A background check is a process a person or company uses to verify that an individual is who they claim to be, and this provides an opportunity to check and confirm the validity of someone's criminal record, education, employment history, and other activities from their past.
There are several different types of background checks used for different situations. To help you understand each type and what is in a background check, here is a list of the most requested background checks by our clients and individuals.
| Verification Type | Description | Turnaround Time |
| Identity Verification | ||
| ID Verification | To confirm that the ID number provided does in fact belong to the individual. | Same Day |
| ID Verification with Photo | To confirm that the ID number provided does in fact belong to the individual and additionally include a photo of whom the ID number belongs to, if available. | Same Day |
| Citizenship | Confirms whether an individual has South African citizenship. | Same Day |
| Passport Match (SA) | To confirm the passport is valid as per the Department of Home Affairs. | 12 business days |
| Permanent Residency Permit | Verify the validity of the Permanent Residency Permit. | 12 business days |
| Visa Verification | Verify the validity of a temporary permit. | 12 business days |
| Criminal By AFIS | ||
| Standard Search | Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to determine the criminal background status of a person. | 2 business days |
| Premium Search | Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to determine the criminal background status of a person. | 5 business hours |
| Adverse Financial History | ||
| Compuscan Comprehensive | Consumer credit check with Compuscan. | Same Day |
| Experian Comprehensive | Consumer credit check with Experian. | Same Day |
| TransUnion Comprehensive | Consumer credit check with Experian. | Same Day |
| Experian Comprehensive | Consumer credit check with TransUnion. | Same Day |
| XDS Comprehensive | Consumer credit check with XDS. | Same Day |
| Combined Credit Check | Consumer credit check with all 4 bureaus XDS, TransUnion, Experian and Compuscan. | Same Day |
| Drivers License Verification | ||
| Drivers License | Confirms the validity of the Driver's License, including Code, date issued, expiry date and license number. | 2 Business Days |
| Professional Driving Permit(PrDP) | Confirms the validity of the Professional Drivers Permit (PDP) | 2 Business days |
| Driver’s License & Professional Driving Permit | Combination of both Drivers License and Professional Drivers permit (PDP) | 2 Business Days |
| Qualification Verification | ||
| Matric Verification | South African Matric (Grade 12) Verification with Umalusi. | 2 business days |
| Academic Qualifications | Confirms with Institutes if the applicant qualified and obtained the academic qualification (Diploma or Degree). | 2 – 5 business days |
| Short Courses/ Certificates | Verification of short courses, certificates, and diploma by other educational institutions whether formal or informal. | 5 - 15 business days |
| African / International Qualification | Confirms with African /Tertiary Institutes if the applicant qualified and obtained the academic qualification | 10 - 15 business days |
| Membership & Accreditation | ||
| Professional Membership | Memberships with professional bodies are verified through the organization concerned. | 2 business days |
| Institution Accreditation | This checks whether an academic institution is accredited by the relevant governing body. | 4 business days |
| PSIRA verification | This checks the status of an individual with the Private Security Officers Regulatory Authority (PSIRA). | 2 business days |
| Employment History | ||
| Employment Confirmation | Employment is confirmed (Dates of employment, candidates’ position & reason for leaving). | 2 business days |
| Character Reference | Reference done on the candidate’s character, their responsibilities, strengths, weaknesses. | 5 business days |
| Employment Reference | Competency based reference, this includes Individual’s attendance, responsibilities, performance, strengths, and areas of development. | 5 business days |
| Other Verification | ||
| Fraud Check | Checks if applicant does not have a fraud listing against the South African Fraud Prevention Services. | Same Day |
| Directorship Search | Details an individual’s current and previous affiliations and a summary of companies in which the individual is currently, or was previously, a director. | Same Day |
| Social Media Screening | Social media screening allows insight into the public & online personality of an individual, including a risk score and detailed summary. | 3 business days |