Legalising UK criminal records checks for international use

There are a number of situations where a UK police statement or official police report may need to be legalised for use in another country - insurance claims, legal proceedings abroad, visa applications or official investigations. The legalisation process depends on the type of document you have and how it was issued.

ACRO police certificate

An ACRO Police Certificate - officially known as a Certificate of Good Conduct - is the document most commonly requested by foreign authorities as proof of your criminal record status in the UK. Legalisation is only accepted on the original document. Photocopies and certified copies are not eligible and will be rejected. 

Lost or damaged your ACRO certificate?

If your original certificate has been lost, damaged or is no longer in suitable condition for submission, you must order a replacement directly from the ACRO Criminal Records Office. Do not attempt to use a photocopy or scan of the original - these will be rejected. ACRO offers a standard service of approximately 20 working days and a premium service of approximately 2 working days for urgent cases.

Criminal records check 

An original criminal records check bearing a wet ink signature from an official of the issuing authority can be submitted to the FCDO for apostille without any additional preparation. Where the certificate does not carry such a signature, it must be certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public before it can proceed. Photocopies are not accepted under any circumstances, and certificates issued by private companies fall outside the scope of the legalisation process entirely.

For countries outside the Hague Convention

For Hague Apostille Convention member countries, the apostille is the final step. For countries outside the Convention - including the UAE, Qatar and others in the Gulf - embassy attestation is also required after the apostille has been obtained. Always confirm the full requirements of your destination country before submitting your document.

We can manage the full process for you

Our team handles ACRO and Criminal records check legalisation from start to finish - including solicitor certification where required, FCDO submission and embassy attestation where needed. Call us on +44 203 957 9800 and we will confirm the correct route for your certificate and get it moving.