Interpol RedNotice

In plain words

An Interpol Red Notice is an international request to locate a person and possibly arrest them, circulated worldwide through Interpol by one country. It is not an arrest warrant in itself but a signal to other countries: this person is wanted — detain them and notify the requesting country.

In investment migration a red notice is a serious deal-breaker. In due diligence for citizenship or residence, and when an account is opened, the existence of a red notice almost certainly leads to refusal: a state will not issue a passport to a wanted person, and a bank will not open an account for them. The reviewer checks you against, among others, Interpol’s databases.

But there is an important nuance: some red notices are politically motivated — issued by authoritarian regimes against opponents — and Interpol itself rejects or deletes such notices. If a notice is unjust, it can be challenged through Interpol’s special commission (the CCF). That is why a red notice is examined individually rather than automatically regarded as “guilt”.

Where it comes up

What matters about a red notice

What to do about a red notice

1. 01Check whether a notice exists
2. 02Assess the grounds
3. 03If unjust, challenge it (CCF)
4. 04Legal work
5. 05Removal or review

What you need to know

• A red notice is an international request to locate someone, through Interpol
• It is not an arrest warrant in itself
• In due diligence it almost certainly leads to refusal
• Some notices are politically motivated
• An unjust notice can be challenged through the CCF

Common mistakes

• ✕Not checking for a red notice before filing
• ✕Concealing a notice — the check will find it
• ✕Assuming every red notice is just
• ✕Not challenging a politically motivated notice
• ✕Applying for citizenship with an active notice

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