requirements.

Which Criminal Record Extract Should You Order: Full or Short?

A criminal record extract can be issued in either a short or full version. The choice should not be based on which version appears to provide “better” or more comprehensive documentation, but on the specific information required by the institution to which it will be submitted.

Short Criminal Record Extract

A short, or abbreviated, extract contains information confirming the absence or existence of a criminal record. It is appropriate when this level of confirmation is sufficient for the particular procedure.

However, you should not automatically order the short version simply because it contains the basic information about criminal convictions. Always check the requirements of the institution to which you intend to submit the document first.

Full Criminal Record Extract

A full extract contains a broader range of information, including details of criminal prosecution, the absence or existence of a criminal record, and relevant restrictions provided for under criminal procedure law.

If a foreign authority specifically requires a full criminal record extract, a certificate containing extended information or a particular type of document, it is best to follow that requirement exactly.

How to Obtain a Criminal Record Extract in Ukraine

A criminal record extract can be requested online through Ukrainian government electronic services. The government service itself is free of charge. If you require comprehensive assistance — from obtaining the document to apostille certification, translation and delivery — you can contact the Regional Translation Center.

To order the document through the Regional Translation Center, you will need to send clear, high-quality photographs of your documents. If you have the traditional booklet-style Ukrainian passport, please provide photographs of the first and second double-page spreads, the page containing your registered place of residence, and your Ukrainian taxpayer identification number document. If you have a Ukrainian ID card, please send clear photographs of both the front and back of the card, together with a document confirming your place of residence.

Before the process begins, it is advisable to specify the country and institution for which the criminal record extract is required. This makes it possible to determine from the outset whether additional steps will be necessary, such as obtaining an apostille, translating the document or arranging the appropriate form of certification.

How to Request a Criminal Record Extract through Diia

To obtain a criminal record certificate online through Diia, you need to sign in to the portal, select the relevant service and verify your personal details. You then choose either a short or full extract and indicate the purpose for which it is required.

If your personal details have changed in the past, the relevant information must be included in the application. You will also need to provide the required details concerning your place of birth.

Once the request has been processed, the completed electronic document is sent to your email address and becomes available in your personal account.

How to Obtain the Document through MIA Online Services

An electronic request can also be submitted through the relevant online service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs after signing in to your personal account.

However, you should not apply for this document at a territorial or regional MIA Service Center. As of 2026, MIA Service Centers do not issue extracts concerning criminal prosecution or the absence or existence of a criminal record. The generation and issuance of these extracts fall within the remit of the Department of Informatization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

How Long Does It Take to Obtain a Criminal Record Extract and Does It Expire?

According to the Diia portal, a criminal record extract may normally be issued within 10 business days. If the information requires additional verification, processing may take up to 30 calendar days. If you need the document by a specific date, it is therefore advisable not to leave your application until the last minute.

The processing time should not, however, be confused with the period during which a particular institution is willing to accept the document. These are two different issues.

How Long Is a Criminal Record Certificate Valid?

The criminal record extract contains information that is current as of the date and time it is generated. There is no universal rule stating that every Ukrainian criminal record certificate is valid for exactly three or six months in all circumstances.

Instead, the authority or institution receiving the document may impose its own recency requirements. For example, the rules for a particular procedure may specify that the certificate must have been issued no earlier than a certain period before the date of submission.

The relevant question is therefore not only “How long is a criminal record certificate valid?” but also “How recently must the document have been issued for this particular institution to accept it?” This should ideally be checked before ordering the extract, especially if it will subsequently require an apostille and translation.

Does a Ukrainian Criminal Record Extract Need an Apostille for Use Abroad?

A criminal record extract does not require an apostille in every case. Whether apostille certification is necessary depends on the country and authority where the document will be submitted, as well as applicable international arrangements and the requirements of the specific procedure.

Before ordering a criminal record extract with an apostille, you should therefore establish:

• the country in which the document will be used;
• the specific authority or institution to which it will be submitted;
• whether that institution requires an apostille;
• the language into which the document must be translated;
• what form of translation certification is accepted.

These details are best checked in advance. Even within the same country, requirements may vary depending on the purpose of submission and the receiving institution. For example, documents prepared for an immigration procedure may not necessarily be subject to the same requirements as documents submitted to an employer, university or another organization. If you obtain an apostille or arrange a translation first and only then check the receiving party’s requirements, some of the documents may have to be prepared again. The most reliable approach is to establish the requirements before beginning the document preparation process.

When Is an Apostille Not Required?

An apostille may not be required if a different procedure for accepting Ukrainian documents applies in the relevant country or for the specific procedure, or if the receiving authority does not require this form of authentication.

It is better not to rely on a universal list of “countries where an apostille is never required,” as requirements may differ depending on the document and procedure. Before submission, check the current requirements of the specific institution that will receive the criminal record extract.

How to Translate a Criminal Record Extract for Use Abroad

If a criminal record extract is being submitted to a foreign institution, it will usually need to be translated into a language accepted by that institution. The required translation format and method of certification depend on the country and the specific receiving authority.

A professional translation must accurately reproduce all relevant information contained in the document, including personal details, names of authorities, dates, reference numbers, official annotations and other particulars.

Depending on the requirements of the receiving institution, the following options may apply:

• a professional translation without additional notarization;
• a certified translation in a form accepted by the relevant institution;
• a translation with notarization of the translator’s signature;
• another form of translation required in the country where the document will be submitted.

The distinction between these options is significant. Notarization of a translator’s signature does not mean that the notary verifies the content of the document or certifies that the information contained in it is correct. The notarial act relates specifically to the authenticity of the translator’s signature in accordance with the applicable legal procedure. In some countries, the receiving authority may instead require a translation completed by a translator who holds a particular local status. The appropriate format should therefore be determined by the institution’s actual requirements rather than by the assumption that “more stamps are better.”

There is likewise no single universal rule as to whether the apostille or translation should come first. If the apostille itself must also be translated, the order in which the documents are prepared should be planned before the translation process begins.

How to Prepare a Criminal Record Extract for a Specific Country

The best place to start is not with the translation, but with the requirements of the institution that will receive the document. This allows you to select the correct type of extract from the outset and avoid paying for unnecessary procedures.

A practical sequence is:

country of submission → specific receiving institution → required type of criminal record extract → apostille requirement → translation language → method of translation certification → acceptable age of the document.

For example, simply requesting a “criminal record certificate for Germany” or a “criminal record extract for Poland” does not provide enough information to determine the correct document preparation procedure with certainty. The specific institution receiving the document and the purpose for which it is being submitted both matter.

Particular attention should also be paid to the spelling of the applicant’s first and last names. If the foreign institution already holds other documents belonging to the applicant — such as a passport, residence permit, diploma, certificate or previous translations — the spelling of personal details should be consistent throughout the entire document package. Different spellings of the same surname across several documents may lead to additional questions from the receiving authority.

This approach is particularly useful when a criminal record extract needs to be apostilled, translated and delivered abroad as part of a single procedure.

How Can the Regional Translation Center Help with a Criminal Record Extract?

The Regional Translation Center can assist with preparing a Ukrainian criminal record extract for use either in Ukraine or abroad — from obtaining the document and checking the applicable requirements to translation, the necessary certification and delivery arrangements.

If the document is intended for a foreign institution, it is advisable to specify the destination country, purpose and receiving authority from the outset. This allows the correct sequence to be established before work begins: which type of extract is required, whether an apostille is necessary, which language the translation should be prepared in and how the translation must be certified.

Where required, the entire process can be arranged as a single service: obtaining the criminal record extract, apostille certification, professional translation, the appropriate form of certification and delivery of the completed documents within Ukraine or abroad. This option is particularly convenient for applicants who are currently in another city or country and need several stages of document preparation handled as part of one order.