What Documents Are Required for a CCF Application and How Long Does It Take?

The documents required for an application to the INTERPOL Commission for the Control of INTERPOL's Files (CCF) differ depending on whether the application seeks access to information, correction or deletion of data, or review. Whatever the type of application, an unredacted official identity document, a special power of attorney, a text prepared in one of the working languages and submission through the official portal are mandatory. Under the current 2026 CCF Operating Rules, the statement of reasons on the merits may not exceed 10 pages, and all supporting documents submitted must be numbered in the text and cited directly.

The Legal Significance of Document Selection in a CCF Application

The CCF is not a criminal court and has no power to gather evidence on its own initiative. The Commission reviews the file on the basis of the documents submitted by the applicant, the replies of the National Central Bureau (NCB) of the source country and the data held by the INTERPOL General Secretariat.

The documents submitted serve three basic legal functions:

• Procedural Compliance (Admissibility): Verifies the identity, representation, language and form requirements needed for the application to be considered.
• Probative Value on the Merits: Proves the political nature of the charge (Article 3), a violation of the right to a fair trial, refugee status, or that the criminal case has been dropped.
• Enforceability: Makes clear which data in the INTERPOL Information System is to be deleted, and on what parameters.

For the general framework of INTERPOL notices, CCF review and the extradition process, see our guide What Is INTERPOL and a Red Notice?.

Mandatory Basic Documents for All CCF Applications

Unredacted Official Identity Document

Under Article 30 of the CCF Operating Rules, a high-resolution, colour copy of the applicant's valid passport or national identity card, with no part redacted, must be submitted. The document must clearly show the surname, given name, date of birth, place of birth, nationality, serial number and expiry date.

Documents Showing Identity and Passport Variations

Records in the INTERPOL database may have been created with incorrect letter transfers or with outdated passport information. To ensure a complete review, official documents showing the following variations should be attached:

• Old and new passport copies,
• Documents of dual nationality or of a nationality acquired later,
• A population registry extract with event history showing a change of surname due to marriage or divorce,
• Transcription variants of the name from other alphabets (Cyrillic, Arabic, etc.) into the Latin alphabet.

Special Power of Attorney for Applications Through a Representative

General litigation powers of attorney are not accepted for applications made through a lawyer or representative. The power of attorney must bear the applicant's wet-ink or secure electronic signature and must expressly state:

• That the representative is authorised to make the application before the CCF,
• Authority to access the personal data held in the INTERPOL Information System and to receive that data,
• Authority to submit requests for correction, deletion and review.

Text in a Working Language and Sworn Translations

The working languages of the CCF are English, French, Spanish and Arabic. Turkish court decisions, indictments or population registry records must be fully translated into one of these languages (in practice mainly English) by a competent sworn translator. Translating only the summary of the judgment is not sufficient; the parts of the reasoned judgment that support the claim must also be translated.

Document Selection by Type of Application

1. Access (Information) Request

Made to learn whether the person has a Red Notice, a diffusion or any other INTERPOL record.

• Unredacted passport copy,
• Special power of attorney,
• Secondary documents confirming the suspicion, if any (border refusal record, visa refusal letter, police interview record).

2. Correction or Deletion Request

Applications claiming that the record concerning the person is unlawful or no longer up to date. The statement of reasons must be no more than 10 pages.

3. Revision Request (Revision)

Filed where a new fact has emerged after a previous CCF decision that could materially affect the outcome.

• Copy of the previous CCF decision,
• Official document proving the new fact (for example, a final refusal of extradition or the grant of refugee status),
• Document showing the date on which the new fact became known (the application must be filed within 6 months of that date).

Applications Concerning Legal Persons and Asset Records

Under Rule 31 of the CCF Operating Rules, applications concerning legal persons must include the company's current trade registry gazette, the signature circular of its representative and proof of authority to apply on behalf of the legal entity. For deletion requests concerning restrictions placed on assets, documents proving ownership and the registry entry, such as title deeds (tapu), bank records or vehicle registration documents, should be added.

CCF Application Time Limits and Procedural Stage Table

The CCF process does not follow a single time frame. Under the procedure currently in force, the stages and time limits are as follows:

[Submission of Application] ──(1 Month)──> [Admissibility Review]
                                              │
                                              ├──(45 Days)──> [General Secretariat Data Notification]
                                              │
                                              ├──(4 Months)──> [Access Decision]
                                              │
                                              └──(9 Months)──> [Correction / Deletion Decision]
                                                                      │
                                                                 (1+1 Month)──> [Implementation of the Decision]

Note: The 4- and 9-month periods on the merits start running not from the date of the portal application but from the date on which the application is declared admissible. In justified cases, or where additional information is awaited from the source country, these periods may be extended by Commission decision.

Document Submission and Portal Technical Requirements

From 26 March 2026, CCF applications are accepted only through the official online portal. Applications sent by e-mail or post are not processed.

• File formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, CSV, TXT, RTF, HTML, JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF. (Audio and video files are not accepted; certified transcripts of them issued by a competent authority must be submitted instead.)
• Page and format standard: The statement of reasons must not exceed 10 pages. Annexes must be indexed by document (Annex-01, Annex-02), and each annex must be cited in the relevant paragraph of the petition (e.g., See Annex-02, page 4).
• Confidentiality notice: The applicant may request that certain documents not be shared with the source country's NCB. However, this may restrict the Commission's ability to verify the data and may therefore weaken the probative value of the application.

Frequent Document and Procedural Errors

• Uploading an identity document with its serial number or personal data blacked out (a direct ground for inadmissibility).
• Using a general litigation power of attorney instead of one that expressly covers the CCF procedure.
• Failing to translate documents, or submitting only a summary.
• Exceeding the 10-page limit on the statement of reasons.
• Submitting documents stating that the national arrest warrant has been lifted without a finality endorsement.
• Assuming that a CCF application will automatically halt the national arrest or criminal proceedings.

Conclusion

Deleting or correcting INTERPOL data through the CCF is a complex procedure of international law and data protection. Success depends on submitting accurate claims, supported by verifiable official documents indexed to a concise legal statement of no more than 10 pages, within the applicable time limits.