Can I screen candidates who live abroad?
Yes. We run background checks on candidates in 195+ countries through accredited local agents and direct verification.
In short: Yes. You can request a screening on a candidate in any of 195+ countries through the same dashboard. We coordinate with accredited local agents and government registries. Some countries take longer than others.
When this matters
You need international screening when you are:
- Hiring remotely across borders
- Bringing a candidate to your country from abroad
- Hiring someone who has lived or worked in multiple countries
- Screening a relocating senior hire whose record spans several jurisdictions
Skipping international components leaves blind spots in the candidate’s history.
How to request
Same flow as a domestic screening:
- In the dashboard, build the screening package
- Add the candidate (name + email)
- The candidate provides their address and employment history across all relevant countries
- We run the checks in parallel where possible
You see live progress per country in the dashboard, so you always know what is in flight.
Turnaround varies by country
EU and EEA jurisdictions tend to be the fastest because their registries are largely digitised and accessible online. UK and North America are similar. APAC, Latin America, the Middle East, and parts of Africa can take longer because some checks still depend on manual government processes or in-country agents.
If you have a hard hiring deadline, tell us upfront. We can advise on what is realistic and what to prioritise.
Compliance with local law
Each country has its own rules about:
- Which checks are legal
- Cross-border data flow restrictions
- Whether candidates must give explicit local consent
- What can be reported and what cannot
We comply with each country’s framework. The output may differ slightly between jurisdictions (a Dutch VOG is more standardised than a US state criminal record, for example), and we explain any limitations in the report.
A note on local sources
Every screening follows the same process, wherever the candidate is based. Where a country requires it, we work with local sources and accredited agents to obtain records, but the flow and the way we handle your data are the same everywhere.
Contact us before screening candidates in unusual jurisdictions so we can confirm what is possible.
Related articles
What is an international background check?
A background check that combines verifications across multiple countries. Useful when candidates have lived, studied, or worked abroad.
What does an international background check show?
The same factual outcomes as a domestic check (identity, criminal record, employment, qualifications), consolidated across every relevant country.
How do I request a screening for a candidate?
Three steps: pick the checks, add the candidate, and we handle the rest. The whole setup takes under two minutes per candidate.
