Overseas police checks and international criminal record screening for UK employers
Hiring overseas talent is essential across healthcare, education, IT, construction, finance, and government-linked roles. But background checks for non-UK nationals require more than a standard UK-only process.
A UK DBS check only covers criminal records held in the UK. If a candidate has lived or worked abroad, that check alone cannot give you a complete picture of their background. Employers have a legal and professional obligation to obtain overseas criminal record checks - commonly referred to as overseas police checks from every country where a candidate has lived for 12 months or more.
Eurocom CI coordinates both UK DBS checks and international criminal record searches across 200+ countries, keeping everything aligned, documented, and compliant without slowing down your onboarding.
When are overseas police checks required?
Overseas police checks are required whenever a candidate has lived or worked outside the UK for a significant period. The specific trigger varies by sector:
Education Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) requires schools to obtain a criminal record check from every country where a candidate has lived or worked for 12 months or more during the past 10 years. This applies to teachers, support staff, and volunteers.
Healthcare and NHSÂ NHS Employers guidance requires overseas criminal record checks for all staff who have lived outside the UK. For clinical roles, this check must be obtained before the appointment is confirmed.
Government and defence-linked roles BPSS clearance for non-UK nationals requires an overseas criminal record check as part of the four-pillar verification process.
Financial services FCA-regulated firms must assess the fitness and propriety of staff including overseas history for Senior Managers, Certified Functions, and other regulated roles.
General employment Even for roles not covered by specific regulatory frameworks, obtaining an overseas police check for candidates with international backgrounds is considered best practice and reduces negligent hiring risk.
What Eurocom CI international screening includes:
For non-UK nationals, we provide a fully coordinated package covering both UK and overseas requirements:
UK DBS check:Â Basic, Standard, or Enhanced depending on the role
Overseas police check / international criminal record check: From every relevant country, covering 200+ countries worldwide
Right to Work verification: Confirming the candidate's legal eligibility to work in the UK, including checking visa status, biometric residence permits, and share codes
Identity verification (IDVT compliant): Verifying identity documents in line with Home Office requirements
Employment history verification: Covering a minimum of 5 years, with overseas references chased
Education and qualification verification: Confirming overseas degrees and professional credentials claimed at application
BPSS clearance: For non-UK nationals working on government contracts or roles requiring baseline security clearance
Right to Work checks for non-UK nationals
Timelines vary significantly by country and cannot always be predicted precisely. As a general guide:
- 1-2 weeks - countries with efficient online or consular processes (e.g. many EU member states)
- 3-6 weeks - countries requiring postal applications or embassy processing
- 6+ weeks - countries where legalisation, apostille, or document translation is required, or where local government processing is slower
Factors that affect processing time include whether the candidate must apply directly in person, document translation requirements, local government processing speeds, and postal or consular delays.
Because timelines vary globally, Eurocom CI advises initiating overseas checks as early as possible in the recruitment process. We coordinate the process and keep you updated on progress through our Xavier platform.
BPSS clearance for non-UK nationals
BPSS clearance for non-UK nationals follows the same four pillars as for UK applicants:
- Identity verification - confirming identity documents, including overseas passports and biometric documents
- Right to Work checks - confirming legal eligibility to work in the UK
- Employment history verification - covering the past 3 years, with overseas references obtained
- Criminal record check - including an overseas police check from every country of relevant residence
For UK-only candidates, BPSS typically takes around 5-10 working days. For non-UK nationals requiring overseas documentation, international BPSS clearance can take 10-14+ working days depending on the countries involved and the speed of overseas authorities. Starting the process early is critical delays happen when overseas checks are left too late.
Countries we cover
Eurocom CI processes international criminal record checks across 200+ countries, including all major source countries for the UK workforce. Common requests include checks from:
- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka
- Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
- Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and other EU states
- The Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries
- Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA
- Middle Eastern countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait
If you need a check from a country not listed here, speak to our team we can advise on availability and process.
Our BPSS Clearance for Non-UK Nationals:
BPSS clearance for non-UK nationals follows the same four pillars as UK applicants:Â
Identity verification: Confirming identity documents, including overseas passports and biometric documents
Right to Work checks: Confirming legal eligibility to work in the UK
Employment history verification: Covering the past 3 years, with overseas references obtained
Criminal record check: Including an overseas police check from every country of relevant residence
For UK-only candidates, BPSS typically takes around 5-10 working days. For non-UK nationals requiring overseas documentation, international BPSS clearance can take 10-14+ working days depending on the countries involved and the speed of overseas authorities. Starting the process early is critical delays happen when overseas checks are left too late.
How long does it take for an international BPSS clearance?Â
For UK-only candidates, BPSS typically takes around 5-10 working days.
For non-UK nationals requiring overseas documentation, international BPSS clearance can take 10-14+ working days depending on the countries involved and the speed of overseas authorities. Starting the process early is critical delays happen when overseas checks are left too late.
How long does an overseas police check take?
Timelines vary significantly by country and cannot always be predicted precisely. As a general guide:
- 1-2 weeks - countries with efficient online or consular processes (e.g. many EU member states)
- 3-6 weeks - countries requiring postal applications or embassy processing
- 6+ weeks - countries where legalisation, apostille, or document translation is required, or where local government processing is slower
Factors that affect processing time include whether the candidate must apply directly in person, document translation requirements, local government processing speeds, and postal or consular delays.
Because timelines vary globally, Eurocom CI advises initiating overseas checks as early as possible in the recruitment process. We coordinate the process and keep you updated on progress through our Xavier platform.
How we manage high volume requests
Organisations may wish to carry out different levels of screenings for different positions considering the risk factor of the role. Our service can be tailored to meet specific requirements. For example, we recently had a client looking for BPSS screenings after winning a contract for the Home Office, who needed someone who could cater for high volume requests. Luckily, our software, Xavier, enabled us to complete over 500 screenings per month for this client, so they could proceed with their checks to meet the requirements of their contract. If you would like to receive a personalised quote, click here.
Why us?
No sign-up fees or ongoing costs: You only pay for the checks you need
~48-hour turnaround: Minimising delays to your recruitment process
References chased automatically and by real people: Our team follows up so you don't have to
Every screening reviewed by 3 separate team members: Reducing the risk of errors or missed flags
Free software demonstrations: See exactly how the platform works before you commit
Xavier, our proprietary screening platform: A user-friendly system built specifically for employers, with real-time candidate tracking
First-class customer service: a friendly, knowledgeable team available to answer your questions
Screening certificate and report available to download when completed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an overseas police check?
An overseas police check also called an international criminal record check or international DBS check is a certificate obtained from the relevant authority in a country where a candidate has previously lived or worked. It shows any criminal record held in that country's system. For candidates who have spent significant time outside the UK, a UK DBS check alone is not sufficient employers must also obtain overseas police checks from each relevant country.
How many countries does Eurocom CI cover?
Eurocom CI processes international criminal record checks from 200+ countries worldwide. If you need a check from a specific country, contact our team and we can confirm availability, process, and estimated timescales.
Do EU nationals living in the UK still need an overseas police check?
It depends on how long they lived in their home country and how recently they moved to the UK. If the candidate lived in another country for 12 months or more within the past 10 years (for education roles) or within the relevant check period for their sector, an overseas police check from that country is required. Eurocom CI can advise on the exact requirements for each candidate's specific background.
How do I check Right to Work for a non-UK national?
For most non-UK nationals, Right to Work must be checked using the Home Office online checking service, using the candidate's share code. For candidates with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or other physical documentation, a manual check is required. Eurocom CI's IDVT-compliant digital identity verification service handles Right to Work checks for non-UK nationals as part of the wider screening process.
What if an overseas police check comes back with a criminal record?
A criminal record from another country does not automatically disqualify a candidate. Employers must carry out an individual risk assessment, taking into account the nature of the offence, when it occurred, and the requirements of the specific role. Eurocom CI provides clear, formatted results to support this assessment but the final hiring decision always rests with the employer.
Can Eurocom CI help with BPSS clearance for non-UK nationals on government contracts?
Yes. We have experience completing BPSS-compliant screening for non-UK nationals at scale, coordinating both UK DBS checks and overseas criminal record checks as part of a single managed process. International BPSS clearance typically takes 10-14+ working days -we recommend starting as early as possible to avoid contract mobilisation delays.
