Police clearance for residence permits

A police clearance certificate is issued by Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is asked for when applying for a residence permit, citizenship or a work permit, and sometimes when taking a job involving money or children. You do not need to still hold Ukrainian citizenship: the certificate is issued to people who have already changed passports, because it concerns your record on the country's territory.

How long it stays valid is decided not by Ukraine but by the country asking for it. Somewhere it is three months, somewhere six, and somewhere the clock runs from the date you submit rather than the date of issue. Check the requirement with the office you are applying to, and order the certificate so that it does not expire while you wait for an appointment.

An apostille is needed almost every time. The apostille goes on the original and confirms that the signature and seal of the issuing body are genuine — not that the contents are true. Ordering it separately, on a second pass, costs more and takes longer, because the document has to travel back.

You do not need to be in Ukraine. A representative files the request and the original is posted with a tracking number. One warning about translation: where the receiving side wants a translation, it is usually done locally by a sworn translator in that country — ordering a translation in Ukraine in advance is generally wasted effort.

What we need from you: passport details, every former surname, and your registered address in Ukraine if you had one. What to check in advance: whether an apostille is required, and in what form the receiving side wants the document.