Why France asks for a foreign criminal record certificate
For a French naturalization application, a talent passport, or certain residence permits, French authorities require a criminal record certificate — or its local equivalent — for every country where the applicant has significantly resided over the past ten years, in addition to the French "bulletin n° 3". This foreign document must be accompanied by a certified translation, produced by a sworn translator listed at a French Court of Appeal, to be accepted in the file.
The exact document required depends on the country of residence. The two most common cases involve the United States and the United Kingdom.
The FBI Identity History Summary (IdHS) — United States
For anyone who has lived in the United States, the reference document is the Identity History Summary (IdHS), issued by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division based on a fingerprint search. It states whether federal arrest data exists for the individual. The request is submitted via fbi.gov/checks, either by mail with fingerprints taken on form FD-258 or through an approved channeler, and typically takes several weeks to process.
An important point to plan for: the IdHS is a US federal document. To be used in a French administrative procedure, it generally needs to be apostilled by the US Department of State before translation — the apostille itself being part of the document to be translated.
UK certificates: ACRO and DBS
For a stay in the United Kingdom, two distinct documents exist and are sometimes confused:
- The ACRO Police Certificate, issued by the ACRO Criminal Records Office, is specifically designed for overseas use (visa, immigration, naturalization applications)
- The DBS Check (Disclosure and Barring Service), more geared towards UK employment background checks, is sometimes also requested by French authorities
As with the US document, the UK certificate generally needs to be legalised (apostilled) by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) before translation — a delay well worth planning for in advance, as it can exceed several weeks depending on the period.
Does the apostille also need to be translated?
Yes. The certified translation must cover the entire document submitted to the French authority, apostille or legalisation included, so that the receiving authority can understand the document in full.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to translate an IdHS or an ACRO/DBS certificate?
Generally 24 to 48 business hours once the document — and its apostille, where applicable — is in hand.
Can I send a scan?
Yes, a legible scan is sufficient to produce the translation.
Does the document have an expiry date?
Some préfectures and the ministry responsible for naturalizations require a recent document (often less than 3 to 6 months old, depending on the case) — check this point with the receiving authority before starting the process.
Do you translate other foreign criminal record certificates?
Yes. This document takes different forms depending on the country (Federal Police Certificate in Australia, Certificato del Casellario in Italy, Führungszeugnis in Germany…) — get in touch to check feasibility and turnaround.