Certify ACRO and DBS Police checks for use abroad
Isarey provides specialist attestation services in the UK to Apostille police and background checks, including ACRO certificates and DBS checks for use abroad.
Our expedited service for urgent ACRO Apostilles ensures processing in 2-4 working days and delivery worldwide by express courier.
Police and criminal record checks issued in the United Kingdom are legalized for official use abroad by obtaining an Apostille stamp from the UK Foreign Office (Legalization Office).
Authorities of countries that have signed the Apostille Convention will recognise the Apostille directly as confirmation of authenticity. Apostille countries include: 
Spain - Italy - Portugal - Greece - Cyprus - France - Saudi Arabia - Germany - China
Otherwise, confirmation is required from the destination country's embassy in London. Non-Apostille countries include: United Arab Emirates - Qatar - Thailand - Taiwan - Vietnam
While UK police checks do not have an expiry date, many countries require a certificate issued within the last 6 or 3 months.
Isarey will take care of the entire process for you. We offer individual assistance certifying your documents and a dedicated project manager to ensure that each process is carried out efficiently and securely.
We'll arrange an insured courier to collect your original certificate and then obtain all necessary apostilles, legalizations and certifications. We also provide notarized and certified translations into Spanish, French, Portuguese and other languages, so that your certificate is properly legalized and ready to submit in the country where you need to present it.
We arrange secure delivery by courier worldwide.
How to obtain a UK Police Certificate
There are different types of Police Certificates and Criminal Record Checks available in the UK. While all can be authenticated for use abroad, it is important to check the requirements of the authority or embassy you are submitting to, as some authorities may require a specific type of certificate.
ACRO Police Certificates (UK)
ACRO Police Certificates are provided for people who wish to emigrate or who require a visa to live and work abroad (e.g. residency permits and Golden Visas). The certificate details whether or not you have a UK criminal record. Anyone who has lived or worked in the UK can apply for a Police Certificate. Certificates are delivered worldwide. To apply, you need to provide the details of an endorser (a professional person not related to you who has known you for 2 years) and proof of identity and current address.
DBS Check (England and Wales)
A basic disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service is available for people who live or work in England and Wales. It may be accepted by some authorities abroad as proof of a clean criminal record. A DBS Certificate must be certified by a solicitor or notary before submission for an ApostIlle stamp or legalization.
Criminal Record Check (Northern Ireland)
AccessNI criminal record checks are for people living or working in Northern Ireland. The check discloses any unspent convictions in the United Kingdom and may be accepted by some authorities abroad as proof of a clean criminal record. To obtain an apostille, the certificate must be first stamped and signed by AccessNI or certified by a notary.
Basic Disclosure (Scotland)
A Disclosure Scotland certificate is a criminal record check for people living in Scotland. A Basic disclosure can be legalized for use abroad, although not all overseas authorities and foreign embassies will accept a basic disclosure as a certificate of no criminal record and will require an ACRO police certificate instead.
Police Clearance Certificates (Guernsey)
Police Clearance Certificates can be certified for use in certain countries for purposes of work, travel or immigration.
International Child Protection Certificate (UK)
An ACRO International Child Protection Certificate might be required to work with children overseas. Certificates are available online from ACRO and can be legalized for use abroad.
Most authorities requiring criminal record certificates ask for a recent certificate (usually issued within the last three months)
Certified translations of ACRO Certificates and DBS Checks
When presenting a UK background check in a country (or embassy) which does not have English as an official language, then a certified translation may be required. The certified translation must meet the requirements of the destination country, so that a translation done locally in the United Kingdom will normally need to notarized and certified by an apostille.
Alternatively, it is often cheaper to make a certified translation in the destination country. We offer sworn translations of UK Criminal Record certificates certified in Italy (by court in Rome), Germany (court translator), Portugal (notarized translation), Spain (Traducción Jurada) and many other countries.
Isarey works with local notaries and sworn translators in a wide range of destination countries. We'll take care of the entire legalization and translation process, so that your certificates are correctly translated and ready to submit:
- GERMANY: translations into German must be certified by an officially authorized and appointed sworn translator.
- SPAIN: translator must be authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Spanish) ("Traducción Jurada")
- FRANCE: translations into French must be certified by a translator accredited by a French court of appeal (Cour d'appel)
- ITALY: translations must be authenticated by a Court Clerk or by a Notary Public in Italy
- PORTUGAL: translations into Portuguese can be certified in Portugal by a local notary
For further information about our UK apostille service for ACRO Certificates and DBS Checks, and to legalize criminal record checks issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland for use abroad, use our online quotation form or send us an email us. We will get back to you directly with a quotation and details of how to proceed: