Easy Criminal Record Check (Fish) Online & Urgent Guide

Timing: Instant (Kiosk) | 24 Hours (Urgent) | 1-3 Days (Online) Fees: - Attendance: Online (with prior fingerprints) | In-person (for first time fingerprints) Last Updated: May 2026

Required Documents

Criminal Record Route & Fingerprint Readiness Helper

Select your details to see if you are eligible for digital online extraction or must register manually to prevent in-person delays.

Step-by-Step Guide

١

Confirm Target Destination Name

The criminal record must be addressed to a specific legal entity. Contact the employer, bank, or university that requested it, and get their exact legal commercial register name. An incorrect name will cause the document to be rejected instantly, forcing you to pay fees and repeat everything.

Madam Afaf Tip: Watch out, my child! If the target company name has even one wrong letter, HR will reject it and say 'Name doesn't match, go do another'. Ask the coordinator explicitly: 'To whom should this record be addressed?' and copy it exactly, letter for letter, to save your money and effort!
٢

Check Your Fingerprints History

If you have registered an electronic fingerprint since 2019, or updated your biometric passport/ID, your records are saved at the Ministry of Interior database. In this case, you can use the online portal or smart mall kiosks. Otherwise, you must visit the local Police Station to have your fingerprints scanned manually to register them in the system.

٣

Pay Fees & Submit the Request

Choose your preferred channel for payment and submission: Online via the Ministry of Interior portal and pay by credit card with delivery fees. Or visit a Smart Kiosk in major malls, scan your National ID, and pay via POS. Or visit the local Police Station/Forensic office, purchase the folder, submit the form with your ID, and pay cash to the cashier.

٤

Receive the Document & Verify Validity

At the Smart Kiosk, you receive your printed computerized sheet instantly. For online portal requests, the document is delivered to your home via Egypt Post within 2-3 business days. At the Police Station, pickup is in 24 hours for urgent service or 4 days for regular service. Remember, validity is exactly 90 days, so submit it before it expires!

Official Government Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the validity period of the issued Criminal Record Check?
The Criminal Record Check (Fish) is valid for exactly 3 months (90 days) from its issuance date. If this period passes before submitting it to the employer, it expires, and you must extract a new one and pay the fees again.
Can the criminal check be retrieved online for the first time?
No, it cannot be issued online or via smart kiosks for the absolute first time. The applicant must physically visit a local Forensic/Police department at least once to register their electronic fingerprints in the central database; subsequent requests are then available digitally.
What should you do if there's a typo in the target destination name?
Entities and companies are strict about matching the legal name on the criminal record to prevent fraud. If there is a spelling mistake, HR will reject it. Unfortunately, a printed criminal check cannot be modified, and your only option is to extract a new one with the correct name and pay the fees.
What are the locations and working hours of the Smart Criminal Check kiosks?
This premium service is available in major malls in Cairo & Giza (such as Mall of Arabia, City Stars, Dandy Mall, City Center Almaza, and regional Egypt Service Centers). These automated kiosks work 7 days a week during normal mall operating hours (10:00 AM to 10:00 PM) to provide instant extraction.
How can an expat outside Egypt obtain a Criminal Record Check?
Expats cannot apply online and ship the record internationally. Expats have two choices: physically visit the nearest Egyptian Embassy/Consulate to fill in a manual fingerprint card and legalize it, or issue a special Power of Attorney to a relative in Egypt to extract it and ship it internationally.