French criminal record certificate for Russia
How French citizens get an extrait de casier judiciaire (bulletin n° 3) accepted in Russia: ordering it online, the apostille, the electronic apostille and the notarized Russian translation.
French citizens applying for a Russian temporary residence permit (RVP), permanent residence (VNZh) or another status are usually asked for an extrait de casier judiciaire — the French criminal record certificate. The version an individual can request for themselves is bulletin n° 3, issued by the national criminal record service (Casier judiciaire national).
Step 1. Request bulletin n° 3
You request the extract online on the official French justice website, free of charge, or by post. You need your civil status details: full name, date and place of birth, and your parents' names. People born abroad may be asked for a copy of an identity document.
The extract comes back electronically or by post. It either states that the record is blank ("Néant") or lists the entries.
Step 2. Apostille
France and Russia are both parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille is required — no consular legalization. In France apostilles on judicial documents are issued by the cour d'appel. For the national criminal record, request the apostille from the court of appeal designated for the Casier judiciaire national; check the current procedure on the French justice and public service websites before you send the document.
France also issues electronic apostilles. An e-apostille is a separate page with a QR code and a verification link. Russian authorities check that the apostille belongs to the document, so file the extract and the e-apostille together, printed in full.
Step 3. Notarized translation into Russian
The extract is filed in Russia with a notarized translation. We translate:
- the full text of the extract, including its title, reference numbers and the result;
- the apostille — whether paper or electronic, every item, plus the verification details;
- stamps, seals and signatures, marked in the translation.
If the extract has a few lines in another language, or the apostille is bilingual, each language version is reflected as in the original. Your name follows the spelling of your passport translation.
Timing
Russian migration offices usually accept a certificate issued no more than three months before filing. The extract itself is fast; the apostille and delivery to Russia take longer, so plan the order around your filing date.
What we need
Scans of every page of the extract and the apostille. If the apostille is electronic, send the PDF you received — not only a screenshot — so all pages, including the verification page, are translated. The translation is ready in 1 business day.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Requirements change; check the current list with your migration office before filing.