ACRO Police Certificate Apostille — FCDO Authentication & Translation
We obtain your UK ACRO Police Certificate, secure the FCDO apostille — standard or premium same-day at Milton Keynes — and provide a sworn translation when your destination needs one. Fully remote, everything Spanish residency and overseas applications require.
- ACRO certificate obtained for you
- FCDO apostille (standard or premium)
- Same-day route at Milton Keynes
- Sworn translation for Spain
UK police certificate — what do you need?
Step 1 of 4
Where will you use the UK police certificate?
ACRO Police Certificate apostille: how it works
An ACRO Police Certificate apostille combines two UK-specific steps. First, the ACRO Criminal Records Office issues the official UK police certificate used for emigration and overseas applications. Then the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) adds the Apostille of The Hague — in the UK the apostille is issued by the FCDO, not by a notary or solicitor.
For destinations like Spain, a third step is needed: a sworn translation of the apostilled certificate. The FCDO offers both a standard postal service and a premium same-day service at Milton Keynes, so the whole chain can be fast when a visa deadline is tight.
Who needs this service?
Spanish residency and the 2026 regularización require a UK police certificate (ACRO) with an FCDO apostille and a sworn Spanish translation. We handle the full chain.
If you lived in the United Kingdom and now need to prove your UK conduct abroad, the ACRO Police Certificate is the recognised document — and it must be apostilled by the FCDO to be valid overseas.
Employers and regulators in many countries require an apostilled UK police certificate for work permits, visas and professional registration.
Immigration authorities worldwide accept the ACRO certificate with FCDO apostille as proof of UK criminal-record status.
Required documents
| Document | Issuing authority | Estimated time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACRO Police Certificate | ACRO Criminal Records Office | Standard ~10 working days; Premium service faster | The ACRO Police Certificate is the UK’s official police certificate for emigration and overseas use. It is requested online from ACRO; you will need ID and an address history. It is the document that then gets apostilled by the FCDO. |
| FCDO apostille (Apostille of The Hague) | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) — Legalisation Office, Milton Keynes | Standard postal service or Premium same-day (in person via a registered agent) | In the UK the apostille is issued by the FCDO, not by a notary or solicitor. The FCDO can apostille the ACRO certificate directly because it carries an official signature it recognises. Premium same-day service is handled in person at Milton Keynes. |
| Certified translation (if destination is non-English) | Sworn/certified translator recognized in the destination country | 1–2 business days after the apostille | For Spain a sworn (jurada) translation is required; for other countries a certified translation. The translation must cover the ACRO certificate and the apostille text. |
How the process works
We confirm your destination requirement (Spain residency, visa, immigration), check whether you need standard or premium speed, and prepare your ACRO application so it is not delayed by address-history gaps.
We guide or manage your online ACRO Police Certificate request, ensuring the personal data and address history are correct — the most common cause of ACRO delays.
Once the ACRO certificate is issued, we submit it to the FCDO Legalisation Office for the apostille. For urgent cases we use the premium same-day in-person route at Milton Keynes.
If your destination is non-English (e.g. Spain), a sworn translator prepares the translation of the apostilled certificate. The complete package is couriered to you.
Pricing
Pricing depends on the ACRO and FCDO service levels (standard vs premium) and whether a sworn translation is required. We confirm current ACRO and FCDO fees and timelines and give a firm quote before starting. Get an exact quote for your deadline →
Official sources & authorities
Information on this page is based on procedures from recognized government and intergovernmental bodies — not third-party estimates.
Related guides
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Reviewed by
Laura ChenLegal Document Expert
Specialist in documents for the English-speaking market with a focus on fast and secure processing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ACRO Police Certificate?
The ACRO Police Certificate is the United Kingdom’s official police certificate issued by the ACRO Criminal Records Office for people emigrating or needing to prove their UK criminal-record status abroad. It is requested online and is the document that is then apostilled by the FCDO for overseas use.
Who apostilles a UK police certificate?
In the UK, the apostille is issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office — not by a notary or solicitor. The FCDO can apostille the ACRO certificate directly because it recognises the official signature on it.
Can I get the apostille the same day?
Yes — the FCDO offers a premium same-day service handled in person at its Milton Keynes office through a registered agent, in addition to the standard postal service. We use the premium route for urgent cases such as visa deadlines.
Do I need a translation for Spain?
Yes. For use in Spain the apostilled ACRO certificate needs a sworn (jurada) translation into Spanish, recognised by the Spanish authorities. The translation must cover both the certificate and the apostille text.
How long does the whole process take?
It depends on the service levels chosen. The ACRO certificate takes around 10 working days on standard service (faster on premium), and the FCDO apostille can be standard postal or premium same-day. We confirm current ACRO and FCDO timelines and recommend the right combination for your deadline.
Is the FCDO apostille accepted in Spain and Latin America?
Yes. The United Kingdom, Spain and the major Latin American countries are all members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, so a single FCDO apostille is accepted without any further consular legalization.
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