Bring Sanctions Screening
to VS Code Copilot
Create your Vinkius account to connect OpenSanctions to VS Code Copilot and start using all 8 AI tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code. No hosting, no server setup — just connect and start using.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the OpenSanctions MCP Server?
Connect to OpenSanctions and access the world's largest open sanctions and PEP screening database through natural conversation — no API key needed for non-commercial use.
What you can do
- Entity Search — Search for sanctioned persons, companies and vessels by name
- Sanctions Screening — Screen names against global sanctions lists (OFAC, EU, UN, UK HMT)
- PEP Screening — Screen persons against Politically Exposed Persons databases
- Entity Details — Get full entity info including aliases, dates of birth, nationalities and addresses
- Vessel Search — Search sanctioned vessels by name or IMO number
- Dataset Browser — Browse all available sanctions datasets worldwide
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- No API key needed for non-commercial use
- Start screening against sanctions lists from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client
Who is this for?
- Compliance Officers — screen clients and partners against global sanctions lists
- Financial Institutions — perform KYC/AML checks on customers and transactions
- Researchers — explore sanctions data, PEP databases and entity relationships
Built-in capabilities (8)
Returns dataset names, descriptions, publisher info and entity counts. Get list of all sanctions datasets available
Returns full entity details including names, aliases, dates of birth, nationalities, addresses, sanctions details, related entities and source datasets. Get detailed info for a specific entity by ID
Returns match scores, matched entities, political positions and source datasets. Useful for KYC/AML compliance checks. Screen a name against Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) lists
Uses fuzzy matching to find potential matches. Returns match scores, matched entities and sanction details. Use threshold parameter (0.0-1.0) to adjust sensitivity. Default 0.85. Screen a name against global sanctions lists
Returns company names, registration numbers, jurisdictions, addresses and sanctions status. Search for companies in the sanctions database
Supports free-text search with fuzzy matching. Returns entity names, types (Person, Company, Vessel), countries and dataset sources. Use schema parameter to filter by entity type (Person, Company, Vessel, etc.). Search sanctions and PEP entities by name
Returns person names, aliases, dates of birth, nationalities, countries and sanctions status. Search for persons in the sanctions database
Returns vessel names, IMO numbers, flags, owners and sanctions status. Search for vessels (ships) in the sanctions database
Why VS Code Copilot?
GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings OpenSanctions data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 8 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.
- —
VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor
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Project-scoped MCP configs (
.vscode/mcp.json) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access - —
Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop
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GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services
OpenSanctions in VS Code Copilot
Why run OpenSanctions with Vinkius?
The OpenSanctions connection runs on our fully managed, secure cloud infrastructure. We handle the hosting, maintenance, and security so you don't have to deal with servers or code. All 8 tools are ready to work instantly without any complex setup.
You stay in complete control of your data. Your AI only accesses the information you approve, keeping your sensitive passwords and private details completely safe. Plus, with automatic optimizations, your AI works faster and more efficiently.
* Every connection is hosted and maintained by Vinkius. We handle the security, updates, and infrastructure so you don't have to write code or manage servers. See our infrastructure
Over 4,000 integrations ready for AI agents
Explore a vast library of pre-built integrations, optimized and ready to deploy.
Connect securely in under 30 seconds
Generate tokens to authenticate and link external services in a single step.
Complete visibility into every agent action
Audit live requests, latency, success rates, and active security compliance policies.
Optimize spending and track token ROI
Analyze real-time token consumption and cost metrics detailed by connection.
Explore our live AI Agents Analytics dashboard to see it all working
This dashboard is included when you connect OpenSanctions using Vinkius. You will never be left in the dark about what your AI agents are doing with your tools.
OpenSanctions and 4,000+ other AI tools. No hosting, no code, ready to use.
Professionals who connect OpenSanctions to VS Code Copilot through Vinkius don't need to write code, manage servers, or worry about security. Everything is pre-configured, secure, and runs automatically in the background.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-use MCPs | Find and configure each manually | 4,000+ MCPs ready to use |
| Connection Setup | Manual coding & server setup | 1-click instant connection |
| Server Hosting | You host it yourself (needs 24/7 uptime) | 100% hosted & managed by Vinkius |
| Security & Privacy | Stored in plaintext config files | Bank-grade encrypted vault |
| Activity Visibility | Blind execution (no logs or tracking) | Live dashboard with real-time logs |
| Cost Control | Runaway AI token spend risk | Automatic budget limits |
| Revoking Access | Must delete files or code to stop | 1-click disconnect button |
How Vinkius secures
OpenSanctions for VS Code Copilot
Every request between VS Code Copilot and OpenSanctions is protected by our secure gateway. We automatically keep your sensitive data private, prevent unauthorized access, and let you disconnect instantly at any time.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an API key?
No! OpenSanctions is completely free for non-commercial use. No authentication required.
What sanctions lists are included?
OpenSanctions aggregates data from OFAC (US), EU Consolidated List, UN Security Council, UK HMT, and many other global sanctions regimes.
How accurate is the name matching?
The API uses fuzzy matching with configurable thresholds (0.0-1.0). Default threshold of 0.85 balances accuracy and recall for most use cases.
Can I screen companies, not just individuals?
Yes! Use search_company to find sanctioned companies, or use the general search with schema='Company' filter.
Which VS Code version supports MCP?
MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.
How do I switch to Agent mode?
Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.
Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?
Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.
Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?
Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.
MCP tools not available
Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.
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