Apostille Legalisation for Police & Criminal Record Documents

A police certificate apostille UK may be required when applying for visas, overseas jobs, or immigration. We help legalise your document for use abroad. Whether it’s an ACRO Police Certificate, a Disclosure Scotland report, or a DBS check, foreign authorities often request these documents be legalised with an apostille.

Our service ensures your UK-issued police or criminal record document is verified and accepted for official use overseas.

What Police & Criminal Documents Can Be Legalised?

  • ACRO Police Certificates
  • Disclosure Scotland Certificates
  • Access Northern Ireland Disclosures
  • DBS Checks (formerly CRB checks)
  • PVG Certificates

Requirements and Process

Original Documents Required

official police certificates must be issued directly by ACRO, Disclosure Scotland, AccessNI, or the DBS.

PDF Downloads

PDFs or downloaded copies are typically not accepted unless officially signed or stamped.

Certification by a solicitor or notary

This may be needed for certain documents if they are not directly eligible for apostille — we can advise on this.

Common Uses for Apostilled Police and Criminal Record Documents

  • Visa and immigration applications
  • Overseas employment (especially in healthcare, education, or security sectors)
  • Adoption or foster care procedures
  • Residency or citizenship applications
  • International volunteer placements

FAQ

No — only the original printed certificate can be legalised. Digital versions or scans are not accepted by the FCDO.

In most cases, official police-issued documents do not require solicitor certification. We will advise if yours needs it.

Apostilles are generally issued only for valid and current documents. If your certificate is outdated, we recommend requesting a new copy.

Most police certificate apostille UK are completed within 4-5 working days of receipt.

Request a Free Quote

If you need to legalise an ACRO certificate, DBS check, or other criminal record document for use abroad, our team can manage the apostille process from start to finish — including solicitor certification if needed.