Guide
Overview
Public records outside the United States follow each country's own law, and the range is wide. The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and most of Europe have open court, company and land registries and closed criminal records, while many countries publish little online and require a request in person. This page collects the United States government resources that help with records abroad, the international databases that cover many countries at once, and the country pages on this site.
The most common needs are a criminal record check from a country where someone lived, a birth or marriage certificate from abroad, a company record and a court judgment, and each has a standard route.
Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.
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U.S. Government International Resources
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Diplomatic & Historical Archives
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Country Profiles & International Documents
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Country & Regional Hubs
- Canada Public Records All 13 provinces & territories, plus national hubs for courts, business, genealogy, banking, military, and more.
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Criminal record checks from other countries
A police certificate or criminal record check is issued by the national police or the justice ministry of the country concerned, to the person themselves, and is required for immigration, adoption and many jobs. The State Department maintains a country by country guide to how each is obtained and where the American embassy can help. Documents for use in another country are authenticated by an apostille under the Hague Convention, issued in the United States by the secretary of state of the state where the document originated or by the State Department for federal documents.
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Vital, company and court records abroad
Civil registries hold births, marriages and deaths in most countries, and the American embassy can explain how a certificate is ordered, while a birth abroad to an American parent is recorded in a Consular Report of Birth Abroad held by the State Department. Company records are the most open category worldwide: OpenCorporates indexes the official registries of more than 140 jurisdictions, and the United Kingdom's Companies House and Canada's federal registry are free, while the European Union's e-Justice business registers search, which has connected the national registers since 2017, is free for basic searches with fees for national documents. Court judgments are published in the common law countries through free law databases such as BAILII in Britain and CanLII in Canada.
Straight answers
International Public Records Resources, questions
How do I get a criminal record check from another country?
From that country's national police or justice ministry, usually to the person themselves. The State Department's country guide explains the process for each country and where the American embassy can help.
Are foreign company records public?
Widely. OpenCorporates indexes official registries in more than 140 jurisdictions, and the United Kingdom, Canada and most European countries publish their company registries free.
What is an apostille?
A certificate under the Hague Convention that authenticates a public document for use in another member country. In the United States it is issued by the secretary of state of the state where the document originated or by the State Department for federal documents.