Romanian criminal record certificate, with authorised translation and apostille

Cazier judiciar, cu traducere și apostilă

The client receives the Romanian criminal record certificate, with the apostille and the authorised translation where the destination country requires them, as a scan by email and the original by courier.

Duration
Three working days by statute for an application filed in person in Romania (art. 28, Law 290/2004). Around 30 days where the applicant is a foreign national. Thirty days plus transmission time where the application goes through a Romanian diplomatic mission (art. 29). Where the applicant is a national of another EU member state, an extract from that state's record is attached through ECRIS and the three day term does not apply. Apostille: 1-2 working days. Authorised translation and notarial legalisation: two working days. Realistic total from order to delivery: 7 working days.
Validity
Six months from the date of issue, and only for the purpose stated on the request (art. 27 para. 2). Sequence the apostille and translation tightly, since the destination country's own processing runs inside the same six months.
Remote
Fully remote
Refund
If the police do not issue the certificate, we refund our fee. Where the certificate is issued but contains an entry, the service has been performed and no refund arises. This must be stated plainly before the client orders.

Three things to know

  • Route check
  • Power of attorney drafting
  • Obtaining the certificate

Fees

  • Certificate onlyEUR 150

    Obtained under power of attorney and delivered.

  • Full packageEUR 300

    Certificate plus apostille plus authorised translation, sequenced so the six month validity is preserved.

  • Courier.

Any third-party costs (such as official fees, translations, notarisation, apostille or courier) are charged separately, at cost, as incurred.

If the police do not issue the certificate, we refund our fee. Where the certificate is issued but contains an entry, the service has been performed and no refund arises. This must be stated plainly before the client orders.

What we do

Route checkWe establish whether the client qualifies for the electronic certificate, the counter route or the consular route, and whether an apostille is needed at all for the destination country.
Power of attorney draftingWe prepare the special power of attorney the procedure requires, or act on a lawyer's authority form where that is accepted.
Obtaining the certificateThe application is filed and the certificate collected on the client's behalf.
ApostilleApplied at the prefect's institution, or through the Chamber of Public Notaries where the translation itself must be apostilled.
Authorised translationPrepared by a translator authorised by the Ministry of Justice, with the translator's signature legalised by a notary where the destination requires it.
DeliveryScan by email, original by courier, sequenced so the six month validity is not spent in transit.

What we need from you

  • Valid identity document in originalIdentity card, passport, or residence permit for foreigners. Presented at the counter.
  • Completed application form, stating the purpose for which the certificate is requestedThe purpose is printed on the certificate.
  • Signature.
  • The destination country's requirement in writing, where availableThis determines whether an apostille is needed, whether the translation must also be apostilled, and whether a multilingual standard form is enough.

Timeline

  1. Intake1 working dayWe confirm the route, the destination country's formalities and the document list.
  2. Power of attorneydepends on the client's local appointmentSigned before a notary or a Romanian consulate and couriered to us.
  3. Application and issuanceFiled at the police counter. Three working days by statute for applications filed in person; around 30 days where the applicant is a foreign national.
  4. Apostille at the prefect's institution1-2 working daysApplied to the certificate.
  5. Authorised translation2 working daysWith notarial legalisation of the translator's signature and a second apostille through the Chamber of Public Notaries where the destination requires it.
  6. Delivery1-2 working daysScan by email, original by courier.

Who needs this

Anyone who has to prove to a foreign or Romanian authority that they have no entry in the Romanian criminal record.

  • Romanian citizen living in Spain whose employer requires a Romanian police clearance for a regulated profession.
  • Foreign national who lived in Romania and now needs the Romanian certificate for a residence application in a third country.
  • Applicant for Romanian citizenship or for a residence permit, where the certificate forms part of the file.
  • Company director being appointed in another EU state and required to show a clean record from every state of prior residence.

Questions

Do I have to come to Romania?
No. The process can be carried out 100% remotely.
Can I get it online?
Only if you are a Romanian citizen with a validated account on the Ministry of Internal Affairs portal. Foreign nationals cannot use the electronic route.
How long is it valid?
Six months from issue, and only for the purpose stated on the application. Tell us the purpose at the start, because it is printed on the certificate.
Do I need an apostille?
It depends on the destination. Inside the EU, a Romanian certificate issued to a Romanian citizen is exempt from apostille and sworn translation under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 if a multilingual standard form is attached. A Romanian certificate issued to a non-Romanian falls outside that exemption. Nineteen bilateral treaties waive the apostille for particular countries. Outside the Hague Convention, full legalisation is needed instead. We check this before starting.
What if I have an entry in my record?
The certificate is still issued, with the entries shown. It is not a refusal. Whether the entry can be removed depends on the statutory de-registration and rehabilitation terms, and where the entry is wrong there is a rectification procedure.
I have never lived in Romania. Can I still get one?
Yes. The application can be filed at any connected police counter, or through a Romanian consulate. Expect the longer term rather than three days.
What if the six months run out while my file is pending abroad?
We sequence the certificate, apostille and translation so the validity is spent on the destination country's processing, not on ours. If it does expire, the certificate has to be reissued.
Does the destination country accept a scan?
Usually not. Most authorities require the original with the apostille attached. We send the scan first so the file can be prepared, then the original by courier.

What this service does not cover

  • We do not remove entries from a criminal record. Where an entry exists, we can explain the de-registration terms, but the record is what it is.
  • We do not obtain criminal record certificates from other states, except through the exchange mechanism where it is attached to the Romanian certificate.
  • We do not advise on how a foreign authority will treat the content of the certificate.
  • We do not take files where the client wants the stated purpose changed after issue, since the certificate is valid only for the purpose printed on it.
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Last verified

5 September 2026

  • Law 290/2004 on the criminal record, art. 27 para. 2, art. 28, art. 29
  • Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, multilingual standard forms, exemption from apostille

Tell us what needs handling in Romania

Describe your situation and we reply in writing with the documents required, the steps and the cost. Work reserved to a regulated profession is carried out by independent collaborating professionals.

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