How to Get a Police Clearance Certificate in Ukraine

What Is a Police Clearance Certificate?

A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), also known as a Criminal Background Check, is an official document issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirming whether an individual has a criminal record in Ukraine.

This document is frequently required for immigration, citizenship, employment, residence permits, visa applications, international adoptions, and various legal procedures abroad. Foreign nationals and Ukrainians who previously lived in Ukraine are often asked to provide a Ukrainian Police Clearance Certificate as part of immigration or compliance procedures in another country.

In this guide, we explain how to get a Police Clearance Certificate in Ukraine, what documents are required, processing times, apostille requirements, and how to apply from abroad.

When Do You Need a Police Clearance Certificate?

A Police Clearance Certificate may be required in numerous situations. Many Ukrainians who have emigrated abroad, and this is almost 10 million today, will need a police clearance certificate when applying for any documents in another country.

Just as citizens of other countries who have been in Ukraine for at least a few months may also require this document when applying for very important documents. It is not uncommon for clients to contact us when applying for citizenship and request this document even if they have been traveling for 2-3 days in Ukraine.

Immigration Applications

Many countries require applicants to provide police certificates from every country where they have resided for a specified period of time.

Residence Permits

Foreign nationals applying for permanent residence permits often need to submit a criminal background check issued by their home country or by countries where they previously lived.

Citizenship Applications

Police clearance certificates are commonly required during naturalization and obtaining a citizenship of Ukraine to demonstrate good character and compliance with immigration requirements.

Employment Abroad

International employers, particularly in regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, and government services, frequently request criminal record checks as part of the hiring process.

Visa Applications

Certain long-term visas, investor visas, and immigration-related visas may require applicants to provide police certificates.

Adoption and Family Procedures

Authorities handling international adoptions, guardianship matters, and family reunification cases may require a police clearance certificate to assess the applicant's suitability.

Who Can Apply for a Police Clearance Certificate in Ukraine?

Ukrainian Citizens

Ukrainian citizens may request a Police Clearance Certificate directly through the available government services.

Foreign Nationals

Foreign citizens who currently reside or previously resided in Ukraine may also obtain a Police Clearance Certificate issued by Ukrainian authorities.

Former Residents of Ukraine

Individuals who lived in Ukraine years ago often require a Ukrainian criminal record check when applying for immigration programs abroad.

Applications Through a Representative

In many cases, a representative acting under a properly executed power of attorney may obtain the certificate on behalf of the applicant, which is particularly useful for individuals living outside Ukraine.

How to Get a Police Clearance Certificate in Ukraine

There are several methods available for obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate. It is important to understand before issuing a document what exactly it is needed for, because this determines how it can be obtained.

Apply Through Diia

Ukrainian citizens may request a certificate through the Diia platform. Once the application is submitted and processed, the document becomes available electronically. This is generally the fastest and most convenient method for eligible applicants.

If an apostille is required, issuing a police clearance certificate through Diia is not a working option due to the impossibility of affixing an apostille to it.

Apply Through the Ministry of Internal Affairs Portal

Applications may also be submitted through official Ministry of Internal Affairs services. Applicants must provide identification details and other required information to enable the authorities to conduct the relevant criminal records search.

As of 2026, this option is the most workable because in 99% of cases, an Apostille is additionally required for applicants, and it can only be obtained by directly submitting an application to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Apply Through an Authorized Representative

Individuals who are unable to apply personally may authorize a representative in Ukraine to obtain the document on their behalf.

This option is particularly useful for:

• former residents of Ukraine;
• foreign nationals;
• individuals living abroad;
• Applicants requiring apostille and legalization services.

Apply from Abroad

Applicants residing outside Ukraine may obtain the certificate remotely through a representative acting under a power of attorney.

This option eliminates the need to travel to Ukraine solely for the purpose of obtaining the document.

Documents Required for a Police Clearance Certificate

The documents required to obtain a Police Clearance Certificate in Ukraine depend on the applicant's status and the method of application.

For Ukrainian Citizens

Ukrainian citizens are generally required to provide:

1. 1
   A valid passport or ID card;
2. 2
   Tax identification number (if required);
3. 3
   Personal information necessary for the criminal records search.
4. 4
   Information about the city of birth and registration address (if available).

When applying through Diia or official government portals, part of this information may already be available within the system.

For Foreign Nationals

Foreign citizens may need to provide:

1. 1
   Passport copy;
2. 2
   Information regarding previous residence in Ukraine;
3. 3
   Date of birth and personal identification details;
4. 4
   Documents confirming legal representation if applying through a representative.

Name Change Cases

Applicants who have changed their surname or given name should provide supporting documentation confirming the change.

This is particularly important for marriage-related name changes and situations involving transliteration differences between passports and previous Ukrainian records.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Police Clearance Certificate?

Processing times may vary depending on the application method and the current workload of the authorities. Due to the large volume of applications in 2026, certificates are being issued today much longer than they were before.

Standard Processing Time

Under normal circumstances, a Police Clearance Certificate is typically issued within 35-40 business days. Also, the deadline depends on the need for an Apostille, which may also take several additional business days.

Electronic applications are often processed faster than paper-based requests.

Urgent Processing Options

Some service providers can assist with expedited processing if required by law. The expedited option without an Apostille takes an average of 3 business days, and 7 business days if an Apostille is required.

Applicants with tight immigration or visa deadlines should start the process as early as possible to avoid delays.

Apostille Processing Time

If the certificate requires an apostille, additional time must be allocated for authentication procedures.

The total timeline will depend on:

• issuance of the certificate;
• apostille processing;
• certified translation requirements;
• International courier delivery.

Police Clearance Certificate with Apostille

Many foreign authorities require not only the Police Clearance Certificate itself but also an apostille.

What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is essentially a simplified legalization of a document. In order not to visit several instances and receive several copies of documents, many states have recognized the Convention abolishing the requirement for legalization of foreign official documents.

Therefore, you need to know whether the country in which you are ordering a certificate of good conduct recognizes this Convention.

Countries that do not require an Apostille from Ukraine

For Ukraine, an apostille is not required in relations with countries with which bilateral or multilateral legal assistance agreements have been signed. Thanks to these agreements, official documents are recognized without any additional certification; usually, only a notarized translation is required.

The main list of such states includes:

Europe: Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova.

Asia and the Caucasus: Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia.

When Is an Apostille Required?

An apostille is commonly required for:

• immigration applications;
• residence permits;
• citizenship applications;
• employment abroad;
• International business transactions.

Failure to obtain the apostille when required may result in the receiving authority rejecting the document.

Translation Requirements

Many countries also require a certified translation of the Police Clearance Certificate. The translation requirements vary depending on the jurisdiction where the document will be used.

Can You Obtain a Police Clearance Certificate from Outside Ukraine?

Many applicants no longer reside in Ukraine but still require a Ukrainian criminal record check for immigration or compliance purposes.

Applying Through a Power of Attorney

One of the most practical solutions is to appoint a representative in Ukraine through a power of attorney.

The representative may:

• submit applications;
• collect the certificate;
• Arrange apostille services.
• organize certified translations;
• Arrange international delivery.

Delivery Abroad

After issuance, the certificate may be delivered internationally through courier services. This approach is frequently used by former residents of Ukraine who are applying for immigration programs in Canada, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and EU countries.

Common Challenges for Applicants Abroad

Applicants outside Ukraine often encounter:

• difficulties accessing Ukrainian government services;
• expired Ukrainian documents;
• transliteration inconsistencies;
• tight immigration deadlines.

Professional legal assistance can significantly simplify the process in such situations.

Validity Period of a Police Clearance Certificate

Many applicants ask how long a Police Clearance Certificate remains valid. The answer depends on the authority requesting the document. From our experience, in most countries, as well as in Ukraine, this period can be up to 6 months, although in some countries it is only 3 months, so it is very important to take these periods into account when ordering a police clearance certificate.

Immigration Applications

Immigration authorities frequently require certificates issued within the last few months. Usually, this is 6 months from the date of issuance of the police clearance certificate or affixing of the Apostille.

Employment Applications

Employers often request recently issued certificates to ensure that the information is current. Mostly for employers, there is no validity period for the document, but it is recommended not later than 6-12 months.

Citizenship Applications

Citizenship authorities generally determine their own validity requirements. For this reason, applicants should verify the exact validity period with the authority requesting the document rather than relying on a universal rule.

The citizenship procedure is one of the most complicated processes in any country, so the validity period of the certificate, depending on the country, is from 3 to 6 months.

Police Clearance Certificate for Foreigners Who Previously Lived in Ukraine

Foreign nationals who previously resided in Ukraine often need a Ukrainian Police Clearance Certificate years after leaving the country.

Common situations include:

• immigration to another country;
• citizenship applications;
• employment screening;
• security clearances;
• investor migration programs.

Even if a person no longer possesses Ukrainian residence documents, it is often still possible to obtain the required certificate with the assistance of a representative.

Because immigration authorities increasingly conduct detailed background checks, obtaining a properly issued and authenticated Police Clearance Certificate is an important step in many international procedures.

Legal Help With Obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate in Ukraine

The process of obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate may seem simple at first glance, but if the applicant resides outside Ukraine, needs an apostille stamp, wants fast processing, or has inconsistencies in their personal documentation, the process can become very difficult.

We provide services for Ukrainian citizens, foreigners, former Ukrainian citizens, investors, and immigration applicants for obtaining Police Clearance Certificates, apostille certification, professional translation, and international document shipment services. It is possible to get all the necessary paperwork processed remotely with the help of our legal professionals.

Conclusion

The Police Clearance Certificate is one of the most commonly required certificates in the context of immigration, citizenship, employment, or international procedures. No matter whether you are a Ukrainian citizen, a foreigner living in Ukraine, or a citizen who used to live in Ukraine but moved somewhere else years ago, you will need to acquire the right kind of certificate and make sure it is apostilled and professionally translated where appropriate.

This is important if you wish to avoid any issues.