Sudan Background Screening Guide

Sudan's formal screening procedures still exist on paper, but the civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), ongoing since April 2023, has materially disrupted the institutions employers would normally rely on — this guide should be read alongside that operating context, not in place of it.

Criminal Record Check

Sudan's criminal-clearance document is the Certificate of Good Conduct, locally known as the "Feesh," issued by the Persons Identification Department within the Ministry of Interior's General Administration of Forensic Evidence, Fingerprint Directorate, based in Khartoum. The application is fingerprint-based and historically required in-person submission, along with proof of the applicant's period of stay in Sudan where relevant.

Operational Context: The Civil War

Since April 2023, conflict between the SAF and RSF has caused extensive damage to Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri. The SAF recaptured Khartoum in March 2025 after roughly two years of RSF control, but infrastructure, public services, and administrative continuity remain badly affected: power and water disruptions, cash shortages, unreliable supply chains, and significant population displacement are all ongoing. Sudan's inflation rate was estimated at over 87% in 2025, and many businesses across the country have closed or scaled back operations. Civilian movement is still constrained in places by checkpoints and residual insecurity.

In practical terms, this means document issuance, record-keeping continuity, and the reachability of former employers or educational institutions in Sudan cannot currently be assumed to work the way they would in a stable market. Employers should treat any Sudan-related screening as higher-effort and higher-uncertainty until institutional continuity is restored.

Employment & Education Verification

Verification of employment and education history is significantly harder to complete reliably under current conditions, particularly for records tied to Khartoum-based institutions that experienced direct conflict damage. Where possible, corroborate through multiple independent sources rather than relying on a single record check.

Practical Notes for Employers

• Treat Sudan screening timelines as provisional and build in significant contingency time given ongoing instability.
• Corroborate employment and education history through multiple sources where a single official record cannot be confirmed.
• Reassess screening feasibility as the security and administrative situation evolves — conditions have already shifted materially since 2023 and may continue to change.

Related Resources

See the Africa Criminal Records Index for how Sudan compares to other markets, and the Egypt Background Screening Guide for a neighboring North African market. To discuss screening for candidates connected to Sudan, contact our team.