Police clearance certificate for Russia
Which criminal record certificate Russian migration offices accept from foreigners, which country it must come from, how to apostille or legalize it, how old it can be and how it is translated.
A police clearance certificate — also called a criminal record certificate or certificate of no criminal record — is one of the documents Russia asks foreigners for when they apply for a temporary residence permit (RVP), a permanent residence permit (VNZh) and some other statuses. It is also the document that most often delays an application: it comes from abroad, needs an apostille, must be fresh, and must be translated in full.
Which country it must come from
As a rule, the migration office asks for the certificate from your country of citizenship. If you have lived in another country before coming to Russia, the office may also ask for a certificate from that country of residence. Check the list for your situation with your migration office before ordering — it is cheaper than ordering twice.
The certificate must be a national one that covers the whole country:
| Country | Certificate | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| USA | FBI Identity History Summary | FBI background check |
| United Kingdom | ACRO police certificate | ACRO certificate |
| France | Extrait de casier judiciaire (bulletin n° 3) | French certificate |
| Italy | Certificato del casellario giudiziale | Italian certificate |
A local police letter, a certificate from one state or region, or a "good conduct" letter from an employer is usually not enough.
Apostille or legalization
The certificate is a foreign official document, so before it can be used in Russia it needs:
- an apostille, if the issuing country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (most of Europe, the Americas and many Asian countries are);
- consular legalization, if the country is not a party;
- neither, for some CIS countries, under agreements on legal assistance.
The apostille is issued in the country that issued the certificate — never in Russia. Read more in Apostille or consular legalization.
How old it can be
Russian authorities look at the issue date. As a rule, the certificate must be issued no more than three months before you file. The apostille and the translation do not restart this period. Since ordering a certificate and an apostille from abroad can take weeks, plan backwards from your filing date.
Translation
The certificate is filed with a notarized Russian translation: a translator translates it, and a Russian notary certifies the translator's signature. The translation covers:
- the full text of the certificate, including headers, reference numbers and the result;
- the apostille — it is part of the document and is translated too;
- seals, stamps and signatures, marked in the translation;
- every page, even if the certificate has several.
Your name must be spelled exactly as in your passport translation. If the passport was translated elsewhere, send us that translation and we will follow its spelling.
What we need
A scan or a clear photo of every page of the apostilled certificate. The price covers the certificate and its apostille; if the certificate is longer than two pages, we quote from the photo before starting. 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.