If you are 16 or older and have lived in Poland for six months or more, you will probably need a Polish police certificate for your US immigrant visa. In Poland, that document is a certificate from the National Criminal Register (Krajowy Rejestr Karny, KRK). But not every KRK certificate is accepted. The US Embassy in Warsaw accepts only the paper certificate, requested with three registers selected, and treats it as valid for 24 months from the date of issue.
Getting the format wrong usually surfaces at NVC review or at the interview, when a replacement means a new request, a new translation and possible delay. This checklist follows the Embassy’s published instructions step by step. It covers who needs the certificate, how to order it from inside or outside Poland, translation and NVC upload, and what to prepare if the certificate shows a conviction.
Do you need a Polish police certificate for your US immigrant visa?
Yes, if you are 16 or older and Poland is your country of nationality or current residence and you have lived there for six months or more. The US Embassy in Poland applies this rule to all immigrant visa applicants, including family-based and Diversity Visa (DV lottery) applicants. Children under 16 do not need one.
The State Department’s general rule adds two more triggers: any country where you lived for 12 months or more after turning 16, and any country where you were arrested, however long you stayed.
| Your situation (age 16+) | Polish certificate needed? |
|---|---|
| Polish citizen who lived in Poland 6+ months | Yes — country of nationality |
| Foreign national living in Poland 6+ months now | Yes — country of current residence |
| Foreign national who lived in Poland 12+ months in the past | Yes — previous residence of 12+ months |
| Foreign national who lived in Poland 6–11 months in the past and now lives elsewhere | Usually not under the general rule, unless you were arrested in Poland |
| Anyone arrested in Poland, for any reason | Yes |
Your NVC or KCC document list is the final word for your case. If it lists a Polish police certificate, provide one.
Which KRK registers must the certificate cover?
The certificate must be requested with all three KRK registers selected. The US Embassy instructs applicants to check these three boxes on the request form:
- Kartoteka Karna — Criminal Register
- Kartoteka Nieletnich — Juvenile Register
- Kartoteka osób pozbawionych wolności oraz poszukiwanych listem gończym — Register of persons in investigative custody and on the wanted list
A certificate covering only the criminal register does not meet the Embassy’s instruction. This matters most if you are reusing a certificate you ordered for an employer or another country’s authorities.
The Embassy publishes a bilingual Polish–English cover letter (form IV/F06) that names all three registers in Polish. Attaching it to your request, or showing it at the counter, helps KRK staff see exactly what the certificate is for.
KRK is a single national register kept by the Ministry of Justice. One certificate therefore covers all of Poland, and you do not need separate certificates for each city where you lived.
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Paper certificate vs e-KRK: why only paper is accepted
NVC and the US Embassy do not accept an electronic KRK certificate. The Embassy states that electronic versions of Polish police certificates are not accepted, and the State Department’s reciprocity page for Poland says only the paper format is acceptable for immigration purposes.
The reason is how e-KRK works. An e-KRK certificate is an electronically signed XML file, and the Ministry of Justice states that a printout of it is not a document. It is valid in Poland, but it cannot be presented as a paper original at a US interview.
| Paper request | e-KRK (online) | |
|---|---|---|
| How to apply | Paper form, in person or by post | Online, with Profil Zaufany or a qualified electronic signature |
| Fee | Depends on papers | Depends on papers |
| What you receive | Signed paper certificate | XML file; a printout is not a document |
| Accepted for a US immigrant visa | Yes | No |
Fees as published by the Ministry of Justice.
How to request the certificate in Poland or from abroad
The paper certificate is requested with the KRK form Zapytanie o udzielenie informacji o osobie (Request for information about a person), available on the KRK website.
- Complete the form with your details exactly as they appear in your passport. Include every surname you have used, such as a family name at birth, so the search matches your full history.
- Select the three registers listed above.
- Pay the PLN 30 fee and keep the proof of payment.
- Submit the request in one of three ways:
- in person at the KRK Information Bureau, ul. Czerniakowska 100, 00-454 Warsaw, with photo ID;
- in person at a KRK information point in a common court;
- by post to the Information Bureau address.
- Collect or receive the certificate. KRK states that it processes requests without undue delay within 7 days. If your case needs clarification, the deadline is extended until that is complete. Postal delivery adds time, especially abroad.
If you live outside Poland
You can post the request yourself or authorise someone in Poland to submit it and collect the certificate. KRK’s power-of-attorney rules are specific:
- the power of attorney must be in Polish;
- you must sign it personally, and the original must be submitted — scans are not accepted;
- stamp duty of fees applies, unless the representative is your spouse, parent, child or sibling.
Lex Corporation handles this route for clients abroad: we prepare the power of attorney, submit the request to KRK, collect the paper certificate and send it by courier. See our Polish police clearance certificate service.
Translation, NVC upload and the interview
Prepare an English translation of the certificate. The State Department requires certified translations of documents that are not in English or in the official language of the country where you apply. The Warsaw post instructions nevertheless ask applicants to bring the original police certificate with an English translation.
The translator must certify that the translation is accurate and that they are competent to translate. A translation by a Polish sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły) meets this standard; sworn translation services in Warsaw can prepare it from the paper original.
Then follow the channel for your visa category:
- Family-based and employment-based applicants: scan the certificate and translation and upload them to the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) for NVC review.
- DV lottery selectees: follow the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) instructions. Do not mail paper documents to KCC; the State Department says mailed documents will be destroyed.
- Everyone: bring the paper original and the translation to your interview at the US Embassy in Warsaw.
How long is a Polish police certificate valid for a US visa?
The US Embassy in Warsaw treats a Polish police certificate as valid for 24 months from the date of issue. The State Department’s general rule is the same, with one exception: a certificate from a country of previous residence stays valid if you have not returned there since it was issued.
In practice, compare the issue date with your likely interview date. Family preference cases can wait a long time between NVC documentary approval and the interview. If your certificate will be more than 24 months old at the interview, order a new one before you go.
What if your Polish certificate shows a conviction?
If you were convicted of a crime, you must also provide a certified copy of each court record and any prison record, with English translations. The State Department requires these even if you later received an amnesty, pardon or other act of clemency.
| Document | Where to get it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Judgment (wyrok), certified copy | The court that issued it: District Court (Sąd Rejonowy) or Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy) | Depends on pages; from abroad, send a written request with proof of payment |
| Any appeal ruling in the case | The appellate court | Recommended so the record shows the final outcome |
| Prison records, if you served a sentence | The prison or court records | Required by the Embassy where they exist |
| English translation of each | A certified or sworn translator | Needed for the Warsaw interview |
Sources: reciprocity page for Poland and US Embassy Poland.
Whether a conviction affects your visa eligibility is a question of US immigration law. Discuss it with a US immigration attorney before your interview.
Expunged convictions: a clean certificate is not the whole story
Under Article 106 of the Polish Criminal Code, an expunged conviction (zatarcie skazania) is treated as if it never happened, and the entry is removed from the register. Your KRK certificate may therefore be clean.
The DS-260, however, asks about past arrests and convictions, including those covered by a pardon or amnesty. Answer it accurately, and ask a US immigration attorney whether you should also obtain the court records. A clean Polish certificate does not replace an accurate DS-260 answer.
The same applies to arrests or proceedings that did not end in a conviction. The KRK certificate reflects register entries, not every police contact. If your case was discontinued, bring the decision that shows the outcome.
Checklist before you upload
- Paper KRK certificate, not an e-KRK file or printout
- Requested with all three registers: Kartoteka Karna, Kartoteka Nieletnich, and the register of persons in custody and on the wanted list
- Name, previous surnames and date of birth match your passport and DS-260
- Issued less than 24 months before your expected interview date
- English translation certified by the translator
- Certified court and prison records, with translations, for any conviction
- Scanned and uploaded to CEAC, or handled as KCC instructs for DV cases
- Paper originals packed for the Warsaw interview
Get your Polish police certificate without travelling to Poland
If you live abroad or cannot visit a KRK office, Lex Corporation can request the paper certificate from the National Criminal Register on your behalf under a power of attorney and send it to you by courier. Start with our Polish police clearance certificate service, or contact our Warsaw team to confirm what your NVC or KCC checklist requires.
Requirements may depend on your circumstances and on the instructions of the NVC, KCC and the US Embassy. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does a Polish police certificate for a US visa need an apostille?
Neither the State Department’s reciprocity page for Poland nor the US Embassy’s police-certificate page lists an apostille as a requirement. What the Warsaw post does ask for is the paper original with an English translation.
My surname changed after marriage. Which name goes on the KRK request?
Use your current name as shown in your passport and list your family name at birth and any other surnames you have used. This lets the search cover your full record and helps the certificate match your DS-260 and civil documents.
Do I also need a Polish military record?
No. The US Embassy’s Warsaw instructions list military records for Poland as unavailable, so Polish applicants are not asked to provide one.
I now live in the United States. Do I need a US police certificate as well?
No. The State Department states that present and former US residents do not need to submit US police certificates. You still need the Polish certificate if you meet the Polish residence or nationality rule.
How long does it take to get the paper certificate?
KRK says it processes paper requests within 7 days, longer if your record needs clarification. Add postage or courier time if you apply from abroad, and allow time for translation before your NVC upload.
Can I order the certificate before NVC asks for documents?
You can, but the Embassy treats it as valid for 24 months from issue. If your interview may be more than two years away, ordering too early can mean paying for a second certificate.
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Potrzebujesz zaświadczenia o niekaralności z Polski?
Lex Corporation wspiera klientów w Polsce i za granicą w uzyskaniu zaświadczenia o niekaralności, przygotowaniu pełnomocnictwa, apostille, tłumaczenia przysięgłego oraz międzynarodowej wysyłce dokumentów.