Ukrainian Police Certificate for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

How to get a Ukrainian police clearance certificate for an ILR application: Diia, Single Window, consular route, apostille and what the Home Office expects.

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We are not affiliated with FCDO Legalisation Office. The official document is issued directly by the government body (see gov.uk). Our service is separate support with preparation, apostille, translation and delivery.

If you are applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain and the Home Office has asked for a police certificate from Ukraine, the document you need is the Ukrainian Police Clearance Certificate, known locally as dovidka pro nesudymist and in English-language paperwork often referred to as a Certificate of Good Conduct. Apostilla UK is a private company, not a government body: we help with apostilles and document preparation, while the certificate itself is issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. This page explains what the document is, how to obtain it from inside Ukraine or from the UK, and what to prepare so the Home Office accepts it. For the process that applies to any UK purpose, not just settlement, see the main guide to the Ukrainian Police Certificate.

What a police clearance certificate is

A police clearance certificate is an official document that states whether you have a criminal record in Ukraine. The issuing authority is the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (MVS), and the information comes from the state register of criminal records rather than from a local police station. In Ukrainian the document is called dovidka pro vidsutnist (naiavnist) sudymosti, literally a certificate on the absence or presence of a criminal record, which applicants shorten to dovidka pro nesudymist.

Two things matter for a UK application. First, the certificate is issued in the name of one person and covers that person only, so each adult family member included in your ILR application may need their own. Second, the document is produced in Ukrainian, which means a translation into English will normally be part of your evidence pack.

When the Home Office requires it for ILR

Whether you need a Ukrainian police certificate for Indefinite Leave to Remain depends on your immigration route. Some settlement routes ask applicants to provide police certificates from every country where they have lived for a significant period, while other routes do not request foreign certificates at all. The requirement is set out in the official guidance for each route on gov.uk, and that guidance is updated, so check it against your own route and the date you plan to apply.

A practical tip from real casework: do not rely on forum threads or on what a friend with a different visa route was asked for. Skilled Worker and other sponsored routes have changed their evidence rules over the years, and the Home Office caseworker will follow the guidance in force on the day of your application, not the day you started planning it. If the guidance for your route does not list Ukraine among the countries requiring a certificate, you may not need the document at all.

The official name of the document

Getting the name right helps at every stage: when you explain the request to Ukrainian officials, when a translator certifies the translation, and when you label the upload in your ILR application. The full official title is the certificate on the absence or presence of a criminal record (dovidka pro vidsutnist (naiavnist) sudymosti). In some cases the document is issued as an Extract from the Information and Analytical System “Records of Information on Criminal Records”, which is the register-based form of the same information.

In English correspondence the same document travels under several labels: police clearance certificate, criminal record certificate, police certificate, or Certificate of Good Conduct. All of these describe the same Ukrainian document, and the Home Office accepts any of these descriptions as long as the underlying document and its translation are consistent. Use one name across your translation, your cover letter and your document list, so the caseworker never has to guess that two differently named files are the same certificate.

Who issues it and under what rules

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine is the authority that issues the certificate, as stated on the MVS official website (checked 14 September 2026). The procedure itself is regulated by a current order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which defines who can apply, what data is collected, and in what form the result is issued. Because that order is amended from time to time, the practical details can change, and this page deliberately avoids quoting figures that may be out of date.

What does not change is the structure: one national authority holds the criminal record data, applications go through official channels described below, and the result is either a paper document with signature and stamp or an electronic document with verification features. Anything offered outside these channels deserves suspicion, because a forged certificate does not just fail your ILR application, it can trigger a refusal for deception.

Types of certificates issued

Ukrainian practice distinguishes several versions of the document, and choosing the wrong one is a common mistake. The certificate can state that no criminal record exists, or it can list existing convictions that have not been expunged. It can also be prepared for use inside Ukraine or for use abroad, and the version for foreign use is the one relevant to an ILR application.

There is one more nuance worth knowing before you order. Some certificates list only convictions, while others also mention criminal proceedings that are still ongoing. If you have any pending matter in the Ukrainian system, the document will reflect it, and it is far better to understand what will appear before the Home Office sees it. Order the version intended for submission to a foreign authority, state the United Kingdom as the destination country, and keep the wording consistent with what your translation says.

Paper or electronic: which version to use

The certificate exists in two physical forms. The paper version carries a live signature and stamp, which is what an apostille is attached to. The electronic version contains a QR code that lets anyone verify the document online against the issuing authority’s records, which makes the electronic form very difficult to fake.

For an ILR application the practical question is what the Home Office expects as an original. Electronic documents with QR verification are increasingly accepted across UK immigration processes, and the verification feature works in your favour. Still, the paper original with an apostille remains the most universally understood format, and it is the version you can legalise. A sensible approach for settlement: obtain the electronic certificate and the paper original for legalisation, so you hold both. Check the documentary evidence guidance for your route before deciding what to upload.

How to obtain the certificate in Ukraine

If you are in Ukraine, you can apply in person at an MVS service centre or online. The in-person route is straightforward: you present your passport, state the purpose of the request and the destination country, and collect the finished certificate or receive it by post.

The online routes are described in the next two sections, and they matter most to ILR applicants because most people in your position are already in the UK. Whichever route you pick, the data recorded is the same, because all channels draw on the same national register. The difference lies in convenience, in the form of the result, and in who is allowed to submit the request.

Documents required for application

The core set is short. You need your passport or ID details, and you must state the purpose of the request, for example residence or employment in the United Kingdom, because the stated purpose determines the version of the certificate issued. If the application is submitted by a third party, that person additionally needs a notarised power of attorney authorising them to act for you.

Two details cause avoidable rejections. First, spelling: your name in Latin letters on the request should match your passport exactly, because the translation and the apostille will follow the certificate, and a mismatch with your UK documents invites questions. Second, the destination country: naming the United Kingdom ensures the certificate is issued in the form intended for foreign authorities. Confirm the current document list with the issuing authority or the consulate before you submit, since administrative requirements are updated periodically.

Applying through Diia

Diia is the Ukrainian state online services app and portal, and it includes criminal record certificate requests among its services. You authenticate with your Ukrainian digital identity, fill in the request, state the purpose, and receive the result electronically. The electronic certificate carries a QR code for online verification, which is the feature that makes the digital version credible to a foreign decision maker.

For Ukrainians in the UK, Diia removes the need for a trip to a consulate and works from anywhere. The limitations are practical rather than legal: you need a working Ukrainian digital signature or BankID, and the result is electronic, so if you want a paper original for apostille you will either need a separate paper request or a channel that produces one. Check in the app which form of the certificate is currently issued for foreign use before you commit to this route.

Single Window for Citizens website

The Single Window for Citizens (Yedyne vikno) is the Ukrainian state web portal where many administrative services can be requested online, and the criminal record certificate is among them. The logic is similar to Diia: you submit an electronic request, the data is checked against the national register, and the result is delivered electronically or by the delivery method offered by the portal.

The difference between the two portals is mostly the set of authentication methods and the current service coverage, and both can change, so it is worth checking both before choosing. For an ILR applicant the practical advice is simple: whichever portal works with your documents on the day, use it, and keep the electronic confirmation of your request. If the portal offers a paper delivery option to an address in Ukraine, a relative can receive it and send it to you, which matters for the apostille step described below.

Consular route for applicants in the UK

Ukrainian consular offices abroad, including the embassy and consulates in the United Kingdom, accept applications for the criminal record certificate from Ukrainian citizens who cannot apply in Ukraine. You book according to the consulate’s current procedure, attend in person with your passport, and state the purpose and destination country. The consulate then forwards the request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and issues the finished certificate when it arrives.

The consular route produces a paper document, which is convenient if your plan is apostille plus translation. The request physically travels between the consulate and Kyiv, and appointment availability in London fluctuates, so check the consulate’s current booking rules rather than assuming last year’s procedure still applies.

Consular or online: comparing your options

There is no single “correct” channel for the Home Office: what matters is that the certificate is genuine, verifiable, correctly translated and, where needed, legalised. Choose by availability and by the form of document you plan to submit.

Case: you cannot travel to Ukraine

Situation: you are on a Skilled Worker visa in Manchester, your ILR window is approaching, and a return trip to Ukraine is not realistic. You have three workable paths.

Steps: first, check whether Diia works with your Ukrainian digital identity; if it does, request the certificate remotely and receive the electronic version with a QR code. Second, if you need a paper original, either ask the Single Window for Citizens about paper delivery to a relative in Ukraine, or book an appointment at the Ukrainian consular office in the UK. Third, if neither works, grant a notarised power of attorney to a representative in Ukraine who applies at an MVS service centre on your behalf and posts you the original.

Result: in each scenario you end up with a genuine certificate issued through an official channel, ready for apostille and translation. The power of attorney route is the most flexible, and it is the standard answer for applicants who lost access to Ukrainian digital services after years abroad.

Apostille and translation for the Home Office

Ukraine and the United Kingdom are both parties to the Hague Convention, which is why an apostille, rather than full legalisation, is the recognised way to certify a Ukrainian public document for UK use. The apostille is placed on the paper original of the certificate, and the translation into English should be a certified translation that the Home Office can rely on: complete, accurate, and accompanied by the translator’s confirmation. Keep the certificate, apostille and translation together as one document set in your upload.

One contrast worth knowing comes from the UK side of the process. According to gov.uk (checked 14 September 2026), the electronic apostille service in the UK does not cover certain documents, including ACRO police certificates and DBS certificates for England and Wales. This tells you something useful: apostille rules are document-specific and country-specific, so never assume that what worked for a friend’s document applies to yours. A Ukrainian criminal record certificate legalised for the UK follows the Ukrainian apostille procedure, and the receiving side is the Home Office, not any other UK authority.

How fresh must the certificate be

The certificate itself carries no expiry date, but the Home Office expects evidence to reflect your situation at the time of application, and police certificates are traditionally expected to be reasonably recent. The precise expectation is set out in the guidance for your route, and caseworkers apply it to the date of your application, not the date of issue. In practice, a certificate that is not recent at the point of your ILR submission may invite a request for an updated one.

The working rule among applicants and advisers is simple: order the certificate close to, but comfortably before, your application date, so that it is recent on the day you submit and you still have time for apostille and translation. If your ILR date slips, check whether your certificate is still recent enough before you press submit.

Where this fits in your ILR evidence pack

The Ukrainian police certificate is one document among many, but it is the one most likely to be produced abroad, translated, and legalised, which makes it the most operationally fragile part of the pack. Treat it as a small project with its own sequence: confirm the requirement, choose the channel, order, apostille, translate, upload. The main guide to the Ukrainian Police Certificate covers the process in detail for every UK purpose, and the checklist on this page gives you the step-by-step sequence for settlement specifically.

See also

• ACRO Police Certificate UK — Application Assistance
• Apostille for a UK Birth Certificate

This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Apostilles for UK public documents are issued exclusively by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office; this site is not affiliated with any government body. Please consult a qualified professional before making decisions.

FAQ

It is an official document issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine that confirms whether or not you have a criminal record in Ukraine. In Ukrainian it is called dovidka pro vidsutnist (naiavnist) sudymosti, and applicants shorten this to dovidka pro nesudymist. In English contexts it is also known as a Certificate of Good Conduct.

It depends on your immigration route. Some Indefinite Leave to Remain routes ask for police certificates from countries where you have lived, while others do not. Check the current gov.uk guidance for your specific route before ordering the document.

You have two main options: apply remotely through Ukrainian online services such as Diia or the Single Window for Citizens, or apply through a Ukrainian consular office in the United Kingdom. A third option is a power of attorney allowing someone in Ukraine to apply for you.

In practice you need your passport or ID details and the stated purpose of the request, such as residence or employment in the United Kingdom. If someone applies on your behalf, they also need a notarised power of attorney. Confirm the exact list with the issuing authority or consulate before you apply.

An electronic certificate with a QR code can be verified online, which makes it hard to question its authenticity. However, for a decision as significant as ILR many applicants prefer to hold a paper original with an apostille. Check the documentary evidence rules in the guidance for your route.

Ukraine and the United Kingdom are both parties to the Hague Convention, so an apostille is the recognised way to legalise the document for UK use. If the certificate is in Ukrainian, a translation into English is needed, and it should meet the Home Office expectations for certified translations.

The certificate itself does not carry an expiry date, but decision makers expect it to reflect your recent record. A certificate issued shortly before you submit your ILR application avoids any argument about how current the information is.

Yes. A relative, lawyer or representative in Ukraine can apply for you with a notarised power of attorney, and Ukrainian consular offices abroad accept applications from the person concerned. Confirm the exact authorisation requirements with the channel you plan to use.

Step by step

1. Confirm the requirement for your route. Check the official gov.uk guidance for your ILR route to see whether a police certificate from Ukraine is required and what it must contain.
2. Choose your application route. In person in Ukraine, through Diia, through the Single Window for Citizens website, via a Ukrainian consular office abroad, or through a third party with a power of attorney.
3. Prepare your details. Passport or ID details, and the stated purpose of the request, for example employment or residence in the United Kingdom.
4. Submit the application. Submit through your chosen channel and keep the electronic confirmation of your request.
5. Receive the certificate. A paper original with signature and stamp, or an electronic version with a QR code, depending on the channel you used.
6. Apostille and certified translation. Legalise the paper original with an apostille and arrange an English translation that meets Home Office expectations for certified translations.
7. Submit with your ILR application. Upload a clear scan of the certificate, apostille and translation as part of your supporting documents.

Related pages

Which DBS check Homes for Ukraine sponsors and Ukrainian arrivals need, who applies, who pays, and what an enhanced with barred list check reveals.

How to apply online for an ACRO Police Certificate: eligibility, documents and apostille for use abroad.

What an ACRO Police Certificate shows, how to apply online from the UK or abroad, and when it needs an FCDO apostille or embassy legalisation.

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