How to process criminal records in Chile?

Many times, in order to apply for a job, they ask us for many requirements to verify our skills, identity, and even health. However, there is one that is as frequent as it is useful.

The criminal record It works to find out if a person is clear of criminal records, and gives general information about their convictions for having them.

Any employer wants to know if their future employee has been involved in criminal activities, or if a person wants to enter an institution of the Condition or the Armed Forces. That is why today we will show you how to process your Criminal record in Chile.

What are criminal records?

The criminal recordis the information referring to the firm judicial sentences for any crime or infraction that a citizen may have.

The criminal record It is, therefore, a document that compiles said information in a practical, verified and therefore safe way so that you can mobilize it for different purposes.

It also gathers everything related to whether the person has been deprived of liberty in any way and whether they have served the established sentences. If you have complied with them, the release conditions that apply to your case.

What is this certificate for?

Since the criminal record demonstrates the existence of judicial sentences and their compliance for the person requesting it. They can be requested for all kinds of circumstances: for the acquisition of a commercial asset, the creation of a company or simply to opt for some specialized work or not.

In Chile there are currently 4 categories in which the criminal record certificate is classified according to the procedure or use for which it is requested:

1. Type A: This is requested to obtain or renew the driver’s license or permit for any motor vehicle. You can buy it online or at an office of the Civil registrationand it works strictly for each municipality, see, the area where you reside or where the vehicle is registered.
2. Type B: You can request this if you want to apply for an administrative position in public institutions, such as the Public administrationthe Municipal administrationthe Semifiscal Administrationany Autonomous Administration Institutionorganisms of Investigations and Gendarmerie and for any position within the sections of the Armed Force Chilean.
3. Type C: the one that is most often requested is for the owner’s general use. It is used when you apply for jobs not related to public administration, generally in the private sector, and for trades that require specialized training.
4. Type D: when it is an institution that requests your criminal record certificate, either for a contract or other extensions. It is defined that it is for ‘special purposes’ for this very reason.

In addition to this, there is the expungement of criminal recordwhich is another separate procedure that can be very useful.

In it the individuals condemned by the Penal Code Chileans whose sentences have expired may request the Ministry of Justice to have their record removed from the public registry, so that when this certificate is obtained, their crimes appear non-existent.

The process is carried out through the Central Registry of Convicts and Rebels, which enters the data of the sentenced, the type of crime and the periods that must pass so that, not only the sentence is fulfilled, but also that it can be eliminated from the system. After this is completed, the cancellation of the criminal record may be requested.

All this procedure must be through a report delivered by the judge or court that issued the sentence, after compliance with the conditions for each case (such as complying with the deadlines by type of crime, among other requirements).

Who issues it?

The criminal record is a document issued by the Service of civil registration and IDthrough the offices of the Civil registration or the consular offices of Chile in every corner of the world.

Who can process it?

This procedure is addressed to any citizen older than 14 years who have their Chilean National Identity Card or Document.

That is, the Civil registration is open to the «active» population to obtain their criminal recordwith almost no requirements, and free depending on the process.

Citizens who are not in the national territory may still request that it be issued in a Chilean consulateso that your application reaches the main Registry, and passes through the consular offices with their required stamps and signatures.

How is it obtained?

This procedure can be obtained throughout the year through the website of the Civil registration and any of its offices depending on your address.

Since it contains private information, the criminal record It can only be requested by the owner of said data, by the institution that uses it (with prior confirmation of said link) or by a third party as a legal representative who presents a notarized power of attorney.

The main tool to verify the identity of the user is the Unique Key, which can be obtained by anyone over 14 years of age with their Chilean Identity Card with an activation code. All this through the same website of the Civil registration or in their offices.

Requirements

In order to get your background certificate online, in office, or at your nearest consulate, you must meet the following (very few) conditions and requirements:

procedures

The steps to follow change a bit if you are going to do it online or in an office, but it is indeed simple and practical in both cases.

These are the steps to follow if you want to get your criminal record certificate…

Online

1. enter the following linkwhich takes you to the ‘shopping’ cart of the procedures offered by the Civil registration.
2. Once there, click on the section ‘Background’ and select the one that suits your request.
3. write your RUN Y Unique Key and press ‘Get into’.
4. Verify the list of certificates and your identity data (including an email) to continue.
5. Submit your application! The background certificate it should be automatically sent to the email inbox you affiliated with the account.

In office

1. Write down your required data and the documents that are necessary.
2. come to one office of Civil registration or of Service of civil registration and ID within your community.
3. Tell whoever answers you that you want to request the background certificate.
4. Submit the requirements.
5. Pay the amount at the window to which they send you.
6. Finished! You can receive your certificate immediately or they give you an appointment so you can pick it up.

Abroad

Since this is a special case, as a bonus we will explain what you should do in these cases.

You can request your background certificate in it Chilean Consulate that suits you best, or you can send a power of attorney from said consulate to leave a third party in charge of your process within the country, with your information and documents. Said power must be verified and authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The time it may take will notify you at the same consular office.

In this way you can use it as a requirement to obtain a job abroad, especially for occupations such as health, education and security.

Validity

For use within Chile, the background certificate has a very short term, 30 days in a rowsince it is a document with a very specific purpose that is requested for almost immediate procedures.

On the other hand, if you are abroad, this period may vary between 30 and 60 calendar daysso that you have enough time to complete it if necessary, or to correct it if a problem occurs.

costs

If you do it online, your procedure does not have any cost, but if you go through an office of the Civil registrationthe price for the document is 1,050 Chilean pesos.

To this you must add, if you are outside the country, the cost of shipping if done by a third party and the need for verification and apostille. Do your research, as this depends on the country you are in.

The Condition It is your duty to ensure that we know and can transmit our information at different levels for different purposes.

From applying for a job to acquiring a property, even leaving the country, there are many functions that our criminal record.

And we, as citizens, must raise awareness and share knowledge how to go through the different procedures to get our documents.

With all this in mind, we invite you to get your criminal record as soon as you can. What are you waiting for?