For some immigration matters in Poland the Polish KRK is not enough - the wojewoda (voivode) additionally asks for a criminal record certificate from your country of origin. The Polish extract from the Krajowy Rejestr Karny shows only Polish court verdicts; it says nothing about what happened before you moved. So for a number of grounds for the karta stałego pobytu, for the long-term EU resident card, and sometimes for specific licences, you need a certificate from your homeland - and necessarily along the full chain: certificate, apostille in the issuing country, sworn translation into Polish.
When the Polish KRK is not enough - the short answer
If you did not live in Poland your whole life, for some grounds the wojewoda wants a picture from the country of origin too. The Polish KRK covers the Polish period, the home-country certificate covers everything earlier. It is required most often for pobyt stały on the basis of Polish descent, for the long-term EU resident card, and on request for other grounds. The certificate must be legalised: the apostille goes on in the issuing country, then a sworn translation into Polish.
Which Polish procedures ask for a home-country certificate
The exact list depends on the voivodeship and the ground, but the rough guide is:
| Polish procedure | Home-country certificate |
|---|---|
| Karta stałego pobytu - Polish descent | usually yes |
| Long-term EU resident card | often yes |
| Karta stałego pobytu - marriage to a citizen | at the wojewoda's discretion |
| Specific licences and positions | sometimes yes |
| Karta pobytu czasowego (temporary) | usually no |
Polish citizenship is normally covered by the Polish KRK without a home-country certificate. But we always check the file against the current wykaz dokumentów (document list) of the specific office - the Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki and offices in other cities may treat the same ground differently.
Three ways to obtain the certificate - in brief
A home-country certificate is usually obtained one of three ways. Through your country's consulate in Poland - convenient if being present in your homeland is impossible. Through your country's online service, if it exists (Ukraine, for instance, has long offered online issuance of the MIA certificate). Or through a trusted person / local partner under a power of attorney. After that, in any case, come the apostille and the sworn translation.
By country - where to get it and how long it takes
Below is the general picture. Specific terms and bodies change, so before launching we confirm the current procedure for your country.
| Country | Where to get it | Online | Term | Apostille issued by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine | MIA, online account, consulate | yes | 1-30 days | MIA / online with apostille |
| Belarus | MIA, Belarusian consulate | partly | 2-4 weeks | MFA of Belarus |
| Russia | MIA, Russian consulate | partly | 3-6 weeks | MIA (regional) |
| Kazakhstan | TsON / eGov, consulate | yes | 1-2 weeks | Ministry of Justice |
| Georgia | House of Justice | yes | 1-7 days | House of Justice |
| Moldova | online / consulate | yes | 1-2 weeks | Ministry of Justice |
| Armenia | Police of Armenia, consulate | partly | 2-3 weeks | MFA |
For Russia in 2024-2026 the channels are complicated: remote filing and legalisation take longer than usual, and some procedures run only through the consulate. This is the slowest option, and you should plan for it with a margin.
The full chain for use in Poland
For a home-country certificate to work in a Polish office, obtaining it is not enough. The order is strict:
- Get the certificate in the issuing country - in the current form, ideally fresh (many offices look at the "age" of the document).
- Apply the apostille in the issuing country. The apostille is affixed precisely by the country that issued the document - the Polish MSZ does not legalise a foreign document.
- Make a sworn translation into Polish of the finished document, together with the text of the apostille stamp.
- File the certificate as part of the package with the wojewoda.
An important exception is EU countries. Between EU states a criminal record certificate, under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, does not require an apostille: the document itself and, where needed, a multilingual standard form or translation are enough. For certificates from the CIS this exception does not apply - an apostille is needed.
The apostille mechanics themselves we cover separately - see apostille on a certificate of no criminal record. Where the certificate is needed in immigration and with what validity - see certificate of no criminal record for citizenship and PR.
How much it costs
It comes down to three parts: obtaining the certificate, the apostille, and the sworn translation.
| Item | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Our fee for obtaining via partner/consulate | 250-500 PLN |
| State / consular fee of the country | per the country's tariff |
| Apostille in the issuing country | per the country's tariff (usually the equivalent of 20-60 EUR) |
| Sworn translation into Polish | ~80 PLN per document |
The exact sum depends on the country and the urgency. Consular fees and terms are set by the country itself; we only handle the process.
The most common mistakes
1. Translation done before the apostille. The apostille goes first, the translation after, together with the text of the stamp. Otherwise you will translate again.
2. Apostille ordered in the wrong country. Only the country that issued the document legalises it. The Polish MSZ does not apostille a Ukrainian or Kazakh certificate.
3. Started too late. The home-country certificate is the longest element of the file (up to 4-8 weeks with legalisation). It is ordered first, even before the Polish KRK.
4. Different spelling of the name. One transliteration in the passport, another on the certificate. The discrepancy surfaces at the wojewoda. Give all spellings and previous surnames when ordering.
5. An expired certificate. While the apostille and translation were in transit, the document "aged". Check the "age" against the filing date at the wojewoda.
When you need a lawyer
If your case is simple and the country issues the certificate online with an apostille, much of it you can do yourself. A lawyer makes sense when:
- cooperation with the country is complicated (Russia in 2024-2026) and you need a working channel;
- the certificate goes into a file for pobyt stały or EU resident, and the validity of two certificates must align to one date;
- there is an entry in the document and it matters how it sits against the ground;
- the wojewoda has already sent a wezwanie demanding the home-country certificate within a deadline;
- spelling discrepancies in the name across documents have already caused problems.
At LegalWin the certificate of no criminal record service includes ordering the home-country certificate through a consulate or local partner, and the apostille and legalisation service handles the apostille and sworn translation end to end.
Order a home-country certificate →
This article is an overview. Procedures, terms and fees in countries of origin change and depend on the specific situation. For an individual case, consult a lawyer.
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