ACRO Police Certificate Apostille Service
We assist with the legalisation of ACRO police certificates by way of the Hague apostille at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the FCDO.
We need to receive the original ACRO police certificate in order to get an apostille.
If the original ACRO certificate is without a signature from an official of the issuing authority we can assist with solicitor Certification. Please note that the Hague apostille will be issued by the UK Foreign Office based on the solicitor’s signature, not the ACRO Criminal Records Office.
If you already have the ACRO certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public please note that not every solicitor is on the Foreign Office database. If the document will be rejected due to a missing signature with the FCDO database please ask your solicitor to contact the FCDO registration team via email.
The solicitors’ registration process should take no longer than 3 working days to complete.
If the time is sensitive we would recommend certifying the document again with our solicitor who is registered with the legalisation department of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
We Apostille all types of background checks
- National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)
- Criminal Records Office (ACRO)
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
- Basic Disclosure
- Enhanced Disclosure
- Disclosure Scotland
- NIS Certificates
- Subject Access Reports
- Lost and stolen reports
Association of Chief Police Officers Criminal Records Office ACRO Types
An individual’s criminal record profile is described with the following types
No Trace - The person has no criminal record or related issues.
No Live Trace - The person has a criminal record, but it’s not shown on the certificate due to court decisions.
Trace - The person has a criminal record. The information is publicly available.
Further Information Stepped Down - The person has a criminal record, but only some details are on the certificate.
ACRO Apostille Certificate Frequently Asked Questions
Would you apostille my ACRO with a criminal record?
On a case-by-case basis, we cannot assist with AML-related cases or Tax evasion. We will inform you of our decision once receive a scanned copy of your ACRO.
Is ACRO the same as the DBS Certificate?
An ACRO Police Certificate is not the same as a DBS Certificate.
ACRO background checks are primarily used for international purposes, such as immigration, visa applications, or employment in another country. protection certificate.
DBS background checks are normally used for domestic purposes within the United Kingdom. The Disclosure and Barring Service is responsible for processing these checks and providing access to criminal record information for individuals working in specific sectors or roles, particularly those involving contact with children or vulnerable adults. Sometimes is called an International child protection certificate.
Do I need an apostille for my ACRO certificate?
If you are planning on using your ACRO in another jurisdiction you may need to obtain an apostille and consular legalization. All UK documents, personal documents such as police records for international use require apostille or legalisation. Every UK document presented to foreign authorities must be legalised by way of the Hague Apostille Convention. The apostilled documents are often required by requesting authority. All legalised documents issued by way of Hague apostille are valid in Hague Convention countries.
Why do I need my ACRO Police Certificate to be apostilled?
If you are starting a job overseas you might need ACRO to be legalised by way of Hague apostille issued by the Legalisation Office, the FCDO. Electronic apostille cannot be issued for the ACRO police certificate. If you are seeking employment in foreign countries embassy legalisation might be required. The legalisation process and the processing time depend on the country where the ACRO police certificate will be used.
Do I need to Notarise my ACRO prior apostille?
Sometimes the ACRO police certificate needs to be notarised. For example, authorities in Portugal, Cyprus or Italy request that your ACRO police certificate be notarized
In those cases, our notary will notarize the original ACRO certificate before we obtain the Hague apostille. The notary will request a copy of the passport and utility bills.
Do I need to visit your Westminster office to deliver my ACRO personally?
You can bring the certificate in person, deliver it by courier or send it by registered mail.
Please remember that electronic apostille, e apostille cannot be issued for ACRO police certificate.
Ordering an ACRO police certificate
We would be more than happy to help you with your Acro Police Certificate.
The original ACRO certificate is required
Time frame: next day service available.
Our fee: £50 GBP for assistance with apostille and £20 GBP for solicitor certification if required.
Certification will be completed by a UK solicitor registered with the FCDO.