sanctions.io Screening API

openapi: 3.2.0
info:
  title: sanctions.io Screening API
  description: The sanctions.io API provides sanctions, PEP (politically exposed persons), and criminal watchlist screening for AML compliance.
  version: '2.3'
  contact:
    name: sanctions.io
    url: https://www.sanctions.io
    email: info@sanctions.io
  termsOfService: https://www.sanctions.io/terms-of-service
servers:
- url: https://api.sanctions.io
  description: Production
security:
- bearerAuth: []
tags:
- name: Screening
  description: Real-time single screening against sanctions, PEP, and criminal watchlists.
paths:
  /search/:
    get:
      operationId: createScreeningRequest
      tags:
      - Screening
      summary: Screen a name in real time
      description: Queries the sanctions, criminal watchlist, and PEP databases for a name and returns scored matches. Supports individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft. Results include the confidence score, matched record details, the originating data source, and the echoed search parameters.
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/acceptVersion'
      - name: name
        in: query
        required: true
        description: Primary name of the entity being screened (maximum 15 words). Full legal name for individuals; registered name for organizations.
        schema:
          type: string
          example: Walter White
      - name: min_score
        in: query
        required: true
        description: Minimum match confidence score (0.8-1.0) for a result to count as a match. Recommended starting value 0.88; 0.93 for stricter matching.
        schema:
          type: number
          format: float
          minimum: 0.8
          maximum: 1.0
          example: 0.88
      - name: data_source
        in: query
        required: true
        description: Comma-separated watchlist short codes (from the sources endpoint) or a Screening Collection, e.g. "sdn,nonsdn,uk-sanctions". Include ADV-MEDIA to add adverse media.
        schema:
          type: string
          example: sdn,nonsdn
      - name: entity_type
        in: query
        required: false
        description: Type of the screened entity. Strongly recommended to improve performance and match accuracy.
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - individual
          - entity
          - vessel
          - aircraft
      - name: country
        in: query
        required: false
        description: ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country associated with the entity (nationality/residence for individuals, incorporation/operating country for organizations).
        schema:
          type: string
          example: US
      - name: date_of_birth
        in: query
        required: false
        description: Date of birth (YYYY-MM-DD). Strongly recommended for individuals, particularly for PEP screening.
        schema:
          type: string
          format: date
          example: '1956-01-01'
      - name: identifier
        in: query
        required: false
        description: Additional identifier (passport number, national ID, tax ID, email, company domain, SWIFT code, IMO number, aircraft registration, wallet address; max 120 characters) screened in parallel with the name.
        schema:
          type: string
          maxLength: 120
      - name: external_identifier
        in: query
        required: false
        description: Client-defined identifier stored and returned in results so alerts map back to your internal records.
        schema:
          type: string
          example: ABC123
      - name: name_match_boosting_threshold
        in: query
        required: false
        description: Optional threshold (0.8-1.0, recommended 0.93-0.95) above which high-confidence name matches are boosted in the overall confidence score.
        schema:
          type: number
          format: float
          minimum: 0.8
          maximum: 1.0
          example: 0.94
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Paginated screening matches plus the echoed search parameters.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ScreeningResponse'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
components:
  schemas:
    Error:
      type: object
      properties:
        detail:
          type: string
    ScreeningMatch:
      type: object
      properties:
        confidence_score:
          type: number
          format: float
          example: 1.0
        name:
          type: string
        alt_names:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        entity_type:
          type: string
          example: Entity
        address:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        country_residence:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        nationality:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        data_source:
          type: object
          properties:
            name:
              type: string
            short_name:
              type: string
        remarks:
          type: string
        si_identifier:
          type: string
          description: sanctions.io-specific unique identifier for the record.
        first_import:
          type: string
          format: date-time
        last_update:
          type: string
          format: date-time
        data_hash:
          type: string
          description: Changes when the underlying record changes.
    ScreeningResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        count:
          type: integer
        next:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        previous:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        results:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ScreeningMatch'
        search:
          type: object
          properties:
            params:
              type: object
            timestamp:
              type: string
              format: date-time
            api_version:
              type: string
              example: '2.3'
            id:
              type: string
              format: uuid
  responses:
    Unauthorized:
      description: Authentication credentials were not provided or are invalid.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            detail: Authentication credentials were not provided.
  parameters:
    acceptVersion:
      name: Accept
      in: header
      required: false
      description: Selects the API version, e.g. "application/json; version=2.3". Without the header, version 1.0 is used by default.
      schema:
        type: string
        example: application/json; version=2.3
  securitySchemes:
    bearerAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      description: 'API token from the sanctions.io user portal, passed as "Authorization: Bearer {token}". The token may also be sent as a URL parameter, but the Authorization header is recommended.'