A Ukrainian police clearance certificate (also called a non-criminal record extract) is issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs — online through the Diia portal or offline through a service centre or a CNAP (administrative services centre). As of Q2 2026 there is **no administrative fee: issuance is free** (source: diia.gov.ua, 2026). A short-form e-extract is generated within minutes, while a full extract takes **10 business days** (standard) or up to 30 calendar days if additional verification is required (source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine). The detail most guides skip: for submission abroad the electronic version is often **not enough** — receiving authorities require a paper certificate with a wet stamp and an apostille.
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Why an online-guided flow can be more efficient than doing it all alone at a government office:
Government office
- Long waiting lines
- Complex, tedious multi-step process
- Strict business hours — closed evenings and holidays
- Overloaded phone lines
- No simple trackable application flow
- Payment often limited to cash or money orders
notaryk.com
- No standing in long lines — guided online steps
- Simplified and streamlined flow
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- Clear guidance in one place
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- Card payment where applicable
Disclaimer. This material is informational and not legal advice. Requirements vary by issuing body, document purpose, and country of submission. Always confirm the required format with the receiving institution before filing. Information is current as of Q2 2026; regulations and services may change.
Key Takeaways
- A Ukrainian police clearance is issued free of charge (0 UAH admin fee) via Diia or a CNAP in 2026.
- Short-form e-extract: minutes; full extract: 10 business days or up to 30 calendar days.
- The Diia e-extract works inside Ukraine, but foreign authorities usually require a paper certificate plus apostille.
- The e-extract is technically unavailable to people with an open case or an unspent/outstanding conviction.
- The certificate is not an exit permit; conscription-age men are subject to separate martial-law rules.
Certificate or extract — what is the difference
Short answer: the official document issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the non-criminal record extract, while "police clearance certificate" is the common name used by embassies and employers for the same document. There is no legal difference for most applicants: when a receiving institution asks for a "certificate," it needs the extract from the Unified Register. The Ukrainian term is "довідка/витяг про несудимість" and the Russian is "справка о несудимости" — all refer to the same document.
Who issues the police clearance
The extract is generated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine based on the Unified Register. The applicant only chooses the submission channel. Access to each channel depends on whether you hold a valid electronic signature and whether there are any register-access restrictions.
| Body / channel | Format | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Diia portal / app | Electronic (PDF with QR) | Ukrainian citizens with a verified digital signature, no register restrictions |
| CNAP (admin services centre) | Paper or electronic | All applicants, including those without Diia access |
| MIA service centre | Paper | All applicants, including foreigners under certain conditions |
| Via a representative (power of attorney) | Paper | Those abroad or unable to apply in person |
If you are in Ukraine and hold a verified digital signature, the fastest route is Diia. If you need a paper original (for example, for an apostille), aim for a CNAP or an MIA service centre.
How to get the e-extract via Diia (step by step)
Direct answer: to get an electronic Ukrainian police clearance, log in to Diia, submit a request in the certificates section, wait for the document to be generated, and download the ready PDF with a QR code. The short form takes minutes; the full form up to 10 business days. The service is free.
- Log in at diia.gov.ua or in the Diia app via BankID or "Diia.Signature."
- Select the service "Non-criminal record extract" in the certificates catalogue.
- Complete the request: confirm your personal data, choose the purpose (for yourself / for submission) and the form (short or full).
- Sign the request with your electronic signature.
- Wait for generation. The short form is ready within minutes; the full form requires a register check (up to 10 business days, or up to 30 calendar days in complex cases).
- Download the PDF. The ready e-extract carries a QR code for authenticity verification and is available in your account.
Legal force. The Diia e-extract is legally valid inside Ukraine on par with the paper version: Ukrainian institutions, employers, and courts accept it. Problems start with submission abroad, covered below.
Register-access limits. Generating an e-extract is technically impossible if the person has an open criminal case, an unspent or outstanding conviction, or during temporary restrictions on electronic registers under martial law. In those cases the system must be bypassed through an in-person request to the MIA.
The e-extract — is it accepted abroad
Direct answer: most often no. The electronic extract is convenient in Ukraine, but foreign authorities usually require a paper certificate with a live stamp and an apostille — the QR-code electronic version may not be accepted. This is the most common and most time-expensive mistake applicants make.
Consider a typical situation. An applicant preparing documents for a Polish authority (residence card, voivodeship residence permit, work visa) or for admission to a foreign university orders the electronic extract through Diia — fast and free. The receiving institution returns the package: it needs a paper original with a wet stamp plus an apostille. Re-issuing and legalising the document costs an extra one to two weeks, and sometimes blows the filing deadline. The lesson is simple: confirm the document format before you order it, not after a rejection.
"The Diia e-extract is legally valid in Ukraine, but a foreign authority almost always requires a paper original with a stamp and an apostille. When you order a certificate for use abroad, confirm the format with the receiving body right away — it saves a week or two of re-processing."
— Anzhelika Kravchenko, legal practitioner in document legalisation
| Country / route | Submitting authority | Expected format |
|---|---|---|
| Poland | Voivodeship (residence card, work visa) | Paper certificate + apostille (e-version usually not accepted) |
| Czechia | Migration and permit authorities | Paper certificate + apostille; confirm per institution |
| Germany | Immigration offices, employers | Paper certificate + apostille + sworn translation |
| Ukraine (domestic use) | Employers, courts, state bodies | Diia e-extract accepted |
No table replaces a call to the receiving institution: requirements differ even between voivodeships within one country. If you order the document remotely, the notaryk service checks the format against the authority's requirements in advance to avoid re-issuance.
How to get a paper certificate via the MIA or a CNAP (step by step)
Direct answer: to get a paper certificate, visit a CNAP or an MIA service centre with your passport and tax number, submit a request, wait for the register check, and collect the ready document with a stamp. The standard timeline is 10 business days; issuance is free.
- Prepare documents: a Ukrainian passport (or foreign passport or residence permit) and the RNOKPP (tax ID). Foreigners need proof of legal stay.
- Submit the request at a CNAP or an MIA service centre in person or through a representative with a notarised power of attorney.
- State the purpose — in particular, whether an apostille is needed: this determines the form and format issued.
- Wait for the check. The register check takes up to 10 business days as standard, or up to 30 calendar days in complex cases.
- Collect the certificate with the MIA stamp. This paper original is the one suitable for apostille and submission abroad.
Remotely, a paper certificate is obtained through a representative under a power of attorney — the baseline scenario for those who have already left. The power of attorney is usually notarised, and to be used in Ukraine from abroad it may itself need an apostille.
Cost and fees in 2026
Direct answer: the Ukrainian police clearance itself is free in 2026 — no separate administrative fee is charged in Diia or at a CNAP (source: diia.gov.ua, Q2 2026). If anyone charges a "state fee" for the certificate itself, that is a reason to ask for the legal basis.
A common outdated claim is that the certificate costs "about 0.085 of the subsistence minimum." For 2026 this is no longer accurate: basic issuance is free. Related services may carry a cost — apostille (a separate Ministry of Justice fee), notarised translation, courier delivery, or an agency service — but that is not a fee for the certificate.
The notaryk service helps those who are abroad or lack the time or Diia access: consultation, request submission, status tracking, collection of the ready document, and delivery. The support fee is calculated individually, and the initial consultation is free. To delegate the whole process end to end, you can contact notaryk.
Timelines — standard, short form, and validity
Direct answer: the short-form e-extract is generated in minutes, the full extract in 10 business days (standard) or up to 30 calendar days. A separate question is the validity period of the finished document: there is no single statutory expiry, and the receiving institution sets it, most often 3–6 months.
| Method | Generation time | Typical validity | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-form e-extract (Diia) | Minutes | Set by receiver (often 3 months) | For domestic use |
| Full extract (standard) | 10 business days | Set by receiver | Suitable for apostille |
| Full extract (with verification) | Up to 30 calendar days | Set by receiver | Complex cases |
| For submission abroad | + time for apostille and translation | Often 3 months from issue date | Allow a buffer |
In practice, in 2026 full-extract timelines often exceed the regulated ones because of register load. If you have a fixed submission deadline abroad, order the document with a buffer and account for the extra apostille time.
Who can and cannot get the certificate
Direct answer: any Ukrainian citizen can obtain the extract, as can foreigners and stateless persons for their period of stay in Ukraine. But the electronic channel is not open to everyone: some applicants are blocked from the e-extract for technical and legal reasons.
- Ukrainian citizens — full access to all channels, including Diia.
- Foreigners and stateless persons — via a CNAP or an MIA service centre, with proof of legal stay.
- People with an open case — the e-extract is technically unavailable; resolved through an in-person request.
- People with an unspent / outstanding conviction — automatic e-extract generation is restricted.
- Those abroad — via a representative under a notarised power of attorney or through the notaryk service.
Conscription and martial law. Do not conflate two separate issues. The police clearance itself is not an exit permit. For conscription-age men, leaving the country is governed by separate martial-law rules and falls under the territorial recruitment centres (TCC/SP), not the body that issues the certificate. In addition, temporary restrictions on certain electronic services are possible under martial law. The specific rules here change, so rely on current official sources on the date you apply, not on old guides.
Which countries and purposes need it
Direct answer: a police clearance is most often needed for employment, study, a residence permit, or a visa abroad. For most foreign submissions you add an apostille and a sworn translation.
| Country | Typical purpose | Apostille needed | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | Residence card, work visa, employment | Yes | Paper + apostille + translation |
| Germany | Employment, residence permit | Yes | Paper + apostille + sworn translation |
| Czechia | Residence permit, work | Yes | Paper + apostille |
| Ukraine | Employment, adoption, licences | No | E-extract or paper |
The logic is simple: domestic needs are covered by the e-extract, while foreign submissions require a paper original, an apostille, and a translation into the destination language. That is why the format should be chosen at the ordering stage.
If you need an apostille — what next
An apostille is a stamp that confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal on a document for use in Hague Convention countries. For a police clearance, the apostille is affixed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs or an authorised body, after which the document is accepted abroad. It is the paper certificate that gets apostilled, not the electronic one. This is a separate procedure with its own fee and timeline, so do not leave it to the last day. For the full procedure, cost, and timelines, see apostille for a Ukrainian police clearance — full guide.
Getting the certificate from abroad
If you have already left, applying to the MIA in person is impossible, but there are working scenarios. The first is obtaining it through a representative in Ukraine under a notarised power of attorney. The second is delegating the process to a specialised service that submits the request, tracks the status, collects the paper original, affixes the apostille if needed, and ships the document by courier.
The remote model is especially relevant for those preparing a package for submission in Poland, Czechia, or Germany who cannot travel to Ukraine for a single document. The advantage of the notaryk approach is the upfront check of the format and route against the receiving authority's requirements, which reduces the risk of rejection and re-issuance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Ukrainian police clearance cost in 2026?
Basic issuance is free: no separate administrative fee is charged via Diia or a CNAP (source: diia.gov.ua, Q2 2026). Only related services may carry a cost — apostille, translation, delivery, or agency support — but not the certificate itself.
How many days does a police clearance take?
The short-form electronic extract via Diia is generated in minutes. The full extract is issued in 10 business days (standard) or up to 30 calendar days if extra register verification is needed. In 2026, full-extract timelines are often longer than regulated due to load.
How long is a Ukrainian police clearance valid?
There is no single statutory expiry: the receiving institution sets the validity. In practice, most bodies, including in the EU, treat the certificate as current for 3–6 months from the issue date. For submission abroad, plan around 3 months.
Can I get the police clearance online via Diia?
Yes, Ukrainian citizens with a verified digital signature get the e-extract via Diia free of charge. The exception is people with an open case or an unspent/outstanding conviction: automatic generation is unavailable for them, and they must apply in person at the MIA or a CNAP.
Do I need an apostille on a Ukrainian police clearance?
For submission abroad in Hague Convention countries, usually yes. The apostille is affixed to the paper certificate; the electronic version is not suitable. For domestic use in Ukraine, no apostille is required. Confirm exact requirements with the receiving institution.
Is the Diia electronic extract accepted abroad?
Mostly no. Foreign authorities (for example, Polish voivodeships or German offices) usually require a paper certificate with a wet stamp and an apostille. Confirm the format with the specific institution before ordering to avoid re-issuing the document.
Can I get the certificate while abroad?
Yes, in two ways: through a representative in Ukraine under a notarised power of attorney, or through a service like notaryk that submits the request, collects the paper original, affixes the apostille if needed, and ships the document. Being present in Ukraine is not required.
Does a police clearance allow conscription-age men to leave the country?
No. A police clearance is not a border-crossing permit. For conscription-age men, leaving the country is governed by separate martial-law rules and falls under the TCC/SP, not the body that issues the certificate.
Sources
- Diia state services portal — "Non-criminal record extract" service: diia.gov.ua
- Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine — procedure for issuing police clearance extracts: mvs.gov.ua
- Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine — regulatory framework for administrative services: kmu.gov.ua
*Numerical data (free issuance, timelines) is current as of Q2 2026 and should be verified before submission, as fees and regulations may change.*
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