HomeInterpol Green Notice
An Interpol Green Notice is one of several alert types INTERPOL uses to share intelligence between member countries. Where a Red Notice is about detention, this one serves a different purpose: it flags individuals with criminal records who could pose a risk if they move across borders and continue their activities elsewhere.
Law enforcement agencies in member states use it to stay ahead of potential threats — particularly in cases tied to organised crime, terrorism, or drug trafficking. When one country issues the alert, others can act on that information quickly, rather than waiting until a crime has already been committed on their soil.
What is an INTERPOL Green Notice?
A Green Notice is a formal alert sent to police and security services across member states. Its goal is straightforward: share operational intelligence about someone whose past criminal conduct suggests they may pose a risk in another jurisdiction. It doesn’t trigger an arrest — it opens a line of communication between countries so they can coordinate before a situation escalates.
When Is One Issued?
It can be requested for individuals suspected or convicted in connection with serious criminal activity — not minor infractions. The offences typically involve cross-border implications or organised networks:
- violent offences, including assault, murder, and acts of terrorism;
- international drug trafficking and the distribution of controlled substances;
- human trafficking — the recruitment, transport, or exploitation of people;
- financial crimes such as fraud, money laundering, and corruption;
- participation in organised criminal groups with connections abroad.
It’s also used to track repeat offenders and individuals released from custody where there’s reason to believe they’ll continue criminal activity — helping agencies suppress ongoing crime, locate missing persons, and respond faster across borders.
How to Check If One Exists
Most notices aren’t public, though some are published on INTERPOL’s official website. If you suspect one has been issued against you:
- Check INTERPOL’s database — some notices are published there.
- Contact your country’s National Central Bureau (NCB) — they coordinate directly with INTERPOL and can provide information.
- Get a legal consultation — we can check the status of your case directly with law enforcement agencies and assess the legal picture.
Think a notice might already exist against you? Get a confidential case review →
Who Can Issue One
Requests come primarily from National Central Bureaus, but international law enforcement agencies, judicial authorities, and prosecutors investigating transnational crime can also initiate one.
It isn’t a simple administrative step. The requesting country submits a formal application — personal details, a description of the offence, supporting documentation, and, where applicable, a copy of the arrest warrant. INTERPOL’s General Secretariat reviews the submission before it becomes visible to member states, and access to the resulting data is restricted to authorised law enforcement bodies — not publicly searchable, and not open to misuse for political or personal ends.
This sits alongside other alert types — Blue, Yellow, Black, Orange, Purple, and Silver Notices, Diffusions, and UN Special Notices — as part of a coordinated framework for international law-enforcement cooperation.
Can It Be Challenged?
Yes — two legal principles come up most often:
- Non bis in idem (double jeopardy): if you’ve already been tried or acquitted for the offence cited, the notice may be legally invalid.
- Presumption of innocence: a notice issued on thin or disputed evidence, without proper substantiation, can be contested and often revoked.
A successful challenge needs documentation, not just argument — court judgments, acquittal records, evidence of procedural violations, or proof the original request was politically motivated or factually flawed. This goes through the same Commission that reviews Red Notices and diffusions.
If it’s based on a court decision, it can also be challenged directly in national courts — a successful annulment there gives grounds for a follow-up request to INTERPOL for removal.
Who Has Access to the Data
National Central Bureaus, border control authorities, and officials seeking to identify persons of interest across all 196 INTERPOL member countries. The data moves through a secure system, letting agencies alert each other and exchange information quickly.
How We Help
- Case Analysis — a full review of the circumstances behind the notice to identify grounds for challenge.
- CCF Representation — preparing and submitting the formal complaint, with supporting evidence and legal argument, to the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files.
- National Court Support — where the notice rests on a court decision, we pursue annulment there in parallel.
- Ongoing Guidance — advice on travel, practical restrictions, and what to expect while the challenge is pending.
Who Handles Your Case
Your case is led directly by a senior partner — not handed off once the filing starts. Our lawyers work across jurisdictions in parallel, so a CCF challenge and any national court action move together instead of waiting on each other.
Contact us for a confidential case review →
This page is published by an independent law firm for informational purposes only and does not represent or claim affiliation with any government body, international organization, or official authority.
FAQs
Can a Green Notice lead to my arrest?
No — it carries no arrest power on its own. It’s an intelligence-sharing tool, not a request for detention. That said, information gathered through it can contribute to a stronger case down the line, so it shouldn’t be ignored.
Is a Green Notice public?
Generally no. Access is restricted to law enforcement bodies in member countries — it isn’t searchable by the public the way some Red Notices are.
What’s the difference between a Green Notice and a Red Notice?
A Red Notice requests provisional arrest, backed by a warrant or court order. A Green Notice shares intelligence about someone who may pose a risk — it opens communication between countries, but no country can arrest you based on it alone.
How long does the CCF review take?
Typically six months to over a year, depending on case complexity — the quality of the legal submission has a significant effect on both the timeline and the outcome.
