How to get an apostille for background checks

There are two ways to get an apostille for background checks in the UK. Order an apostille directly from the official UK FCDO website. Use an FCDO registered apostille agency to take care of the entire process for you.

UK Apostilles For Background Check Documents

Service summary:

For background checks, we need the originals
You can post it or drop it off at our office
We do the rest. Get your apostille and return your documents.
The 2-3 days service starts from £87 (without solicitor certification)

There are two ways to get an apostille for background checks in the UK.

Order an apostille directly from the official UK FCDO website.
Use an FCDO registered apostille agency to take care of the entire process for you.

Ordering an apostille via the FCDO website directly requires you to know the procedures and requirements of getting an apostille. Also, the process can take up to 20 days or longer.

If you want to ensure that the FCDO does not reject your background check, or if you need your apostille fast, use an FCDO registered agent, like us, to take care of the entire process.

How to order:

Step one:

Check which background check you have. Has an officer of the issuing authority signed your background check? Does the requesting authority need the original, does your background check need a solicitor certification or notarisation?

Step two:

If your background check does not have an official signature, the document must be certified or notarised before an apostille can be issued.

Step three:

When emailing, please provide the following information:

Do you need a solicitor certification or notarisation?
How many background checks need an apostille?
In which country will your background check be used?
How soon do you need the apostille?

Once we have all the information, the team will assess your enquiry and give you a personalised and detailed quotation.

If you accept the quotation, we send an invoice to be paid, and the process of getting an apostille for your documents starts. We will take care of everything.

Final step:

Once your background check has been apostilled, we will send you a scanned copy via email.

Regardless of what return delivery method is chosen (in person, self-addressed envelope, DHL etc.), we will inform you immediately as soon as the documents are ready to be collected or they are on their way back to you.

Assuming that you are not collecting your apostilled documents from our London office – we will also provide you with the DHL tracking number as soon as your forms have been given to the courier.

How much does it cost?

A standard apostille for a UK background check starts from £79.

Other costs will depend on what service you choose (standard or same-day service), embassy fees if required and what return delivery method is required.

Call +020 8038 7015

Send your enquiry via email

Our fast-track apostille options

There are three options for getting an apostille in the UK.

Option one: 1 day (next business day)

Documents must arrive before 9:00 am for the next-day service.
Documents can be collected around 3:30 pm the next day.

Option two: 3 to 4 days:

If documents arrive after 9:30 am, it will take 3-4 days

Option three: e-Apostille 5 to 48 hours

If the document qualifies for an e-apostille, it is usually completed within 24 hours but can take two working days, depending on the FCDO’s workload.

Do all background checks need notarisation?

Not all background check documents need to be notarised. If the background check bears an official signature, it does not need to be notarised. The document must be notarised before legalisation if it does not bear an official signature.

All electronically issued background checks must be certified or notarised before an apostille can be attached.

Screenshot of a mock ACRO Police Certificate, displaying personal information, photo, and criminal record check outcome.

ACRO background check (Example only)

Who can request an apostille for a background check?

Any overseas authority can request a background check to be apostilled. In our experience, overseas employers are the ones that most often request that a background check is legalised with an apostille.

Other authorities that can request an apostille are:

Governments
Solicitors & notaries
Universities – Schools
Immigration – border control

I am overseas can I still get an apostille for my background check?

Yes, you can get an apostille for your UK background check even if you are overseas. You can either:

Send the original document to an apostille service in the UK, like our apostille agency.
Use our service to obtain the apostille for you without you needing to visit the UK.

We typically handle the entire process, including obtaining the apostille from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Can an overseas background check be apostilled in the UK?

It is not possible to get a UK apostille for an overseas criminal record check, like an FBI check. Foreign documents should be apostilled in the country of origin. If the country is part of the Huge Apostille Convention, then the apostille will be accepted in the UK.

Can the FCDO refuse to attach an apostille to the background check?

Yes, the FCDO can refuse to issue an apostille for a background check. For example, if the signature on the document is not recognised (in the FCDO database) then the FCDO would reject the document.

All documents submitted to the FCDO must be signed by a public official, solicitor, or notary. If your background check does not have an official signature, it will be rejected.

Other reasons the FCDO might reject background checks are:

Wrong certifications
Foreign background checks
Missing information
If the background check has been altered in any way
Submitting photocopies

Different background checks that we apostille are:

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
Criminal Record Check (Northern Ireland)
Police Clearance Certificates (Guernsey)
Police Letters

Does my certified background check need translation?

If the country requesting the legalisation of your document is not a native English-speaking country, a certified background check may need to be translated. The requesting authority would usually request a translation, so it’s best to check with them.

Call +020 8038 7015

Enquire or order a UK apostille

References

This article has been written by experts and fact-checked by experts. We only link to high-quality sources like government information & data, original reporting and interviews with industry experts. Reputable publishers are also sourced and cited where appropriate to support the facts within our articles.