Chad Extrait de Casier Judiciaire for Ecuador Tourist Visa

The Extrait de Casier Judiciaire (Criminal Record Extract) is Chad's official background check document. It is a certificate issued by Chad's judicial authorities confirming whether an individual has any criminal convictions recorded in the national criminal registry. In English-language contexts, it is commonly referred to as a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), though in Chad's French-language legal system, the formal name is Extrait de Casier Judiciaire.

Chad follows the French-influenced casier judiciaire system, where criminal records are maintained by the courts rather than by police. The document is typically issued as a Bulletin No. 3 — the version that individuals can request for personal use, including for immigration and visa applications abroad.

Ecuador requires this document for all visa applicants over the age of 18. You must provide a criminal record certificate from Chad and from every country where you have lived for the past five years. If you have resided in multiple countries since 2021, you need a separate background check from each country in addition to the Chadian one.

The Extrait de Casier Judiciaire is issued by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (Ministère de la Justice et des Droits Humains) through the criminal records registry maintained at the courts.

The primary issuing office is located in N'Djamena:

Ministère de la Justice et des Droits Humains B.P. 426, N'Djamena, Chad Tel: +235 22 52 21 72 / +235 22 52 21 39 Fax: +235 22 52 58 85

Applications are processed at the Tribunal de Première Instance (Court of First Instance) in the applicant's jurisdiction, or directly through the Ministry of Justice. For applicants born in N'Djamena, the Tribunal de Première Instance de N'Djamena handles requests. For those born in other regions, the Tribunal de Première Instance in their place of birth or registered jurisdiction is the competent authority.

Chad does not currently offer an online portal for criminal record applications. All applications must be submitted in person or through an authorized representative.

Step 1 — Prepare your application documents Gather all required documents (see the Required Documents section below). Make photocopies of each original document.

Step 2 — Write a formal application letter Draft a written request letter (demande) addressed to the Président du Tribunal de Première Instance or the Greffier en Chef (Chief Clerk) of the court in your jurisdiction. The letter must explain the purpose of the request — state that you need the certificate for an international visa application (Ecuador tourist visa). Write the letter in French.

Step 3 — Visit the Tribunal de Première Instance or Ministry of Justice Submit your application in person at the relevant court or Ministry of Justice office. If you are applying in N'Djamena, go directly to the Ministry of Justice (B.P. 426, N'Djamena). If applying from another city, visit the Tribunal de Première Instance in your place of birth or registered residence.

Step 4 — Submit documents and pay the fee Present your application letter, required documents, and pay the applicable administrative fee at the court or ministry counter. Obtain a receipt and any reference or tracking number provided.

Step 5 — Wait for processing The court's criminal records office will search the national casier judiciaire database for any entries under your name. Processing takes approximately 15 to 20 working days, though timelines may vary depending on the court's workload and the completeness of your application.

Step 6 — Collect the certificate Return to the issuing office on the date specified on your receipt to collect the completed Extrait de Casier Judiciaire. Verify that your full legal name, date of birth, and other personal details on the certificate exactly match your passport before leaving the office.

If you are outside Chad: You cannot apply remotely through an online portal. You will need to authorize a trusted representative in Chad (via a power of attorney or authorization letter) to submit the application and collect the certificate on your behalf. Alternatively, contact the nearest Chadian embassy or consulate abroad to ask whether they can facilitate the request — some Chadian missions can forward applications to the Ministry of Justice.

Bring originals and photocopies of each document when applying:

• Valid passport — original and photocopy of the biodata page. Your passport must be current (not expired) at the time of application
• National identity card (Carte Nationale d'Identité) — original and photocopy, if available
• Proof of residence — utility bill, rental agreement, or other document confirming your current or most recent address in Chad
• Formal application letter (demande) — addressed to the court president or chief clerk, written in French, stating the purpose of the request
• Three completed Personal Particulars Forms — required if you have not lived at your current address for the past year. These forms are typically available at the court or Ministry of Justice office
• Passport-sized photographs — two recent passport-sized photos
• Application fee — payable in cash (CFA Francs) at the counter

Important: The name on your application, identity documents, and passport must match exactly. Any discrepancy between documents will delay processing or result in rejection.

The standard processing time for an Extrait de Casier Judiciaire in Chad is approximately 15 to 20 working days (3 to 4 weeks) from the date of submission. This timeline can vary based on:

• Court workload: Courts in N'Djamena may experience higher volumes than regional courts
• Completeness of application: Incomplete applications or missing documents will cause delays
• Verification requirements: If the court needs to verify records across multiple jurisdictions within Chad, additional time may be needed

Practical note: There is no officially advertised expedited processing option. If your timeline is tight, submit your application as early as possible and follow up regularly with the court clerk's office. Building a buffer of at least 4 weeks for this step alone is strongly recommended.

The full process from application to a submission-ready document for Ecuador (including authentication, legalization, and translation) takes significantly longer than the certificate issuance alone — see the Estimated Timeline section at the bottom of this guide.

Chad's judicial administrative fees for the Extrait de Casier Judiciaire are relatively modest. Based on comparable francophone Central African countries, expect to pay approximately 1,000 to 5,000 XAF (Central African CFA Francs) for the certificate itself — roughly $1.50 to $8 USD.

Chad uses the Central African CFA Franc (XAF), issued by the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). The CFA Franc is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 1 EUR = 655.957 XAF.

Important: Exact fees are set by the court and are subject to change. Confirm the current fee at the Tribunal de Première Instance or Ministry of Justice counter at the time of your application. Fees are payable in cash (CFA Francs) — card payments are generally not available at Chadian government offices.

The certificate issuance fee is only a fraction of the total cost. The authentication chain, legalization, and certified translation will be the largest expenses — see the Estimated Cost table below for a complete breakdown.

This is the most important — and most complex — part of the entire process.

Ecuador is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Chad is not.

For countries inside the Hague Convention, a simple apostille stamp is sufficient to authenticate a document for international use. For Chad, apostille is not available. Instead, your Extrait de Casier Judiciaire must pass through a longer chain of authentication called consular legalization:

1. Tribunal de Première Instance / Ministry of Justice → issues the certificate
2. Ministère des Affaires Étrangères (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), N'Djamena → authenticates the court's signature and official seal
3. Nearest Ecuadorian Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction → legalizes the document so Ecuador's immigration authority (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores) will accept it

Step 2 — Ministry of Foreign Affairs Authentication

After obtaining your Extrait de Casier Judiciaire, take it to the Ministère des Affaires Étrangères, de l'Intégration Africaine et des Tchadiens de l'Étranger in N'Djamena. This ministry authenticates the signature and seal of the issuing court, confirming the document's origin and authority.

Bring the original certificate, a photocopy of your passport, and the applicable authentication fee (payable in CFA Francs). Processing typically takes 3 to 5 working days.

Step 3 — Ecuadorian Embassy Legalization

Critical challenge: Ecuador does not maintain an embassy or consulate in Chad. The nearest Ecuadorian diplomatic missions in Africa are:

• Embassy of Ecuador in Abuja, Nigeria — covers several West and Central African countries
• Embassy of Ecuador in Pretoria, South Africa — covers multiple sub-Saharan African countries
• Embassy of Ecuador in Cairo, Egypt — covers North and parts of Central Africa

You must contact one of these embassies directly to confirm which mission has consular jurisdiction over Chad and can perform the legalization. Based on regional proximity, the Embassy of Ecuador in Abuja, Nigeria is the most likely option:

Embassy of Ecuador in Abuja: 10 Marakesh Street, off Kumasi Crescent, off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, Nigeria Tel: +234 90 545 454 25 Email: eecunigeria@cancilleria.gob.ec

What to bring for legalization: - Ministry of Foreign Affairs authenticated original certificate - Photocopies of your passport - Completed consular application form (obtain from the embassy) - Legalization fee (confirm directly with the embassy before traveling)

Practical options for handling this step: - Travel to Abuja (or the relevant city) in person with your authenticated documents - Use a reputable document legalization service that handles embassy submissions in Abuja, Pretoria, or Cairo on your behalf - Mail the authenticated documents to the embassy via a secure courier service — confirm with the embassy whether they accept postal submissions before sending

Skipping any step in this authentication chain will result in automatic rejection of your visa application. An apostille from any other country cannot substitute for this process.

Ecuador requires all documents not in Spanish to be accompanied by a certified Spanish translation. Your Extrait de Casier Judiciaire will be issued in French and must be translated into Spanish before submission to Ecuador's immigration authority.

Requirements for the translation: - Performed by a certified or sworn translator (traductor jurado) - The translator's credentials, signature, and seal must appear on the translated document - The translation must reflect the final, fully authenticated version of the certificate — including any stamps and annotations added during Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication and embassy legalization

Timing: Complete the translation after the full authentication chain (Court → Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Ecuador Embassy) is finished. Translating before authentication risks having to redo the translation if new stamps, seals, or annotations are added to the document during the authentication steps.

Service option: EcuadorTranslations.com provides certified French-to-Spanish translation and notarization for Chadian and other foreign documents. Using a translation service that is familiar with Ecuador's specific formatting and certification expectations reduces the risk of rejection at the consulate stage. Standard turnaround is approximately $150 per document.

Note on French-to-Spanish translation: Because both French and Spanish are Romance languages, translations between them tend to be more straightforward than English-to-Spanish. However, legal terminology must be translated precisely — a general translator without legal certification is not sufficient for visa document translation.

Ecuador's Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores has specific requirements for criminal record certificates submitted with tourist visa applications:

1. 180-Day Validity Rule Your Extrait de Casier Judiciaire must be issued within 180 days of your visa application submission date.

Critical rule that most applicants misunderstand: The 180-day clock pauses while Ecuador is actively reviewing your application. The certificate does not expire during the processing period. If Ecuador takes 60 days to review your file, those 60 days do not count against the 180-day window.

Practical example: - Your certificate is issued on Day 1 - You submit your Ecuador tourist visa application on Day 100 - You still have approximately 80 days of validity remaining — none of which is consumed during the review period

2. Coverage Requirement — Country of Origin and Residence Ecuador requires background checks from your country of origin (nationality) and from every country where you have resided for the past five years. If you are Chadian but have also lived in Cameroon and France during the last five years, you need three separate background checks — one from each country — each individually authenticated/legalized and translated into Spanish.

3. Consular Legalization Required (Not Apostille) Because Chad is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, the certificate must go through the full consular legalization chain: court issuance → Chad Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication → Ecuador embassy legalization. A simple apostille stamp is not available and will not be accepted.

4. Certified Spanish Translation The certificate and all authentication stamps must be translated into Spanish by a certified translator. Submit both the original French document and the certified Spanish translation together with your visa application.

5. Original Document Required Ecuador requires the original authenticated and legalized certificate — not a photocopy, scan, or digital version. Keep certified copies for your records, but submit the original with your visa application.

Timeline guidance: Given the complexity of the authentication chain for a non-Hague country without a local Ecuador embassy, aim to submit your visa application within 90 to 100 days of your certificate's issuance date. This leaves a comfortable buffer against the 180-day window while accounting for the multi-step authentication process.