A certificate from Poland’s National Criminal Register may be required when applying for certain jobs, licenses, permits, or professional qualifications, as well as when completing formalities abroad. Although the document is often used to confirm that a person has no criminal record, the National Criminal Register contains a much broader range of information than merely whether a person has been convicted of a criminal offense.
Below, we explain what the National Criminal Register is, what information it contains, how to obtain a certificate, and what to consider before using it in Poland or abroad.
Table of Contents
What Is Poland’s National Criminal Register?
The National Criminal Register, known by its Polish abbreviation KRK, is an official government register that contains information on, among other things, individuals who have been convicted by a final judgment of criminal or fiscal offenses, as well as a range of other circumstances specified in the National Criminal Register Act.
Individuals most commonly encounter the KRK when they need an official document confirming the information held in the register. In English, this type of document is commonly referred to as a criminal record certificate or police clearance certificate, although the terminology used may vary depending on the country and institution.
The certificate shows the information held in the register as of its date of issue. It therefore cannot be issued retroactively.
If you require this document and do not wish to handle the formalities yourself, you can appoint a representative to obtain a certificate from the National Criminal Register on your behalf.
What Information Is Held in the KRK?
The scope of the information held in the National Criminal Register is broader than the commonly used description “register of convicted persons” might suggest.
The KRK contains information on, among others, individuals who:
- have been convicted by a final judgment of criminal or fiscal offenses;
- have had criminal proceedings against them conditionally discontinued by a final judgment;
- are Polish citizens who have been convicted by a final judgment issued by a court in another country;
- are wanted under an arrest warrant;
- are being held in pretrial detention;
- belong to certain categories of juveniles;
- are covered by other circumstances specified in the Act on the National Criminal Register.
The register also contains information on collective entities. Information from the KRK may therefore be obtained not only about an individual but also about a collective entity, such as a company.
When Is a Criminal Record Certificate Required?
The requirement to provide a KRK certificate may arise from applicable law, the nature of a particular profession or business activity, or the requirements of a specific institution.
The document may be required in situations including:
- employment in a position for which the law requires a clean criminal record;
- work or activities involving the care or supervision of children and young people;
- applications for certain licenses, permits, or professional qualifications;
- procedures relating to employment abroad;
- applications for a visa or residence permit in another country;
- proceedings conducted by foreign government authorities, educational institutions, or employers;
- procedures relating to certain types of business activity, such as applications for specific transportation licenses.
However, this does not mean that every employer is entitled to request information from the KRK at their discretion. According to the Polish Ministry of Justice, an employer may request such information only where a specific legal provision requires the employee to have no criminal record.
Before ordering the document, it is therefore worth establishing who requires it, for what purpose, and how recently the certificate must have been issued.
How Can You Obtain a Criminal Record Certificate in Poland?
A KRK certificate can be obtained in several ways:
Online via the e-KRK System
An application can be submitted online through the official e-KRK system after creating an account and signing the application using a Trusted Profile or an appropriate electronic signature. The resulting document is issued electronically.
In Person
An application may be submitted at the KRK Information Office in Warsaw or at one of the KRK Information Points. In standard cases, the document is issued immediately.
By Mail
An application may be submitted by mail together with proof of payment. The certificate is issued in paper form and returned to the applicant by mail.
Through an Authorized Representative
The formalities may also be handled by an authorized representative acting under a written power of attorney. This is particularly convenient for individuals who do not wish to manage the procedure themselves or who are currently abroad.
An agency such as MT Translation Agency can also obtain a KRK certificate on your behalf and, if necessary, prepare it for use in Poland or abroad.
Does a Criminal Record Certificate Expire?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions concerning documents issued by the National Criminal Register.
The regulations governing the KRK do not establish a single general validity period for certificates. What matters is how recent the document must be under the applicable regulations or the requirements of the institution to which it will be submitted.
In practice, one institution may accept a certificate issued several months earlier, while another may require a much more recent document.
Before submitting an application, it is therefore advisable to check:
- whether the receiving institution specifies a maximum age for the document;
- the date as of which the information must be current;
- whether a paper or electronic document is required;
- whether the certificate will be used in Poland or abroad.
It is therefore generally not advisable to order a KRK certificate far in advance if you do not yet know the requirements of the institution for which it is being prepared.
Is a Conviction Eventually Removed from the KRK? How Does Expungement Work?
A conviction does not necessarily remain in the National Criminal Register indefinitely. Polish law provides for the expungement of convictions, after which a conviction is legally deemed never to have occurred and the relevant entry is removed from the register.
However, this does not mean that every conviction is removed from the KRK after the same period. The conditions for expungement depend on factors including the type and severity of the sentence, the nature of the offense, and other circumstances specified in the Polish Criminal Code. In certain situations, expungement occurs automatically by operation of law, while specific rules and exceptions may apply in other cases.
If a conviction meets the requirements for expungement, the relevant entry is removed from the KRK without the need to submit a separate application to the KRK Information Office.
When assessing an individual case, however, it is not advisable to rely solely on general timelines found online. The possibility and timing of expungement may depend on numerous factors. If there is any uncertainty, the specific circumstances should be assessed under the applicable law.
Using a KRK Certificate Abroad
If a KRK certificate is intended for use abroad, obtaining the document itself may not be sufficient. Depending on the destination country and the requirements of the receiving institution, additional authentication and a translation of the document may be required.
If the destination country is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, obtaining an apostille from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs will generally be sufficient. For countries where the apostille procedure does not apply, the document must undergo legalization by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by additional authentication at the diplomatic mission of the country in which the document will be used.
However, not every KRK certificate intended for use abroad requires additional authentication. If a Polish citizen submits a Polish certificate confirming that they have no entry in the criminal register to an authority in another European Union Member State, the apostille requirement is waived under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191.
It is also possible to obtain a multilingual standard form to accompany the KRK certificate. This may make it easier to submit the document in another EU Member State and may reduce or eliminate the need for a separate translation. This option is available exclusively to Polish citizens. A citizen of another country who obtains a KRK certificate in Poland cannot use this form.
We always recommend verifying the requirements of the specific government authority, employer, or other institution to which the document will be submitted before ordering an apostille, legalization, or translation.
Common Mistakes When Preparing a KRK Certificate for Use Abroad
Preparing a KRK certificate for submission to a foreign institution often involves more than one step. The most common problems arise not from obtaining the document itself but from beginning the process without first checking the recipient’s requirements.
Ordering the Certificate Too Early
A KRK certificate has no single statutory validity period, but the receiving institution may require a document issued no more than a specified number of weeks or months before its submission.
Obtaining a Translation Before Confirming the Entire Procedure
In some cases, the document must first receive an apostille or undergo legalization, after which the complete set of documents should be translated. In other cases, the procedure may differ. It is advisable to confirm the correct sequence before ordering a translation.
Ordering the Wrong Document Format
A document obtained through the e-KRK system is issued electronically. A printout of that electronic file is not itself an official document and does not replace an original paper certificate issued by the KRK. If the certificate requires further authentication or must be submitted to an institution that requires a paper version, the appropriate format should be selected from the outset.
Relying Solely on General Country Requirements
Checking the general rules applicable in a particular country may not be sufficient. A specific educational institution, government authority, employer, or immigration agency may have its own requirements concerning the certificate’s date of issue, translation and format.
Summary
Before obtaining and using a certificate from Poland’s National Criminal Register, it is worth considering several essential questions:
- Do I know which institution requires the document?
- Have I checked how recently the certificate must have been issued?
- Do I need a paper or electronic document?
- If the certificate will be used abroad, does it require an apostille or legalization?
- Will a certified translation be required?
- Do I know the correct order in which all the formalities must be completed?
Obtaining a KRK certificate is usually only one part of the process. When a document is intended for use abroad, confirming all the requirements in advance can help avoid having to order the document again and incurring unnecessary costs.
If you require comprehensive assistance, we can obtain a KRK certificate on your behalf and, where necessary, arrange an apostille or document legalization and a certified translation.