France Criminal Record Check

## Who is the source of criminal check data in France? Le Casier Judiciaire ## What is the Process in France? 1. The requesting party will request the check from the ATS or their Zinc account. 2. Automated instructions are delivered to provide some personal details in a dynamic web form. 3. Zinc submits the request to the authorities **Candidates complete these steps. The [candidate guidance](https://help.zincwork.com/hc/hm54ky7yrc/article/562db36c-france-criminal-check-candidate-guidance) covers each one in detail.** 1. Enter their personal details and upload a copy of their ID on Zinc. 2. Validate the application using the link in the email from Casier Judiciaire (noreply@justice.gouv.fr). 3. Use the reference code in the second email to download their certificate. 4. Upload the certificate to their Zinc profile, or send it to contact@zincwork.com. You don't need to do anything once you have requested the check. Once the results are received from the candidate, Zinc will provide a signed digital report and the candidate receives a notification to say the process is complete. ## What details are required to submit the check? - First name - Last name - Date of birth - Place of birth (city or town) - Current address (the full address) - Consent - Email address. The authority requires this, and Zinc uses it to complete the online application on the candidate's behalf. - A copy of their passport or ID, including the back of the document - **Arrondissement number,** *if the candidate was born in Paris.* ### Accepted identity documents - **Citizens**: Valid French Passport OR Valid French ID Card (both sides) OR Valid French Driving License OR Digital Copy (justificatif d'identité a usage unique) (NOTE: ID Cards issued between 2004 and 2013 to a person over the age of 18 at the time of the application automatically has an extended validity of another 5 years after the expiry date) - **Non-citizens**: Valid Foreign Passport OR Valid EU ID Card (both sides) OR Valid French/EU Residence Permit - A Birth Certificate can be accepted as a valid ID copy. *Please note that the Authority will only accept and provide the criminal certificate with the official legal name of the person. If the candidate has had previous names, it is acceptable for them to provide their birth certificate showing the previous name, particularly if that name no longer appears on their current ID.* ## What is covered in the criminal check? A copy of the criminal certificate (L'extrait de casier judiciaire - bulletin n°3) can be issued to citizens and foreigners over 18 years of age. This certificate is subject to the candidate’s explicit consent and is intended to serve one particular purpose indicated during the application process. The Casier Judiciaire reserves the right to issue or reject the issuance of the certificate after careful assessment and scrutiny of the nature of the request. The certificate contains information for all the following criminal convictions or offences, except those deleted by rehabilitation laws or considered spent: - robbery: “vol” - theft and handling stolen goods: “vol et recel” - fraud and forgery: “fraude et contrefaçon” - criminal damage: « préjudice sur les biens matériels » - drug offences: « infractions à la législation sur les stupéfiants » - motoring offences: « infractions au code de la route » - violence against the person: « agression sur les personnes » - sexual offences (i.e., rape, etc.) : « agression sexuelle » - burglary: « vol avec effraction », « cambriolage » The legal prescription of a sentence varies, depending on the type of offence committed and sentence pronounced. The certificate doesn’t have a specific validity and depends on the institutions who request this type of certificate that the document is issued no more than 3 months prior to its deposit and is issued in the French language. ### The role of the ECRIS in the processing of the France criminal certificate The European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) is a decentralised information system that allows for the exchange of criminal records information between the Member States of the European Union. It aims to facilitate cooperation among national law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities in the EU to promote transparency and accountability in the criminal justice system to prevent criminals from evading justice by moving between Member States, which is essential in ensuring the proper administration of justice and the protection of public safety. As such, each Member State is obliged to consult ECRIS as part of its criminal record check. The ECRIS was established in April 2012, but France has been gradually accommodating its usage. ## Restrictions, Exclusions, Limitations: - Only the most serious convictions are listed in Bulletin n°3 such as Prison sentences over 2 years (without suspension), Certain offences related to child protection, and convictions that legally disqualify a person from certain professions. Lesser convictions, suspended sentences, and older offences that fall under rehabilitation laws are not included. - Employers cannot request the Bulletin No. 3 directly, they must ask the candidate to obtain and present it voluntarily. - France is part of the EU. ECRIS is applicable; however, if there is a record found from ECRIS, our provider will not be reporting it, as it does not belong to France. - There will be slight delays in case the authority conducts the ECRIS process with EU Member states. - Employers are not allowed to discriminate based on criminal records unless the nature of the offence is directly related to the job. ## Period covered by the check: The records are maintained in accordance with the legal prescription and rehabilitation periods applicable to each type of conviction, as defined by local regulations in France. All records are held by the Casier Judiciaire National, the official authority responsible for receiving requests, conducting thorough reviews, and issuing the criminal record certificate accordingly. ## What is the expected turnaround time? [Here.](https://zincwork.com/turnaround-times) ## Privacy statement The details contained in this report should not be used as the sole reason for making a decision. Zinc Work Ltd is not liable for any inaccuracies or incompleteness in the information appearing in this report since it is provided to Zinc Work Ltd by third parties. This report has been produced for the purchaser of the report and Zinc Work Ltd will have no liability to loss.