ACRO Apostille
UK Police Certificate Legalisation for Use Abroad
Standard Service
Next-Day Service
FCDO Government Fee
What Is an ACRO Apostille?
ACRO stands for the Association of Chief Police Officers Criminal Records Office. An ACRO Police Certificate is an official document issued by a UK public authority, confirming an individual’s criminal record history — or the absence of one — for international use. The certificate is produced with a wet ink signature by the official of the issuing authority, making it a public document eligible for direct apostille by the FCDO.
An apostille is a form of apostille legalisation recognised under the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. It authenticates an official document so that foreign authorities in member states can accept it without requiring full embassy legalisation. The apostille is attached to the original ACRO police certificate and issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on behalf of the United Kingdom government.
Because ACRO Police Certificates carry a wet ink signature from the official of the issuing authority, they qualify for direct document Apostille — no prior Notary Certification is required. This is the most common misconception we encounter from clients.
Who Needs an ACRO Apostille?
An ACRO apostille is typically required when:
- Supporting visa applications for residency or nationality in a Hague Convention country
- Satisfying overseas immigration background checks in Europe, the Middle East, or further afield
- Demonstrating a clean record to foreign authorities for employment or family reunification purposes
- Meeting requirements set by immigration lawyers abroad before a case proceeds
Common destinations include Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, and the UAE — all of which accept apostilled documents under the Hague Apostille Convention without requiring full embassy legalisation. If your destination country is outside the Hague Convention, contact us for advice on the legalisation alternatives available. You can also read more about our full apostille service for context on the wider workflow.
ACRO Apostille for European Immigration — Two Certificates, No Notarisation Required
A client required two original ACRO police certificates apostilled for an immigration matter in continental Europe. Their immigration lawyers needed legalised documents authenticated under the Hague Apostille Convention for submission to foreign authorities.
The client assumed the original ACRO police certificate required notarisation before apostilling, that an in-person appointment was necessary, and that Next-Day service involved a different legal process. None of these assumptions were correct.
- Eligibility confirmed. Both UK ACRO Police Certificates were confirmed eligible for direct apostille by the FCDO — no notarisation required. They are public documents bearing a wet ink signature from the official of the issuing authority.
- Documents sent direct from ACRO. The client arranged for ACRO to post the original documents directly to our London office, avoiding unnecessary international handling of the original ACRO police certificate.
- Service level agreed. Standard service (approximately 5 working days) and Next-Day service (next working day) were explained. The client selected Next-Day. Both produce apostilled documents of identical legal validity — processing time is the only difference between the two service options.
- Apostille obtained. The original ACRO police certificate was submitted to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and apostilled in accordance with Hague Convention requirements.
- International delivery. Once apostilled, documents were dispatched via Royal Mail international tracked courier. Tracking was shared with the client and their immigration lawyers abroad.
The Apostille Process for ACRO Police Certificates
Obtain Your Original ACRO Police Certificate
Apply directly to ACRO online. The certificate is a hard copy issued with a wet ink signature. Original documents are required for FCDO Legalisation Services submission — a certified copy is not accepted for apostille purposes.
Choose Your Service Level
Standard service takes approximately 5 working days from submission to the FCDO. Next-Day service processes by the next working day, subject to documents arriving before the daily cut-off. Both services produce legally identical apostilled documents.
Submit via Our London Office
We submit UK ACRO Police Certificates to the FCDO on your behalf. Documents can be posted by you, or sent directly from ACRO to our Wigmore Street address — a process we coordinate regularly for overseas clients.
Receive Apostilled Documents
Once apostilled, documents are returned to our office and dispatched for international use via tracked courier. We share tracking and liaise with your immigration lawyers to confirm receipt by foreign authorities.
Standard vs Next-Day Service Comparison
| Feature | Standard Service | Next-Day Service |
|---|---|---|
| Our fee (ex VAT) | £80 + VAT | £100 + VAT |
| FCDO fee | £40 per document | £40 per document |
| Processing time | ~5 working days | Next working day |
| Legal validity | Identical | Identical |
| Accepted by foreign authorities | Yes | Yes |
| Notarisation required? | No | No |
Do I Need Notarisation Before an ACRO Apostille?
The exception is where a specific foreign jurisdiction requires a notarised hard copy rather than the original document. This is rare and should always be confirmed with your immigration lawyers before incurring additional expenditure. We can advise honestly on whether Notary Certification is genuinely required for your destination country — we will never recommend unnecessary work.
What Other Documents Can Be Apostilled?
ACRO Police Certificates are among the most common documents we handle for international clients, but the FCDO Legalisation Services office can also apostille a range of other official documents for use abroad:
- Death Certificates and Birth Certificates
- Power of attorney documents
- Court documents and court document orders
- Driving licence copies (when first notarised)
- Application form submissions from public bodies
- Documents issued in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland
For countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention, embassy legalisation is required as an alternative to Document Legalisation by apostille. An electronic apostille may be available for certain document types — contact us to confirm whether this service option applies to your ACRO certificate and your destination country.
Why Use Edward Young Notaries for Your ACRO Apostille?
Edward Young Notaries & Lawyers is a London notarial practice at 19 Wigmore Street, W1U 1PH, regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. We are STEP qualified and registered as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). Our notary handles ACRO Police Certificate apostille requests for clients based across the United Kingdom and internationally.
- Eligibility check and apostille process advice before submission
- Coordination with ACRO for direct delivery of original documents to our London office
- Same-day FCDO submission for Next-Day service (subject to daily cut-off)
- Apostille legalisation via the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
- International tracked courier despatch for international use
- Fixed fees — £80 + VAT (standard) or £100 + VAT (Next-Day) plus £40 FCDO fee — no hidden costs
- Background checks documentation and visa applications paperwork handled for clients across the United Kingdom and internationally
Call us on 020 7499 2605 or email notary@notarypubliclondon.co.uk to discuss your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions — ACRO Apostille
Common questions about getting a UK ACRO Police Certificate apostilled for use abroad.