A criminal-record certificate for a Czech visa: order it to stay valid

Of all the papers in a residence application, the criminal-record extract is the one that most often expires while the rest of the file is still being assembled. It is cheap in most countries and slow in a few, it has a maximum age and it needs two further steps before a Czech clerk will look at it. Treat it as a project with a deadline, not as a form.

What the Ministry of the Interior requires depends on your permit and nationality, and the list changes, so use the current document list for your application.

What the certificate is and what it is called

A criminal-record certificate is an official statement from a state authority about whether a person has criminal convictions recorded against them. The name differs: "police certificate", "certificate of good conduct", "criminal-record extract", "police clearance", "certificate of no criminal convictions". Some countries issue a short extract that says only that there are no entries; others issue a fuller summary. For Czech purposes, what matters is that the document is issued by the competent state authority, covers the right person and is accepted by the Ministry. Ask the Ministry or the embassy whether the version your country issues is acceptable.

Some countries have more than one version. A police-held check can differ from a certificate from the central criminal register, and a certificate from a state or province can differ from a national one. Check which the Ministry wants. In the United Kingdom, for instance, a police certificate for overseas use is issued by a specific national office, and in the United States the FBI Identity History Summary is used, with an apostille from the US Department of State (our guide for Americans in Czechia covers it); verify both with the issuing office and the Czech embassy before ordering, because procedures change.

From which countries

The Foreigners Act asks applicants over 15 for long-term visas, long-term and permanent residence to document that they have no criminal record. The rule is an extract from the country of citizenship, and the Ministry or embassy may also ask for one from any country where the applicant spent more than six months in total during the last three years. If a country does not issue such a document, a sworn declaration (čestné prohlášení) can replace it (as of 2026; check MV and the embassy). If you have lived in several countries, make a list with dates early, because each extract has its own lead time and its own authentication.

Czech authorities check their own record for applicants who have lived in Czechia. You do not usually need to bring a Czech extract for the Ministry; the Ministry obtains it. If you need a Czech criminal-record extract for use abroad, for example for a visa elsewhere, you can request one, and the Czech authority will issue it; the process and cost are on the Ministry of Justice's pages, and the extract can be apostilled for foreign use.

Children under 15 are exempt. Spouses and adult family members have to supply their own. Our overview of family reunification and the guide to bringing a spouse show where it fits in a family application.

The age limit is the trap

Ministry and embassy instructions say supporting documents must be no older than 180 days on the day you file, with exceptions such as passports and civil-status certificates. Where the certificate itself states a shorter validity, often 90 days or three months in some countries, that shorter period applies (as of 2026; check MV and the embassy). A certificate that is too old on the day of filing will be rejected, regardless of how long the apostille took.

Work backwards. Decide the filing date, which is the day of your embassy appointment, then subtract the time for translation, apostille and issue. Take a hypothetical case: you have an embassy appointment on 1 March. The sworn translation needs a week, the apostille two to three weeks, and the extract itself takes two weeks to arrive. Ordering on 1 January leaves a margin of about three weeks; ordering in early August risks an extract that has passed 180 days by the appointment, and a certificate with its own 90-day validity would already be out of date if ordered in early November.

Appointment slots can move, and a postponed appointment can push the filing date beyond the age limit. If you are close to the limit, ask the embassy whether a new extract is needed, and think twice before committing to non-refundable travel.

The chain after issue

The extract is a public document, and as such it usually needs authentication. If the issuing country belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention, you obtain an apostille from the competent authority. If not, the document goes through legalisation by the foreign ministry and the Czech embassy. Our guide to apostille and legalisation explains both and the EU exemption: Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 removes the formality for some EU documents, but ask whether the Ministry accepts the exemption for your file.

After authentication, a court translator translates the extract into Czech. See sworn translations in Czechia for how to find one and what the finished bundle looks like. Documents in Slovak are treated more leniently in many Czech procedures; ask whether translation is needed.

Who orders it

Usually you order it yourself, as the person named on it, because the issuing authority wants to confirm your identity. Some countries allow an authorised agent or a family member to apply for you with a power of attorney, which itself may need authentication. If you live in a different country from the one that issued your citizenship, check whether your own embassy can supply the extract. Do not pay a third party for a document that the authority issues for a small official fee unless you have a reason, such as a time pressure or a very slow system.

Practical problems

Fingerprints. Some countries require fingerprints taken by the police or at an accredited agency, and the process involves ink cards or digital scans. Residents abroad can have trouble finding an office; the issuing authority's website explains the alternatives.

Identity details. The extract is issued for one name, date of birth and place of birth. If your passport shows a different spelling, a married name or a transliteration, bring evidence. Names must match across the file. Our checklist for your first month shows how often the same documents come back.

Countries with slow systems. Some registries take weeks or months, or require an application by post or in person. Start there.

Previous convictions. Some convictions can lead to a refusal, and the Foreigners Act and the Ministry's practice decide which, by type of offence, sentence and time elapsed. If you have a record, take legal advice before filing and do not leave it out; a concealed conviction that the Ministry finds is a worse problem than the conviction itself.

Renewals and permanent residence. The extract may be required again at later stages; see how to renew a residence permit and permanent residence. Keep a record of what you submitted and when.

Frequently asked questions

Which countries' certificates do I need?

Your country of citizenship and, if asked, countries where you spent more than six months in the last three years. Check MV and the embassy.

How recent must the certificate be?

No older than 180 days on the filing date, or less if the certificate states a shorter validity (as of 2026; check MV).

Do I need to translate it?

Yes, normally by a court translator into Czech, after the apostille or legalisation. Check whether a Slovak or EU document is exempt.

Do children need one?

Not under 15. Everyone older in the family needs their own.

This is a general explainer, not legal or tax advice.