The country of incorporation
tells only
part of the story.
A company may be registered in one country, its director may work in another, and related assets may be located in a third.
What matters is the geography of the circumstances that affect the client's decision: business history, ownership structures, litigation, asset interests and connections between the parties.
The countries directly connected to the question are identified first. Further jurisdictions are added when the evidence warrants it. Any extension of scope is agreed separately.
What needs to be established?
The country of incorporation
Status, parties and history of changes.
Business history
Roles, events and connections in other countries.
Assets and interests
Documentary evidence and ownership structure.
Illustration of the approach. The jurisdictions and scope are determined for each assignment.
What can be checked
in each country
Before agreeing a project, we assess whether the available information is sufficient to answer your question.
Whether an answer can be established
We assess the availability of information on the company, the individual's business history and related assets. If important information is unavailable, we explain which findings will remain limited.
The need for local expertise
We identify questions for assessment by a specialist lawyer: the lawfulness of obtaining and transferring data, the significance of documents, and the use of materials in a legal dispute.
Scope, timeframes and expenses
Information availability and required procedures are reflected in the project terms. Any additional line of enquiry and associated costs are agreed with the client before that work begins.
A match
still requires
verification.
A similar name, a shared address or a mention in the same document does not, by itself, establish a connection.
Translation, transliteration, changes of surname and former company names can create discrepancies. Information is compared using a combination of identifiers and dates.
It is important to establish who a record relates to, what it actually confirms and whether it is consistent with the other materials. Contradictions are recorded and examined separately.
Are we looking at
the right person?
People who share a name, spelling variants and similar company names must be distinguished from one another.
What period
does the fact relate to?
Events and documents are compared with reference to the periods to which they relate.
What confirms
the connection?
Every material conclusion must be supported by verifiable evidence.
The absence of a record is not conclusive either: it may reflect disclosure rules, restricted access or incomplete data.
Several workstreams.
A single work plan.
A finding in one country may change the questions that need to be examined in another.
A shared objective connects the work across all countries.
- 01
Define the question
Define what needs to be established and which decision depends on the findings.
- 02
Agree the jurisdictions
Identify the countries involved and assess the availability of information, the scope of work and its limitations.
- 03
Connect the workstreams
Compare materials across countries. Examine inconsistencies and clarify outstanding questions.
- 04
Prepare the findings
Bring the established findings, risks and limitations together in a single report.
BLACKFILE coordinates the matter as a single project. The client works through an agreed point of contact and receives updates at defined milestones. Changes to scope, timing and costs are discussed separately.
The complete picture.
The basis for every
conclusion.
The final report answers the agreed questions and shows what has been established, how reliable the findings are and what remains unresolved.
Information from different countries is assessed within a single chronology. The client can see significant connections, inconsistencies, research limitations and questions requiring further work.
Confirmed
Information with a documentary basis and a date. The report states precisely what the material supports.
Derived from analysis
An assessment based on the available information, with its level of confidence and limitations stated.
Requires verification
An assumption explicitly identified as a hypothesis, together with the evidence needed to test it.
The next step may involve requesting documents, clarifying transaction terms, continuing enquiries or discussing legal action with local counsel.
Using the materials in a formal procedure requires a separate legal assessment. The report does not establish guilt or guarantee debt recovery or the return of assets.
Access limits
are defined
before data is shared.
Cross-border reviews may involve commercial documents and personal data.
Before materials are exchanged, we agree the information required, the people involved, the communication channels and the arrangements for access, storage and deletion. Cross-border data transfers are assessed against the applicable requirements.
A general description of the situation is sufficient at the initial stage. Sensitive documents are shared after the working arrangements have been agreed.
Photographs are editorial illustrations. They do not depict BLACKFILE offices, clients or participants in specific projects.
What you need to know
before work begins
The countries involved, how we work together and the findings you can reasonably expect.
In which countries can checks be carried out?
Feasibility is assessed for each matter. Relevant factors include the countries involved, the nature of the information, its availability and legal restrictions. The geographical coverage and scope of the investigation are agreed before the project begins. If important information cannot be obtained, this is reflected in the scope of work and the limitations of the findings.
How do you decide which countries to include in a review?
The starting point is the client's question. We consider the countries where companies are registered, the business history of the parties and any related asset interests. Enquiries extend to another jurisdiction when substantiated connections justify doing so. Any additional scope, time and costs are agreed separately.
Can we start remotely?
You can submit your initial enquiry through the website form. Describe the objective, the countries involved and the decision you are preparing to make. Communication arrangements, the transfer of materials and any need for local work are determined after the matter has been assessed.
What determines the timing and cost of international due diligence?
This depends on the number of countries, the questions to be addressed, the depth of research, the availability of information and the procedures required. The scope, stages, indicative timeframes, fees and arrangements for additional expenses are agreed before work begins. Timeframes are assessed once the scope has been agreed and the necessary initial information received.
What information is needed for an initial enquiry?
Explain what you need to establish, which countries are involved and what decision the checks will inform. Let us know about any important date or decision deadline. Sensitive documents and third-party personal data should be shared after the working arrangements and communication channel have been agreed.
What does the client receive at the end?
The format is agreed for each matter. The final deliverable brings together information from different countries and answers the agreed questions. It distinguishes confirmed facts, analytical assessments with stated confidence levels, and hypotheses. It also sets out material discrepancies, research limitations and questions requiring further work.
Can the report be used in a legal dispute?
The materials can provide an information base for the client and their legal advisers. Their use in court or another formal procedure requires a separate assessment by a local lawyer against the requirements of the relevant jurisdiction. An analytical report does not establish guilt or guarantee debt recovery or the return of assets.
How is confidentiality managed when work involves several countries?
Before materials are shared, we define the information required, the project participants, the communication channels and the rules for access, storage and deletion. Cross-border data transfers are assessed against the applicable requirements and the nature of the information. An initial discussion requires only a general description of the situation, without sensitive documents.