How long does it take to get an apostille for a UK police warrant card?

Standard processing times for getting an apostille is 1-2 working days. Here is an explanation of the difference between the 1 to 2 day service times: If your documents arrive by 10 am, it will take 1 day to process your documents + next-day return delivery. If your documents arrive after 10 am, then it would take 2 days to apostille your documents + next day return delivery. We also offer a same-day apostille service. Documents must arrive before 10 am for the same-day service. Documents can be collected around 4 pm the same day. Same-day service assumes you can drop off and collect your documents on the same day. The same-day becomes a 24-hour service if a courier service is used.

How To Legalise a UK Police Warrant Card with an Apostille

Apostille service overview:

We need the original police warrant card
Post or hand deliver the warrant card
FCDO-registered solicitor must certify the police warrant card

3-4 day apostille service from £120
1 day (next business day) from £135
5 – 48 hours e-Apostille from £97

The price includes admin fees, solicitor certification, apostille certificate, FCDO fees, and VAT.

We need to receive the original warrant card in our office. You can deliver it in person or post it to our Westminster office in London.

We can return the legalised police ID via DHL or Royal Mail (next-day service) or you can collect it in person.

UK police warrant cards do not qualify for an e-Apostille.

Jump to: How much does it cost? | How long does it take?

The full order process:

Step one:

Make sure that your police warrant card can be legalised with an apostille.

The police ID card must be valid and undamaged so that a clear photocopy can be taken.

Step two:

Contact our office.

When emailing, please provide the following information:

In which country will your warrant card be used?
How soon do you need the apostille?
Do you also require embassy legalisation?
How will the ID card be delivered and returned?

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

If you accept the quotation, we send an invoice to be paid, and the process of getting the apostille starts.

Step three:

As soon as your police force warrant card has been apostilled, we will send you a scanned copy via email.

If you are not collecting your apostilled document from our London office – we will provide you with the DHL tracking number given by the courier.

Note that we return documents by DHL or Royal Mail only. If you want to make other arrangements, please let us know.

How much does it cost?

3-4 day UK apostille service from £120
1 day (next business day) from £135
5-48 hours e-Apostille from £97

Our comprehensive fee covers:

Solicitor certification
FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) Fees
Administration
VAT

There could be additional costs, depending on your chosen service and how many documents you wish to apostille.

We will always provide a full breakdown to see precisely what you’re paying for.

Call +44 (0) 207 0500 692

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 I have to come to your office?

The only time you must attend in person is if your police warrant card must be notarised by a notary public. However, we find that police officers attend the office regardless, so that they don’t have to leave their police ID.

The solicitor or notary takes a photocopy, which takes 5 minutes, and the police officers take their police ID cards with them and don’t have to leave the ID for the certification (if the solicitor or notary is in the office!).

But, if you are not based in London or can’t travel to London, documents can be sent by courier or by post. We recommend using a tracked service if you send your documents by post. We return your documents in the same way.

Why does a warrant card need an apostille?

Police officers who need to have evidence of their identity and occupation while they are outside the UK (but not on duty) should obtain a copy of their warrant card.

The copy must be certified by a solicitor or notary public and must be legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office with an apostille.

A warrant card is both a proof of identity and a token of authority carried by police officers and special constables. It authorises them to perform the functions of their office.

A warrant card must not be carried by anyone other than the police officer to whom it has been issued.

There is a risk that warrant cards may be lost or stolen. Warrant cards may be used by criminals for the purpose of impersonating a police officer [1].

Police officers should not normally take their UK warrant card overseas unless they are on official police business or have been seconded to a foreign police force [2].

UK police have no jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom [3].

Why police warrant cards must be copied and certified.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not accept original warrant cards for legalisation.

Warrant cards must be kept intact and undamaged. A damaged warrant card is no longer valid.

The process of legalisation by the FCDO involves attaching an apostille to a document. Affixing the apostille certificate to an original warrant card would damage the card and invalidate it.

For these reasons, the FCDO will only legalise a copy of the original card certified by a UK solicitor or notary public.

Why must I get a certified copy of my warrant card for an apostille?

There are two main reasons why you must get a certified copy of your warrant card for an apostille:

1. Preserving your original document:

An apostille is an official stamp or certificate applied to a document to confirm its authenticity for use in other countries. Attaching the apostille directly to your original warrant card could damage or deface it, rendering it invalid for its intended purpose.
Therefore, to protect your original and ensure its continued validity, a certified copy is used for the apostille process.

2. Ensuring verification and authenticity:

A certified copy, made by a qualified professional like a solicitor or notary public, adds an extra layer of verification and authenticity to the document.
This professional verifies the accuracy of the copy against the original, ensuring that the information presented on the apostille is true and reliable.
This is crucial for international legal purposes, as it helps foreign authorities trust the validity of your warrant card.

So, while it might seem unnecessary at first, requiring a certified copy for an apostille serves two important functions: it safeguards your original document while ensuring the accuracy and trust in its representation for international use.

Who can certify the copy of my warrant card?

For the purpose of legalisation, only a UK registered solicitor or notary public can certify the copy of a warrant card. The type of certification will depend on the requesting overseas authority and country.

For example, Hague member countries only require a solicitor certification. Non-Hauge member countries may require notarisation.

Basic solicitor certification certifies the signature or that the solicitor has seen the warrant card, but does not certify that the warrant card is genuine.

If the warrant card must be certified as genuine, then a notary must verify the warrant card with the issuing authority.

Does the apostille for my warrant card expire?

The validity of the apostille for a police warrant card is the same as for the warrant card itself [5].

The apostille for a warrant card expires when the warrant card expires.

Other enforcement agencies’ warrant card examples are:

MI5 warrant card
Special constables
Royal Air Force Police
Royal Military Police
Royal Navy Police
Agents of the National Crime Agency
Enforcement officers for local government councils
Enforcement officers for Home Offices departments (Border Force, Immigration Enforcement)

Do I need a translation of my warrant card apostille?

The need for a translation is determined by the country which requests the apostille. A certified translation should be provided if the requesting country asks for it [6].

We offer translation for all official ID and warrant cards. Translation takes 2-3 days and usually costs £75 per warrant card, but we offer a discount for all UK enforcement agencies’ warrants and only charge £50 per ID.

Call +44 (0) 207 0500 692

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.