Criminal record certificate for Poland: apostille step by step
The chain of steps with authorities, fees and timescales. Change the fields and the route is recalculated.
Criminal record certificate for Poland
One apostille stamp obtained in Russia is enough. No consulate is involved.
- What the apostille goes on
- On the original
- Second apostille on the translation
- Not required
- Translation
- Only a sworn translator in the destination country
- Under the treaty
- Legalisation is not required by treaty, but is asked for in practice
- 1
Check the criminal record certificate before you apply
The stamp is only affixed to an original of the established form and in good condition. A laminated document, a Soviet-era form or one with corrections will not be apostilled: you need a duplicate first.
Under the treaty no legalisation is required
The treaty of 16 September 1996 between Russia and Poland on legal assistance and legal relations in civil and criminal matters is in force between Russia and Poland: formally the document must be accepted without a stamp. In practice institutions in Poland ask for an apostille, and an apostille is always accepted. The route is therefore built with one; if the receiving institution confirms in writing that no stamp is needed, the apostille step can be skipped.
- 2
Have the apostille affixed to the original
The apostille on the criminal record certificate is affixed by the Main Information and Analytical Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or the regional Information Centre that issued the certificate. The state fee is paid in advance and the receipt is attached to the application.
The Main Information and Analytical Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or the regional Information Centre that issued the certificateThe certificate and the apostille on it can be obtained through the Information Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in any region: there is no link to your registered address.
- 3
Have the translation done by a sworn translator in Poland
A Russian notarised translation will not be accepted in Poland: you need a translator sworn in the destination country. The document is translated together with the apostille, so this step comes last.
This step is carried out in the destination country. We neither sell it nor charge for it.
Where the criminal record certificate was issued
The route starts from the region of issue: its own authority, its own timescales and addresses.