UK Checks
Background Checks in Europe
GDPR-compliant screening across 60+ European markets. Criminal records, identity verification, education, and employment checks, with country-specific workflows built in.
Available Checks Across Europe
Check types and turnaround times vary by country. The following services are available across most European markets through a single platform.
International Criminal Records
Criminal record checks across 60+ European countries. Court records, government registries, and police databases searched and returned in a standardized format.
⏱️ Same-day to 15 business days (varies by country)
Identity Verification
Biometric matching against government-issued documents including passports, national ID cards, and driver's licenses. Fully remote, GDPR-compliant process
⏱️ Instant to 1 business day
Education Verification
Verify degrees, diplomas, certifications, and attendance records at European universities and institutions. Coverage across EU, EEA, and broader European countries.
⏱️ 1–9 business days
Employment Verification
Confirm employment history with European employers. Dates, job titles, and separation reasons verified where permissible under local law and GDPR.
⏱️ 1–9 business days
Financial & Directorship Checks
Credit history, insolvency records, and company directorship searches available in select European countries. Availability varies by jurisdiction and local regulations.
⏱️ 2–10 business days (select countries)
Global Watchlist & Sanctions
Screen against OFAC, EU sanctions lists, PEP databases, Interpol, global terrorist registries, and national sex offender registries. All in a single check.
⏱️ Under 15 minutes
Adverse Media Screening
Point-in-time or continuous monitoring across European and international news sources, public records, and media databases for adverse coverage.
⏱️ 2–3 business days
Professional License Verification
Confirm professional credentials and licenses across medical, legal, financial, engineering, and other regulated fields within European jurisdictions.
⏱️ Varies by licensing body
GDPR Compliance for European Screening
The General Data Protection Regulation is the baseline for all background screening across EU and EEA member states. Turn's platform is built to meet GDPR requirements end to end, plus country-specific data protection laws layered on top.
Purpose limitation & data minimization
Only data necessary for the specific screening purpose may be collected and processed; no broader profiling
Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
Required for any cross-border data transfers outside the EEA; Turn maintains SCCs as part of all European data processing agreements
Country-specific DPA implementations
Germany's BDSG imposes additional restrictions on employee data; France's CNIL enforces strict consent requirements; the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy each layer their own rules on top of GDPR
Lawful basis required
Explicit consent or legitimate interest must be established before processing candidate data for background screening purposes
Candidate rights
Right to access, right to erasure (right to be forgotten), and right to data portability must be honored throughout the screening lifecycle
Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Organizations processing data at scale or handling sensitive categories are required to appoint a DPO under GDPR
Penalties
GDPR violations can result in fines of up to 4% of annual worldwide turnover or €20 million, whichever is greater
Turn's security posture
SOC 3 (publicly available) alongside SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001-aligned workflows, encrypted data at rest and in transit, with complete audit trails for every screening order.
Data residency options
Candidate data can be stored in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, or Australia to meet your organization's data localization requirements
European Screening in Three Steps
No separate portals. No paper forms. The same workflow your team already uses for domestic checks.
Initiate the Check
Start a European background check from Turn's dashboard, your connected ATS, or via our API. Select the candidate's country, choose the check types you need, and launch in seconds.
Candidate Completes Online
Your candidate receives a secure, encrypted link via email or SMS. GDPR-compliant consent is collected automatically with jurisdiction-specific language. Typically completed in under 10 minutes.
Receive Consolidated Results
Results from every check across any European country are consolidated into a single, standardized report. Adjudication tools and adverse action workflows are ready to use.
Why HR Teams Choose Turn for European Hiring
Purpose-built for speed, compliance, and scale, whether you're screening 10 or 10,000 candidates across Europe.
Broadest Coverage
Background screening across 60+ European countries. From EU and EEA member states to Switzerland, the Balkans, and beyond. One platform, one vendor, continent-wide reach.
One Platform
Run domestic and international checks from a single dashboard. Consolidated reports, unified billing, and standardized workflows. No separate portals or vendor contracts.
GDPR Compliance Built In
Standard Contractual Clauses, consent management, right to erasure, and data minimization are built into every European screening workflow. Country-specific DPA requirements are handled automatically.
ATS Integration
Pre-built integrations with Fountain, Lever, Greenhouse, Rippling, iCIMS, and more. European checks flow through the same integration your team already uses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does GDPR apply to all European background screening?
GDPR applies to all background screening involving candidates in EU and EEA member states. Non-EU European countries such as Switzerland have their own equivalent frameworks (Switzerland's FADP). The UK operates under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, which closely mirrors the EU regulation. In practice, GDPR-level compliance is the effective baseline for screening across nearly all of Europe.
How do country-by-country requirements vary across Europe?
While GDPR establishes the baseline, each EU member state implements its own national Data Protection Authority (DPA) rules. Germany's BDSG imposes particularly strict restrictions on employee data processing. France's CNIL enforces specific consent requirements and limits on what criminal record information employers can access. The Netherlands, Spain, and Italy each layer additional rules on top of GDPR. Turn's workflows are configured per country to account for these variations automatically.
How long do European background checks take?
Turnaround times vary significantly by country and check type. Identity verification is typically instant. Global watchlist and sanctions screening completes in under 15 minutes. Criminal record checks range from same-day to 15 business days depending on the country's database accessibility. Employment and education verifications typically take 1–9 business days. Financial checks in select countries take 2–10 business days.
What about Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)?
Standard Contractual Clauses are required for any transfer of personal data outside the EEA to countries without an EU adequacy decision. Turn maintains SCCs as part of all European data processing agreements, ensuring that candidate data transferred for screening purposes meets GDPR requirements for cross-border data flows.
What about data residency for European candidates?
Turn supports configurable data residency across four regions: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. For organizations with data localization requirements under GDPR or local DPA rules, candidate data can be stored in the jurisdiction that meets your compliance needs. All transfers are governed by Standard Contractual Clauses where required.
Can I screen in non-EU European countries?
Yes. Turn's European coverage extends beyond EU and EEA member states to include Switzerland, the Balkans, Turkey, and other non-EU European countries. Each country has its own data protection framework. Switzerland's FADP, Turkey's KVKK, Serbia's LPDP, for example, and Turn's workflows are configured to comply with each. Note that the United Kingdom has its own dedicated page covering DBS-specific content and UK GDPR requirements.
Does Turn integrate with my ATS?
Yes. Turn offers pre-built integrations with leading ATS and HRIS platforms including Fountain, Lever, Greenhouse, Rippling, iCIMS, and 100+ others. European background checks are initiated, tracked, and reviewed through the same integration your team uses for domestic screening.
What certifications does Turn hold?
Turn holds SOC 2 Type II (independently audited) and SOC 3 (publicly available) certifications. Our screening workflows are aligned with ISO 27001 information security management standards. Turn maintains full compliance with GDPR (EU and UK), FCRA, PIPEDA, CCPA, and other applicable data protection frameworks. All data is encrypted at rest and in transit.
Disclaimer: The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. We advise you to consult your own legal counsel for questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.