Criminal Record Certificate (KRK): How Foreigners Obtain It

A criminal record certificate Poland KRK is an official document issued from the Polish National Criminal Register, in Polish: Krajowy Rejestr Karny, confirming whether a specific person is recorded in the register. For foreigners, it is often needed for employment, regulated professions, residence-related procedures, public tenders, compliance checks, or internal corporate onboarding.

The KRK certificate is not a general “police clearance Poland” document issued by the police. It is issued by the National Criminal Register operating under the Ministry of Justice. The legal basis is the Act of 24 May 2000 on the National Criminal Register, in particular Article 7, which gives an individual the right to obtain information on whether their data are held in the register [1].

What a KRK certificate confirms

A KRK certificate may confirm that a person is not recorded in the Polish National Criminal Register. If entries exist, the document may show information on convictions, certain criminal measures, security measures, fiscal offences, or other data covered by the Act on the National Criminal Register. The exact scope depends on the legal basis for the request and the type of query submitted.

For business purposes, this distinction matters. A “clean” KRK certificate can be required before appointing a management board member, hiring for positions involving public trust, admitting a person to work with minors, or performing regulated activities. However, a KRK certificate does not always answer every risk question. It should be interpreted in the context of the intended use, applicable sector rules, and the person’s country of citizenship or previous residence.

Can foreigners apply for a KRK certificate in Poland?

Yes. A foreigner may apply for a KRK certificate concerning themselves. Polish citizenship is not required. The applicant must provide identification data allowing the authority to verify the person, including name, surname, date of birth, citizenship, and other required details. In practice, a passport or another official identity document is usually necessary.

Foreigners who need broader guidance on Polish criminal records, rehabilitation, and the consequences of entries in the register may also review the KKZ guide on criminal records and rehabilitation in Poland.

How to obtain a KRK certificate: available methods

A foreigner can usually obtain a KRK certificate in one of the following ways:

• In person – at a KRK information point operating at selected courts in Poland or at the Information Office of the National Criminal Register in Warsaw.

• Online – through the e-KRK system, if the applicant can sign the request electronically, for example with a qualified electronic signature, trusted profile, personal signature, or another accepted electronic identification tool.

• By post – by sending the completed form and proof of payment to the Information Office of the National Criminal Register.

• Through a lawyer or proxy – if representation is properly documented by a power of attorney and the required fee is paid.

The online route is often the fastest, but it has a practical limitation. The electronic KRK certificate is issued as an electronic document. A printout may not be accepted as an original official document, especially by foreign authorities or compliance departments that require a verifiable electronic file.

Documents and information usually required

The applicant should prepare the relevant KRK form, proof of fee payment, and identification document. If a proxy acts for the applicant, a power of attorney is also required. Depending on the situation, a stamp duty on the power of attorney may apply under the Polish Act on Stamp Duty [3].

The standard fee for information from the National Criminal Register is regulated by the Minister of Justice. The amount differs for paper and electronic applications. At the time of writing, the fee is typically PLN 30 for a paper application and PLN 20 for an electronic application [2]. Before filing, the current fee and bank account should be checked on official government or KRK pages.

Three issues foreigners should check before relying on a KRK certificate

In standard cases, the KRK certificate confirms information held in the Polish National Criminal Register. There are, however, three important issues that frequently affect foreigners:

1. A Polish KRK certificate is not automatically a certificate from the country of citizenship. If a foreign employer, immigration authority, or licensing body asks for a criminal record certificate from the person’s home country, the Polish KRK certificate may be insufficient.

2. An electronic KRK certificate should be used as an electronic document. If the certificate was issued through e-KRK, the official document is the electronic file with verification features. A printed copy may be treated only as a copy, not as the original.

3. Work involving minors may require additional foreign certificates or declarations. Under Article 21 of the Act on Counteracting Threats of Sexual Crime and the Protection of Minors, employers or organisers must verify the person in the Register of Sexual Offenders with restricted access and obtain specific criminal-record information or declarations before admitting a person to activities involving contact with children. Foreign citizens may have to provide information from the criminal register of their country of citizenship and, in certain cases, from countries where they lived during the last 20 years [4].

KRK certificate for employment and compliance checks

Employers in Poland cannot request a criminal record certificate from every candidate as a routine HR practice. The request must have a legal basis. Such a basis may result from specific statutes concerning regulated professions, financial sector roles, public functions, security-sensitive positions, or work with minors.

From a company perspective, this is a compliance issue. Requesting a KRK certificate without legal grounds may create labour law and data protection risk. Not requesting it where the law requires verification may expose the company, management, and HR teams to regulatory, civil, or criminal consequences, depending on the facts.

For criminal defence and risk assessment connected with Polish proceedings, Kopeć & Zaborowski (KKZ) provides assistance in matters described under criminal defence in Poland.

Does a KRK certificate show foreign convictions?

The answer depends on citizenship, the legal framework for exchange of information, and the type of request. Within the European Union, criminal record information may be exchanged through the European Criminal Records Information System, based on EU rules including Council Framework Decision 2009/315/JHA, as amended, and related EU rules on ECRIS and ECRIS-TCN [5]. This does not mean that every Polish KRK certificate will always contain a complete global criminal history.

For non-EU citizens, Polish authorities may not have automatic access to all criminal record data from the country of citizenship or previous residence. If an institution needs worldwide clearance, it may require separate certificates from each relevant country. This is common in immigration, education, finance, security, and child protection procedures.

Translation, apostille, and use abroad

A KRK certificate is issued in Polish. If it is to be used abroad, a sworn translation may be required. Some foreign authorities may also require an apostille under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, unless a specific treaty or EU rule removes that requirement [6].

The need for translation, apostille, legalisation, or additional certification depends on the country and the institution requesting the document. This should be verified before filing, because a certificate issued in the wrong form may delay recruitment, licensing, immigration, or corporate approval processes.

Practical timing and risk management

In simple cases, a KRK certificate may be obtained quickly, especially in person or online. Delays may occur if the application contains inconsistent data, the fee is incorrect, the proxy documents are incomplete, or the requesting institution requires a broader foreign criminal record certificate.

Foreigners involved in Polish criminal proceedings should also consider the timing of applications. Pending proceedings, final judgments, expungement, and rehabilitation may affect what appears in the register. General information on Polish procedure is available in the KKZ guide to the Polish criminal justice system for foreigners and expats.

This is informational material, not legal advice. The assessment of a specific KRK certificate, its scope, and its consequences depends on the facts, the purpose of use, and the applicable legal basis.

If a KRK issue is connected with criminal allegations involving sexual offences, it is advisable to consult the matter with a criminal lawyer before submitting documents or explanations to an employer, authority, or court. A legal assessment may help clarify the status of the case, possible register entries, and the next procedural steps.

FAQ – Criminal Record Certificate (KRK)

Can a foreigner obtain a KRK certificate in Poland?

Yes. A foreigner may apply for information about themselves from the Polish National Criminal Register. Polish citizenship is not required, but the applicant must provide correct identification data and pay the required fee.

Is a KRK certificate the same as police clearance Poland?

In practice, foreign institutions may call it “police clearance Poland,” but the document is not issued by the police. It is issued from the National Criminal Register under the Ministry of Justice.

Can a KRK certificate be obtained online?

Yes, through the e-KRK system, if the applicant can sign the request electronically. The electronic certificate should be used as an electronic file, because a printout may not be accepted as an original.

How long is a KRK certificate valid?

Polish law does not set one universal validity period for all uses. The institution requesting the certificate often decides whether it must be recent, for example issued within the last 3 or 6 months.

Does a Polish KRK certificate cover convictions from another country?

Not always. The scope depends on citizenship, EU information exchange rules, and the type of request. Many authorities still require separate certificates from the country of citizenship or previous residence.

Does a KRK certificate used abroad need translation?

If the certificate is issued in Polish and used abroad, a sworn translation is often required. The receiving authority may also require an apostille or other formal certification.

Bibliography

1. Act of 24 May 2000 on the National Criminal Register, Journal of Laws 2000 No. 50, item 580, as amended.

2. Regulation of the Minister of Justice of 18 June 2014 on fees for issuing information from the National Criminal Register, Journal of Laws 2014, item 861, as amended.

3. Act of 16 November 2006 on Stamp Duty, Journal of Laws 2006 No. 225, item 1635, as amended.

4. Act of 13 May 2016 on Counteracting Threats of Sexual Crime and the Protection of Minors, Journal of Laws 2016, item 862, as amended, Article 21.

5. Council Framework Decision 2009/315/JHA of 26 February 2009 on the organisation and content of the exchange of information extracted from the criminal record between Member States, as amended by Directive (EU) 2019/884; Regulation (EU) 2019/816 establishing ECRIS-TCN.

6. Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, concluded at The Hague on 5 October 1961.