You can post the original to us or deliver it and collect it in person at our office in Westminster, London.
Here are quick ways to place an order:
The order process – what to expect:
Note that only original ACRO certificates can be submitted for an apostille.
To start the order, we need the following details from you:
- What type of ACRO do you have (ACRO types ↓)
- Let us know about delivery and returning the ACRO.
- Which service do you need (2-3 days / or next day)
- Any additional information (translation, attestation, etc.)
Once we have the information, our team can give you a detailed quotation, and if you accept it, we’ll take care of everything.
When your ACRO police certificate apostille is ready, we’ll notify you and email a scanned copy for your records.
You can either collect the apostilled certificate from our office or have it returned by DHL. We’ll also provide the DHL tracking number if not collected in person.
How much does an apostille for an ACRO cost?
For personal documents, prices are as follows:
- 3-4 day apostille service starts from £87.
- 1 day (next business day) service costs £97
The price includes our fees, FCDO fees, and VAT.
There could be additional costs, depending on another service you choose and how many documents you wish to apostille. Additional cost examples are:
- Translations start from £35
- Notarisation by notary public (+ £96)
- Return delivery costs (+ £12)
- Embassy legalisation (from + £60)
How long does it take to get an apostille?
There are three options for getting an apostille.
Option one: 1 day (next business day)
- Documents must arrive before 10:00 am for the next-day service.
- Documents can be collected around 3:30 pm the next day.
- Documents are submitted and collected in person
Option two: 3 to 4 days:
- If documents arrive by 10:30 am, it will take 3 days
- If documents arrive after 10:30 am, then it will take 4 days
- Documents are submitted and collected in person
Option three: e-Apostille 1 to 2 days
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.
Delivery and return options
How will the documents be delivered to our office?
How should apostilled documents be returned?
(*) You can order a new ACRO certificate from acro.police.uk and have it shipped directly to our office.
Payment options
We accept payment via major credit and debit cards and bank transfers.
Please note that all orders must be paid in full before we can return apostilled documents. For account enquiries, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Notarising an ACRO police certificate
Sometimes the ACRO police certificate needs to be notarised. For example, authorities in Portugal and Cyprus request that your police certificate is notarised for certain applications.
In those cases, our notary will notarise the original ACRO certificate before we get the apostille certificate.
Solicitor certification
Avoid having a solicitor sign your ACRO police certificate. If a solicitor signs it, the apostille certificate will be issued based on their signature, not the public official who signed the ACRO.
This legalisation process is generally not accepted by most countries. When requesting the legaliation of your police check, the apostille should be issued for the public official’s signature on the ACRO.
ACRO types and processing requirements
All UK police certificates are issued as hard copies and never issued electronically!
Note that an electronic apostille (e-apostille) is unavailable for ACRO or other police certificates.
Will my ACRO certificate need translation?
An ACRO certificate may need to be translated. The requesting authority usually requests a translation, so it’s best to check with them.
For example, when applying for a Spanish visa, the authorities often ask that the UK ACRO be translated into Spanish. Spain requires ‘sworn’ translations, meaning an accredited Spanish translator must do the translation.
We can email a copy of the apostilled ACRO, but we must receive the original translation from Spain. Depending on the courier service used, this usually takes five working days but can take longer.
Different background checks that we apostille are:
Is ACRO the same as DBS?
An ACRO Police Certificate is not the same as a report from the government’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
The ACRO police certificate is designed for use in foreign countries.
Organisations mainly use the DBS in the UK to help them to decide whether an individual is suitable for certain kinds of work, especially work involving children or vulnerable adults.
Both give details of criminal records (including “spent” convictions), but an “enhanced” DBS check also includes pending cases and ongoing investigations [5].
Normally only an ACRO apostille is requested by foreign countries.
