If you need a Polish criminal record certificate for a US visa, a work permit or an employer abroad, you will have to complete a form that exists only in Polish. It is called “Zapytanie o udzielenie informacji o osobie”, which means “Request for information about a person”. It goes to Poland’s National Criminal Register, the Krajowy Rejestr Karny (KRK).
The form is short, but it is easy to get wrong. Most rejected or unusable applications come from three places: the maiden-name boxes, the parents’ names and the register checkboxes in point 12. Applicants abroad also lose weeks by emailing a scan, which KRK does not process.
This guide explains every field in English, tells you which boxes to tick, and shows how to pay and receive the certificate by post outside Poland.
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What is “Zapytanie o udzielenie informacji o osobie”?
“Zapytanie o udzielenie informacji o osobie” is the Ministry of Justice’s paper form for requesting a criminal record certificate about an individual from the KRK. The certificate it produces is often called a “zaświadczenie o niekaralności” or, abroad, a Polish police clearance certificate (PCC).
A separate form, “Zapytanie o udzielenie informacji o podmiocie zbiorowym”, covers companies and other collective entities. If you are checking yourself as a person, use the individual form. Download the current version from the KRK downloads page on gov.pl rather than an old copy from a third-party site.
The KRK form in English: every field explained
Write clearly in block capitals and copy names exactly as they appear in your passport, including Polish characters (ą, ę, ł, ś and others) where they apply. According to the form’s own note, personal data must match your identity documents.
| No. | Polish label | English meaning | What to write |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nazwisko rodowe | Surname at birth (family / maiden name) | The surname on your birth certificate. If it never changed, write your current surname again. |
| 2 | Nazwisko (w tym przybrane) | Surname, including any adopted or assumed surname | Your current surname, plus other surnames you have used, such as a married name. |
| 3 | Imiona | Given names | All first and middle names, in passport order. |
| 4 | Imię ojca | Father’s first name | First name only, not his surname. |
| 5 | Imię matki | Mother’s first name | First name only. |
| 6 | Data urodzenia | Date of birth | Use DD.MM.YYYY, the Polish format, so 03.07 is not misread as 7 March. |
| 7 | Nazwisko rodowe matki | Mother’s surname at birth | Your mother’s maiden name. |
| 8 | Miejsce urodzenia | Place of birth | Town or city, and country. |
| 9 | Obywatelstwo | Citizenship | Every nationality you hold. |
| 10 | Miejsce zamieszkania | Place of residence | Your full postal address, including country and postcode. |
| – | Numer PESEL | Polish national ID number | Only if you have one. Otherwise leave blank. |
| – | Numer paszportu albo innego dokumentu | Passport or other ID number | Your passport number. Without a PESEL, this is your main identifier. |
| 11 | Wskazanie postępowania | Legal basis / proceedings | Leave blank if you are asking about yourself. |
| 12 | Rodzaj danych | Type of data (which register) | Tick with an X. See the next section. |
| 13 | Zakres danych | Scope of data | Leave blank. KRK says completing it is not necessary. |
The boxes at the top right (“Data wpływu”, “Data wystawienia”, “Znak opłaty”) are for KRK staff. Sign by hand at the bottom, above “podpis osoby uprawnionej” (signature of the authorised person).
What does “nazwisko rodowe” mean?
“Nazwisko rodowe” means your surname at birth, often translated as “family name” or “maiden name”. It is not only for women who married. Every applicant fills in field 1. If your surname has never changed, write your current surname in both field 1 and field 2. Do not leave it blank, and do not write “N/A”.
Field 7, “nazwisko rodowe matki”, asks the same question about your mother: her surname at birth, not her current surname.
Why this matters: KRK matches records against personal data. A missing birth surname, or a mother’s married name in field 7, weakens the match. It can also produce a certificate that a foreign authority considers incomplete.
Parents’ names: first names only
“Imię” means first name. Fields 4 and 5 ask only for your father’s and mother’s first names. Many English-speaking applicants write the full name (“John Smith”), which is not what the form asks for. If a parent is unknown, leave that field blank rather than inventing an entry.
Which boxes should I tick in point 12?
Point 12 (“Rodzaj danych”) lets you choose which of three KRK registers to search:
- Kartoteka karna. The criminal register: adult convictions.
- Kartoteka nieletnich. The juvenile register: decisions concerning minors.
- Kartoteka osób pozbawionych wolności oraz poszukiwanych listem gończym. The register of persons deprived of liberty and persons wanted under an arrest warrant.
KRK searches only the registers you mark. If you tick just the first box, the certificate says nothing about the other two.
Why the US needs all three
The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw’s police certificate instructions tell immigrant visa applicants to tick all three boxes. They warn that an incorrectly completed form may mean obtaining a new certificate. The embassy also states that it does not accept electronic KRK certificates, only paper ones. It treats a Polish police certificate as valid for 24 months from issue.
If your certificate is for another country or employer, check that authority’s instructions. Ticking all three is a sensible default when you are unsure. It costs nothing extra and prevents a repeat application. For more on the US route, see our guide to the Polish police certificate for a US immigrant visa.
Common mistakes that delay KRK applications
- Emailing or uploading the form. KRK states: “Nie realizujemy zapytań przesłanych drogą elektroniczną (przez e-mail czy ePUAP) oraz faxem” (“We do not process requests sent electronically by email or ePUAP, or by fax”). A scanned form sent to a KRK mailbox will not be processed.
- Leaving field 1 blank because you never married.
- Full names in fields 4 and 5 instead of first names only.
- Your mother’s current surname in field 7 instead of her birth surname.
- Ticking only “kartoteka karna” when the receiving authority needs all three registers.
- Filling in point 11 with a reason such as “visa”. Point 11 is for institutions quoting a legal basis. Leave it blank when you request your own record.
- No proof of payment in the envelope, or a bank transfer title that does not identify you.
- An unsigned or photocopied form. Post the signed original.
- Using e-KRK when you need paper. e-KRK issues an electronic certificate, which the U.S. Embassy does not accept.
How to pay the KRK fee from abroad
A paper certificate costs a minimum fee per request, according to KRK’s fee page. (Online e-KRK requests cost 20 PLN but produce an electronic document.) From abroad, pay by international bank transfer:
| Recipient | Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwości, Al. Ujazdowskie 11, 00-950 Warszawa |
| Bank | Narodowy Bank Polski, Oddział Okręgowy Warszawa |
| IBAN | PL77 1010 1010 0400 1922 3100 0000 |
| SWIFT/BIC | NBPLPLPW |
| Transfer title | Full name of the person the request concerns, plus the date |
KRK asks that the transfer title include the person’s first name and surname and a date. Print the bank confirmation and put it in the envelope with the form.
Practical tip (not an official rule): foreign banks and intermediaries may deduct charges, so choose the option where you pay all fees (often labelled “OUR”). Check these bank details on the KRK fee page on the day you pay, in case they change.
Where to send the form, and how the certificate reaches you
Post the signed original form and your payment confirmation to the KRK information office. The address used in the U.S. State Department’s Poland guidance is:
Biuro Informacyjne Krajowego Rejestru Karnego
ul. Czerniakowska 100
00-454 Warszawa, Poland
KRK’s published Q&A confirms that certificates are posted abroad at no extra postage cost (“bez dodatkowych kosztów za przesyłkę”). The certificate is posted to the address you provide, so double-check field 10.
Timing. KRK says that as a rule it issues certificates within seven days of receiving a request. Its Q&A adds that international post typically takes a further three to four weeks. These are indications, not guarantees. Add courier time to Poland and allow roughly five to six weeks in total before a deadline.
Can someone in Poland submit it for you?
Yes. A representative can apply in person with a signed power of attorney. The power of attorney must include the personal details of both people (with at least one address) and the scope of the authorisation. A 17 PLN stamp duty applies unless the representative is a spouse, parent, child, grandparent or sibling. This is often faster than international post, especially if you have no PESEL. See how to get a Poland police clearance from abroad without a PESEL.
What happens after you receive the certificate?
KRK issues certificates in Polish only. KRK does not add an apostille. Apostilles come from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Depending on where you will use the document, you may need:
- an apostille (Hague Convention countries) or legalisation. See Lex Corporation’s apostille and legalization service;
- a translation, often a certified or Polish sworn translation, when the receiving authority requires one.
Requirements depend on the receiving authority, so check its instructions before ordering either.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send the KRK form by email?
No. KRK does not process requests sent by email, ePUAP or fax. Post the signed paper original with proof of payment, apply in person, or authorise a representative in Poland. The online e-KRK system is a separate route. It issues electronic certificates, which some authorities, including the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, do not accept.
Do I need a PESEL to fill in the KRK form?
No. PESEL is completed only if you have one. Foreigners without a PESEL should give their passport number and fill in the other identity fields fully, especially surname at birth and parents’ names.
Is the certificate issued in English?
No. KRK issues certificates only in Polish. If the receiving authority needs English, arrange a translation, and check whether it must be a sworn or certified translation.
Does KRK charge for posting the certificate abroad?
No. KRK states that certificates are sent abroad without additional postage costs. You pay only the 30 PLN fee for a paper certificate, plus your own bank and postage costs to Poland.
How long is a Polish criminal record certificate valid?
Polish rules do not set an expiry date. Validity depends on the authority receiving it. The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, for example, accepts Polish police certificates for 24 months from issue.
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