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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SanctionsWise API.

General​

What is SanctionsWise API?​

SanctionsWise API is a real-time sanctions screening API built for fintech companies, banks, payment processors, and compliance teams. It screens names and entities against OFAC SDN, OFAC Consolidated, BIS Entity List, and other US Federal sanctions lists with sub-100ms response times. SanctionsWise uses a 5-layer matching engine (exact, fuzzy, phonetic, semantic, and identifier matching) to handle name variations, transliterations, and aliases with high accuracy.

SanctionsWise is available on AWS Marketplace with a 14-day free trial — no credit card required.

What sanctions lists does SanctionsWise cover?​

SanctionsWise provides comprehensive coverage of US Federal sanctions lists:

ListAuthorityUpdate Frequency
OFAC SDNUS TreasuryReal-time
OFAC ConsolidatedUS TreasuryDaily
OFAC FSE (Foreign Sanctions Evaders)US TreasuryReal-time
OFAC SSI (Sectoral Sanctions)US TreasuryReal-time
BIS Entity ListCommerce DeptWeekly

Total: ~15,000+ sanctioned entities across all lists.

How fast is SanctionsWise screening?​

SanctionsWise is designed for real-time screening in payment processing and onboarding workflows:

OperationTypical Response Time
Single entity (warm)10-50ms
Single entity (cold start)500-1000ms
Batch (100 entities)500-2000ms
With semantic matching+200ms

For payment processors requiring sub-100ms screening, SanctionsWise delivers consistently fast responses.

Is SanctionsWise available on AWS Marketplace?​

Yes. SanctionsWise is available as a SaaS subscription on AWS Marketplace. Benefits include:

  • Consolidated billing on your existing AWS invoice
  • 14-day free trial with no credit card required
  • No procurement friction — use existing AWS security approvals
  • Pay-as-you-go metered billing based on API calls

Does SanctionsWise support batch screening?​

Yes. The /screen/batch endpoint supports up to 100 entities per request. For portfolio screening or large-scale onboarding, submit multiple batch requests. Each entity in the batch receives the same 5-layer matching analysis as single-entity screening.

How does SanctionsWise handle fuzzy name matching?​

SanctionsWise uses a 5-layer matching engine designed to catch name variations that simpler systems miss:

  1. Exact Match: Normalized string comparison after standardizing case, whitespace, and diacritics
  2. Fuzzy Match: Jaro-Winkler similarity + SequenceMatcher for typos and transpositions
  3. Phonetic Match: Soundex + Double Metaphone for pronunciation-based variants (e.g., "Mohammad" / "Mohammed" / "Muhammad")
  4. Semantic Match: AI embeddings (Amazon Titan) for contextual name similarity
  5. Identifier Match: Document numbers, passport IDs, tax IDs for corroborating evidence

Each match includes a composite confidence score (0.0-1.0) and classification: clear, potential_match, or match.

How often is the data updated?​

OFAC lists are updated in real-time as OFAC publishes changes. BIS Entity List is updated weekly. The data_freshness field in every API response shows the exact timestamp of the last data update, ensuring complete audit traceability.

Technical​

How does the 5-layer matching work?​

The matching engine uses five complementary approaches:

  1. Exact Match - Normalized string comparison
  2. Fuzzy Match - Jaro-Winkler + SequenceMatcher for typos
  3. Phonetic Match - Soundex + Double Metaphone for pronunciation variants
  4. Semantic Match - AI embeddings for contextual similarity
  5. Identifier Match - Document number verification

See Matching Algorithms for details.

What is an evidence chain?​

Every match includes complete source traceability:

  • Source authority (e.g., US Treasury OFAC)
  • Source list ID
  • Original entry identifier
  • Last update timestamp

This supports compliance audits and regulatory requirements.

What response time should I expect?​

OperationTypical Response
Single entity (warm)10-50ms
Single entity (cold)500-1000ms
Batch (100 entities)500-2000ms
With semantic search+200ms

What's the maximum batch size?​

100 entities per batch request. For larger lists, submit multiple batch requests.

Integration​

How do I get an API key?​

  1. Subscribe via AWS Marketplace
  2. Complete registration
  3. Access keys at app.orchestraprime.ai

Or contact sales@orchestraprime.ai for direct access.

Do you have SDKs?​

We provide code examples for Python, JavaScript/Node.js, Java, and cURL. See SDK Examples.

What's the API base URL?​

https://api.orchestraprime.ai/sanctionswise

How do I handle rate limits?​

Implement exponential backoff:

import time

for attempt in range(3):
    try:
        response = screen_entity(name)
        break
    except RateLimitError as e:
        time.sleep(e.retry_after or 2 ** attempt)

See Error Handling for complete implementation.

Billing​

How much does it cost?​

TierPriceAPI Calls/Month
Free$0500
Starter$995,000
Professional$29925,000
EnterpriseCustom100,000+

See Pricing Tiers for full details.

Can I try before buying?​

Yes! The Free tier includes 500 API calls/month with no credit card required.

How does billing work?​

SanctionsWise API uses AWS Marketplace for billing. Charges appear on your AWS invoice.

Can I upgrade/downgrade?​

Yes, you can change tiers anytime. Changes take effect at the next billing cycle.

Compliance​

Is SanctionsWise API compliant with regulations?​

SanctionsWise API provides the data and audit trails needed for:

  • BSA/AML compliance
  • OFAC compliance programs
  • KYC/Customer Due Diligence
  • FINRA requirements

You are responsible for implementing appropriate compliance workflows.

How long should I retain screening records?​

RegulationRetention Period
BSA/AML5 years
OFAC5 years

Always consult your compliance team for specific requirements.

Can I use this for non-US entities?​

Yes, you can screen any entity. However, the sanctions lists are US Federal lists (OFAC, BIS). For non-US sanctions (EU, UN, etc.), contact us about future list additions.

Support​

How do I get help?​

What's included in each support tier?​

TierSupport Level
FreeCommunity / Documentation
StarterEmail (24h response)
ProfessionalPriority (4h response)
EnterpriseDedicated support

How do I report a bug?​

Email support@orchestraprime.ai with:

  • API request (sanitized)
  • Response received
  • Expected behavior
  • Timestamp

Data & Privacy​

What data do you store?​

We log API requests for:

  • Usage metering
  • Debugging
  • Service improvement

We do not store screening results beyond your API response.

Where is data processed?​

All processing occurs in AWS US regions (us-east-1).

Is my data encrypted?​

Yes:

  • In transit: TLS 1.3
  • At rest: AES-256

Have more questions? Contact support@orchestraprime.ai