PCC Issuance in São Tomé & Príncipe

A São Tomé and Príncipe police clearance certificate (PCC) is an official statement of whether there is a criminal record in your name. Immigration authorities, citizenship programmes, employers, and banks ask for it. In São Tomé and Príncipe it is called the certificado de registo criminal.

We confirm which certificate your recipient needs, prepare the request, file it with the issuing authority, and send you the certificate once it is issued. If fingerprints or an in-person step are needed, we tell you before anything is filed.

How it works in São Tomé and Príncipe

These points come from the Direcção Geral dos Registos e do Notariado (DGRN):

• The criminal record certificate is handled by the Direcção Geral dos Registos e do Notariado (DGRN).
• You submit the request form with a copy of a valid identity card (Bilhete de Identidade).
• Requests are made at DGRN offices in São Tomé, in Príncipe, and at local delegations.
• The certificate is valid for three months.

Requirements and fees change, so we check the official source again before your request goes in.

Before you apply

• Check what the recipient wants. Some ask for a certificate issued within the last three or six months, an apostille, or a translation.
• Use your exact details. Names and dates of birth must match your passport and your civil records.
• Plan for fingerprints. Requests from abroad often need a fingerprint card taken by a local police service.

Why requests get delayed

• Fingerprints that are unreadable or not taken on an accepted form
• Names that do not match across the passport, ID, and the request
• Missing proof of the dates and addresses where you lived
• A certificate that expires before the recipient reviews the file
• An apostille or translation that was not planned for

We check each of these before the request goes in.

Related services

You can browse every São Tomé and Príncipe service, including passport renewal and company incorporation. If you are applying for citizenship, see the São Tomé and Príncipe programme.

• A check of which São Tomé and Príncipe certificate your recipient needs
• Preparation of the request and a check of your identity documents
• Guidance on fingerprints or any in-person step
• Filing with the issuing authority, directly or through a local representative
• Follow-up until the certificate is issued
• A note on validity, apostille, and translation for the recipient

1. Brief. Tell us who the certificate is for, where you lived, and where it should be sent.
2. Check and quote. We confirm the right certificate and route, list the documents, and send you the quote.
3. Documents. You send scans; we check them and arrange fingerprints or a power of attorney if needed.
4. Filing. The request is lodged with the issuing authority.
5. Follow-up. We track the request and answer any questions the authority raises.
6. Delivery. You receive the certificate, with an apostille or translation if the recipient wants one.

You receive a quote before any filing starts. It separates the CitizenX fee from government charges, fingerprinting, apostille, translation, and courier costs. Those extras are added only when they apply, and only after you approve them.

Government fees change, so we confirm them with the issuing authority for your case before you sign.