Criminal record extract (bulletin no. 3)

What is bulletin no. 3?

Cameroon's criminal record system is set out in the 2005 Criminal Procedure Code (sections 573 to 583). There are three bulletins. Bulletins no. 1 and no. 2 are reserved for the courts and the administration; bulletin no. 3 is the only one handed directly to the person concerned. According to a legal dissertation on reoffending, it lists only custodial sentences that have not been wiped out by amnesty or rehabilitation.

It should not be confused with the police clearance certificate, issued in Yaoundé by the Judicial Police Directorate at Elig-Essono. Some countries, such as Canada for immigration files, require both: first bulletin no. 3, then the police certificate.

Which court to apply to

The record is kept at two levels. Each Court of First Instance keeps a district file at its registry for people born within its jurisdiction, so in principle you apply to the court of your place of birth. A central file, at the Ministry of Justice in Yaoundé, covers Cameroonians born abroad, people whose place of birth is unknown or whose identity is uncertain, and foreigners born in Cameroon.

Practical guides published in 2026 say you can also apply to the court of your place of residence and, in Yaoundé and Douala, to the registry of a higher court. No official text we consulted confirms this, so it is best to check with the registry before making the trip.

Documents required and cost

• A photocopy of your national ID card (or birth certificate), with the original to show
• An application addressed to the president of the court, or the form available at the registry, stating your civil status, marital status, town of residence and occupation
• One or two revenue stamps depending on the court (see table)

The General Tax Code (2022 edition) makes bulletin no. 3 subject to stamp duty but exempts an individual's application for it from stamp duty. The practice described by the guides, with a stamp on the application, therefore does not quite match the text: if in doubt, ask the registry what is actually required.

Waiting times and validity

The same guide mentions a theoretical turnaround of 24 hours, longer at busy times (school enrolment, entrance exams). It gives the bulletin a validity of three months from issue. No text we consulted sets this period: in practice it is the receiving administration that often demands a document less than three months old, as for exam applications.

From abroad: the diaspora

As of 2026 there is no official platform to request or download your criminal record, unlike in France or Senegal. A Cameroonian living abroad has two options. The most common: send the original of your birth certificate and a power of attorney to a trusted person in Cameroon, who applies at the court of your place of birth; this is the procedure Immigration Canada describes. The other: go through a consulate that accepts such requests, which takes one to three months according to Infos Pratiques Cameroun.

A power of attorney signed abroad usually has to be legalised, at the consulate or under the rules of the country of residence (see the page on legalisation). Foreigners who have lived in Cameroon and need a certificate for another country are advised by Immigration Canada to contact their embassy.

What it is needed for

• Civil service entrance exams and recruitment
• Registering a business at the business formalities centre (CFCE), for the entrepreneur or company directors
• Residence cards for foreigners
• Naturalisation, then the naturalised citizen's first ID card
• Visa or immigration files for some countries

Frequently asked questions