Access Request to Interpol – Verify Your Status

An INTERPOL access request is sometimes described as an “INTERPOL background check”, but it should not be confused with a conventional criminal-record certificate, DBS check or police clearance certificate.

The CCF procedure concerns personal data processed in INTERPOL’s Information System. It can be used to ask whether INTERPOL holds information concerning the applicant and, subject to applicable disclosure restrictions, obtain information about that processing.

This may be particularly important because the majority of Red Notices are not published on INTERPOL’s public website.

An access request can therefore form part of a wider assessment where there is concern about an international arrest warrant, Red Notice, Diffusion or other cross-border criminal proceedings.

An access request may be relevant for individuals who:

Where the concern relates specifically to a Red Notice, our INTERPOL Red Notice solicitors can assess the wider legal implications.

There are several reasons why a person may need to clarify whether INTERPOL is processing information about them. The appropriate purpose of an access request depends on the circumstances of the foreign proceedings and the applicant’s specific concerns.

The principal purpose of an access request is to ask whether personal data concerning you are being processed in INTERPOL’s Information System.

This can be important because a public search alone is not conclusive. Most Red Notices are restricted to law-enforcement use and therefore do not appear on INTERPOL’s public website.

An access request may help identify whether further steps should be considered, particularly where there are concerns about:

However, applicants should understand that access is subject to limitations. Before disclosing information, the CCF consults the source of the data. In some cases, disclosure may therefore be restricted under Article 35 of the CCF Statute.

An access request should not be treated as a guarantee that every item of information held through INTERPOL channels will be disclosed.

If data are identified and appear unlawful or non-compliant, a separate Red Notice removal or correction request may then be appropriate.

The CCF procedure follows several stages, from preparing the application to receiving and assessing the Commission’s response. Understanding each stage helps ensure that the request contains the necessary information and is submitted through the correct procedure.

Before filing an application, it may be useful to assess why you believe INTERPOL may hold data concerning you and whether an access request is the appropriate procedure.

Our solicitors can:

Where there is no existing Notice but a credible risk that one may be requested, a preventive request to INTERPOL may need to be considered separately.

Since 10:00 CET on 26 March 2026, new requests to the CCF must normally be submitted through its secure online portal.

The portal is now the standard channel for:

Email and postal submissions are no longer normally accepted unless the Commission recognises exceptional circumstances under its Operating Rules.

The application should contain the information and documentation required by the portal and the CCF’s admissibility rules.

Where a solicitor or other authorised representative submits the application, evidence of authority to act must also be provided.

Once the request is considered admissible, the CCF asks the INTERPOL General Secretariat to determine whether data concerning the applicant are being processed in the INTERPOL Information System.

Before disclosing information connected with the request, the CCF consults the source of the data in accordance with Article 35 of its Statute.

The source is commonly an INTERPOL National Central Bureau.

The CCF may also request additional information or clarification from:

An access request is therefore not simply an automated database search. It is a formal CCF procedure governed by INTERPOL’s rules.

The applicant receives a written response from the CCF.

The precise content will depend on the circumstances and on any restrictions applicable to disclosure.

A response may clarify whether information can be disclosed about data concerning the applicant, but disclosure can be limited where the source has provided a properly justified restriction under the CCF Statute.

For this reason, the wording of a CCF response should be interpreted carefully.

A restricted response should not automatically be read as confirmation that no data exist.

An access request does not itself delete or correct information.

If the results indicate that data are being processed and there are grounds to challenge their compliance with INTERPOL’s rules, subsequent steps may include:

Where a Red Notice is already being processed, our INTERPOL Red Notice removal solicitors can assess whether a compliance challenge before the CCF is appropriate.

An access request can be submitted by an individual without a solicitor, but legal assistance may be valuable where the case involves extradition, political allegations, human-rights concerns or complicated foreign proceedings.

A properly prepared request should distinguish between access to information and a substantive challenge to the legality of that information.

Our solicitors assess the CCF Statute, Operating Rules and INTERPOL Rules on the Processing of Data and identify which procedure best fits the client’s circumstances.

This can prevent an access request from being confused with a deletion request or an attempt to challenge the merits of a national criminal case, which falls outside the CCF’s mandate.

CCF files are confidential, and an access request is not itself recorded as a police alert in the INTERPOL Information System.

However, confidentiality should not be misunderstood as complete secrecy from all relevant INTERPOL bodies.

Once a request is admissible, the CCF may communicate necessary information to the INTERPOL General Secretariat and relevant National Central Bureaus in order to process the application.

Applicants may identify particular information as confidential, although restricting disclosure of material can affect the CCF’s ability to examine the request fully.

The appropriate next step depends on what the access procedure reveals.

If potentially non-compliant data are identified, the strategy may involve a correction or deletion request. If there is a valid underlying arrest warrant, separate proceedings may also be required.

Where extradition risk exists, our extradition solicitors can coordinate the UK defence with the INTERPOL procedure.

INTERPOL proceedings and national criminal proceedings are legally separate.

A CCF application may therefore need to be coordinated with lawyers dealing with:

Where an underlying warrant exists, our international arrest warrant lawyers can assess its implications separately from the CCF procedure.

An access request may be relevant in a number of circumstances.

International travel. A person who has experienced repeated questioning, detention or unexplained difficulties at borders may wish to investigate whether INTERPOL data are involved.

Foreign criminal proceedings. Someone who knows that criminal proceedings or an arrest warrant exist abroad may need to determine whether the matter has been circulated internationally.

Political or human-rights concerns. Former public officials, businesspeople, activists or others who believe a foreign prosecution is politically motivated may need to establish whether INTERPOL channels have been used.

Immigration and relocation planning. An INTERPOL issue can sometimes become relevant to immigration processes, although the CCF itself does not determine immigration status or provide immigration clearance.

Extradition exposure. Where an individual suspects that another country is seeking their arrest and surrender, an access request can form one part of a broader extradition risk assessment.

It should not, however, be used as a substitute for legal advice on whether it is safe to travel. The CCF expressly does not determine whether an individual can travel without risk of arrest.

Access requests are governed by several interconnected INTERPOL instruments rather than by a single rule. Understanding this framework is important because it defines both the applicant’s rights and the limits of the CCF’s jurisdiction.

INTERPOL’s Rules on the Processing of Data govern how information is recorded, stored, used and circulated within the INTERPOL Information System.

They operate alongside INTERPOL’s Constitution, the CCF Statute and the CCF Operating Rules.

Individuals can use the CCF procedure to request:

The CCF is an independent body responsible for overseeing compliance with INTERPOL’s data-processing framework and considering individual requests relating to personal data.

Its Requests Chamber examines applications for access, correction and deletion.

The CCF does not act as a criminal court. It cannot determine guilt or innocence, cancel a national arrest warrant or terminate national criminal proceedings.

Its jurisdiction concerns the processing of data in INTERPOL’s Information System.

Article 3 of INTERPOL’s Constitution prohibits the Organisation from undertaking activities or interventions of a political, military, religious or racial character.

If an access request reveals data and there are concerns that the underlying proceedings are predominantly political or otherwise incompatible with INTERPOL’s rules, this may become relevant to a subsequent challenge.

Where a case also raises broader human-rights concerns, our international human rights lawyers can assess those issues separately.

The duration of a CCF procedure depends on the type of request and when the application is declared admissible. Applicants should also allow for possible requests for additional information and consultation with the source of the data.

Under the CCF Statute, an access request should generally be decided within four months from the date on which it is declared admissible.

The four-month period therefore does not necessarily begin on the day the application is first submitted.

During the process, the CCF may request further information or consult the General Secretariat and the source of the data.

Requests for correction or deletion follow a different timeframe and should generally be decided within nine months from admissibility.

Applicants should not assume that an urgent travel or business need creates a guaranteed expedited procedure.

Any genuine urgency can be explained in the application, but the CCF controls its own procedure and the statutory access timeframe remains the principal reference point.

If there is an immediate risk of arrest or extradition, the CCF application should not be relied upon as the only protective measure. Separate advice on the national arrest or extradition risk may be required.

The appropriate next step depends on the content of the CCF response and whether any INTERPOL data can be disclosed. A response may resolve the concern, or it may indicate that further legal analysis or a separate challenge is necessary.

applicant’s concern, no further INTERPOL procedure may be necessary.

However, the response should be reviewed carefully because Article 35 may restrict the information that can be disclosed.

An access request is therefore different from obtaining a certificate formally guaranteeing that no police data exist anywhere internationally.

If the CCF response identifies potentially problematic data, the next step depends on the nature of the information.

Possible action may include:

Deletion of INTERPOL data does not automatically cancel the underlying foreign warrant or criminal proceedings.

Our team advises clients on the interaction between INTERPOL data, foreign criminal proceedings and UK extradition law.

We assist with:

Where a matter develops beyond a simple access request, the same team can coordinate the relevant Red Notice removal and extradition strategy.

If you have a concrete reason to believe that INTERPOL may be processing information about you, obtaining clarity before international travel or further legal proceedings can be important.

An access request can help establish the status of INTERPOL data, but it should be prepared with an understanding of its limitations, including possible disclosure restrictions.

Our solicitors can assess whether an access request, preventive request or substantive challenge is the appropriate procedure.

f you suspect that INTERPOL may hold information concerning you, contact our team for a confidential assessment.

We can review the background of the case, prepare the CCF application and analyse the response once it is issued.

If potentially unlawful data are identified, we can also advise on a subsequent request for INTERPOL Red Notice removal and any related extradition proceedings.