France Criminal Record Check: Process, Requirements, and Coverage

## Who is the source of criminal check data in France? Le Casier Judiciaire ## What is the process in France? 1. The requesting party requests the check from the ATS or their Zinc account. 2. You will need to follow the automated instructions to upload a copy of your ID and provide personal details from your mobile or desktop device. 3. Zinc submits the application on your behalf. 4. You will receive an email from Casier Judiciaire (noreply@justice.gouv.fr) asking you to validate your application. - Check your spam or junk folder if you don't see it in your inbox. - The email contains a **validation link** — click this to confirm your application. - Once validated, Casier Judiciaire will process your request and send a second email confirming your certificate is ready to download. - That second email will include a **reference code** you'll need to access and download your certificate. - Download the certificate and then upload it to your Zinc profile using the "Upload certificate" button, or send it directly to contact@zincwork.com. 5. Zinc receives the certificate and provides a signed digital report for your employer to review once processed. ## What details are required to submit the check? - First name - Last name - Date of birth - Consent - Candidate’s email address - Place of birth - Current address - Passport/ID copy ### 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. --- ## Candidate FAQs **I've submitted my documents — what happens next?** Once your details have been submitted, Zinc sends your application to Casier Judiciaire on your behalf. You'll receive an email from noreply@justice.gouv.fr asking you to validate your application. After you validate it, Casier Judiciaire will process your request and send a follow-up email when your certificate is ready to download. You then need to download the certificate and upload it to your Zinc profile. **I'm waiting for the email from Casier Judiciaire — how long should it take?** The initial validation email is usually sent shortly after your application is submitted. If you haven't received it after a day or two, check your spam or junk folder. If it's not there, contact Zinc support and we can check the status of your application. **I've received the email saying my certificate is ready — what do I do?** The email will include a reference code. Use this to log in and download your certificate from the Casier Judiciaire website. Once downloaded, upload it to your Zinc profile using the "Upload certificate" button, or send it to contact@zincwork.com. **I haven't received my certificate yet and my recruiter is chasing me — what should I tell them?** Let them know your application has been submitted and is being processed by Casier Judiciaire, the French national criminal records authority. Processing times can vary. If you're concerned about delays, contact Zinc support and we'll look into it for you.