A basic DBS check costs £20 and usually arrives within days, so it is often the first certificate people order when a consulate asks for a criminal record check. For a Spanish residence visa it is the wrong one. The Spanish Consulate General in London's visa page says: "For UK Criminal Records submit ACRO Certificate", apostilled, no more than 6 months old, and "Sworn translation into Spanish is also required."
The pattern repeats elsewhere: the right certificate, a paper-only apostille and a translator the destination recognises. Miss one and the clock restarts on a document with a shelf life.
Below: the right certificate, the apostille, destination rules, the translation and timing.
Do I need a DBS check or an ACRO police certificate to move abroad?
For immigration, usually an ACRO Police Certificate, which ACRO Criminal Records Office issues for people who need "a visa to live and/or work abroad" or "citizenship or residency in another country". DBS agrees: it calls the basic check one "available to people working in England and Wales" and sends visa applicants to ACRO.
Employers abroad vary. AccessNI says a basic check will do for an overseas job if "that country accepts an AccessNI certificate", and the FCDO's standard letter says foreign ministries and embassies "will generally accept a Police Certificate or a basic disclosure". For visas, Northern Ireland's official guidance names Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Cayman Islands, New Zealand, South Africa and the US as needing the ACRO certificate.
| Certificate | Issued by | What it shows | Cost and time | Route to an apostille |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police Certificate | ACRO, for the whole UK | Convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings under ACRO's step-down model, plus impending prosecutions | £70; up to 20 working days, plus post | Paper apostille on the certificate; ACRO can post it straight to the FCDO |
| International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) | ACRO | All convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings with no step-down, impending prosecutions, relevant police intelligence and a DBS children's barred list check | £103; up to 20 working days, 30 at peak | Paper apostille; can also go straight to the FCDO |
| Basic DBS check | DBS, England and Wales | Unspent convictions and conditional cautions | £20; about 3 days, then posted | Paper apostille only |
| Level 1 disclosure (formerly basic) | Disclosure Scotland | Unspent convictions | £25; usually within 14 days | Digital only: ask Disclosure Scotland for a stamped and signed paper copy first |
| Basic check | AccessNI | Unspent convictions, or a statement that none were found | £16; 95% within 14 days | Send it to AccessNI to be signed and stamped first |
Working with children abroad? ACRO says your employer may also want an ICPC. And because ACRO also searches Scottish and Northern Irish policing databases, its certificate serves all four nations.
What does an ACRO police certificate show?
Your personal details, photograph and a result. Under ACRO's step-down model, older and less serious records can drop off, and the certificate prints one of four summaries:
| Result printed | What ACRO says it means |
|---|---|
| NO TRACE | No convictions, cautions, final warnings or reprimands |
| NO LIVE TRACE | A criminal record exists, but it has been stepped down and is not shown |
| FURTHER INFORMATION STEPPED DOWN | A record exists; only relevant information appears because some convictions were stepped down |
| TRACE- SUMMARY OF CONVICTIONS | A record exists and every conviction is shown |
A "No Live Trace" result comes with a separate print of the stepped-down offences, "for personal use only" in ACRO's words, though the US State Department requires it with immigrant visa applications. Arrests and "no further action" outcomes do not appear.
Three more points matter abroad:
- No fixed validity. ACRO says "different authorities have different validity periods": one year for the US, 6 months for Spain's consulate.
- Not a "good conduct" certificate. ACRO says it cannot be used as one. If an authority insists, the FCDO publishes free letters explaining that UK police do not issue them.
- No apostille or translation from ACRO. It offers neither service.
How do I get a UK criminal record certificate apostilled?
On paper, through the FCDO Legalisation Office: GOV.UK excludes ACRO, DBS and Scottish and Northern Irish disclosure certificates from the e-Apostille. The paper service costs £45 per document plus return courier or postage and takes "usually up to 25 working days, plus courier or postage time" (15 working days from receipt on 14 October 2026).
Each certificate gets there differently:
- ACRO: apply for legalisation first. ACRO posts the certificate straight to the FCDO if you put "FCDO" and your FCDO reference number in line 1 of the alternative delivery address.
- Disclosure Scotland: a Level 1 disclosure is online only. Ask Disclosure Scotland to verify it, free, and it posts a paper copy "stamped and signed to verify it" for the FCDO.
- AccessNI: it is "authorised by the FCO to sign basic certificates", so send it the certificate to sign and stamp first.
- Basic DBS: send the paper certificate DBS posts to you.
Apostille the certificate itself, not a copy: Spain's consulate wants the signatures of "police officers, etc." legalised, "not the signature of notaries or solicitors who did not issue those certificates."
Countries outside the Apostille Convention add steps: for Kuwait, the FCDO says a UK criminal records check must be "notarised by a UK notary", legalised and attested at the Kuwaiti Embassy in London. Routes for other documents are in which documents need an apostille, and timings in the apostille turnaround guide.
Which countries want the certificate translated, and by whom?
Most countries whose language is not English, and the destination decides who may translate. Examples from official sources:
| Destination and purpose | Certificate and legalisation | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Spain: non-working residence visa, consulate in London | ACRO, no more than 6 months old, apostilled on the original | "Sworn translation into Spanish is also required", by a sworn translator registered in Spain |
| France: naturalisation, if you have lived in France under 10 years | Original foreign criminal record extract | A traducteur agréé, or a translator authorised by the courts or authorities of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland; the original translation is filed |
| Italy: citizenship by residence (Rome prefecture) | Criminal record certificate from the country of origin, legalised | Munito di traduzione legalizzata: with a legalised translation |
| Portugal: work and residence permits | Certificates from your home country and any country lived in for a year or more (ACRO for the UK), apostilled | AIMA says documents in English need no translation; the FCDO says to check whether documents must be "Translated to Portuguese by a Sworn Translator" |
| Argentina: jobs | Criminal record check covering the past 3 years | "legalised, apostilled and accompanied by an official translation if not in Spanish" |
| Netherlands: any use | ACRO certificate with a paper apostille | None: "Documents in English do not have to be translated" |
| US and Canada: immigration | ACRO certificate | None: English is accepted |
Where a destination names its own translators, as Spain and France do, a UK translation does not meet the rule however it is certified, and we do not provide sworn translations under those systems: use a translator on that country's list. Where an authority accepts a certified translation, or one notarised and apostilled, we can provide it. With our apostille service, the certified translation is notarised and then apostilled, with the apostille attached to the translation, not your certificate. See translation and apostille: when you need both.
What must the translation of a UK police certificate show?
Everything printed, in order, because the official abroad reads only the translation:
- The title and issuer, such as "Police Certificate (UK)" and ACRO Criminal Records Office.
- Every name and personal detail exactly as printed, matching your passport.
- The photograph, described in square brackets.
- The result word for word. "NO LIVE TRACE" means a record exists that has been stepped down; it is not "no criminal record".
- Every conviction entry, where shown, with dates, courts, offences and outcomes.
- The reference number, issue date, signature and notes. The US checks that it is "Signed by an ACRO Officer".
- The apostille, if wanted. Spain's consulate says an apostille need not be translated if one of its languages is Spanish; a UK apostille is in English.
- The stepped-down offences print, if you must submit it.
Translating a foreign certificate for a UK visa instead? See police certificate translation for UK visas.
How long does it take, and when should I start?
Start about three months ahead, but not so early that the certificate is too old on the day: Spain's 6 months run from the issue date, so the apostille and translation eat into them.
ACRO's 20 working days and the FCDO's 15 to 25 add up to 7 to 9 weeks before postage and translation, and ACRO advises against booking travel until the certificate arrives.
Living in the Middle East? In October 2026 ACRO could not post certificates to Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman or Lebanon, and asked for an address in another country.
Why criminal record certificates get rejected abroad
- A basic DBS check where the consulate wanted ACRO.
- Too old on the day: over 6 months for a Spanish visa, over a year for a US immigrant visa.
- An apostille on a notary's copy where the police signature was meant to be legalised.
- A Disclosure Scotland download without the stamped paper copy.
- The stepped-down offences print missing where the authority asked for it.
- A translator the destination does not recognise, such as a non-sworn translator for Spain.
Checklist: UK criminal record certificate for use abroad
Questions people ask
Can I use a basic DBS check for a visa abroad?
Usually not. DBS describes the basic check as one for people working in England and Wales and directs visa applicants to ACRO, and Spain's consulate asks for the ACRO certificate by name. Some employers abroad accept a basic check, so ask which one they want.
How much does an ACRO police certificate cost and how long does it take?
It costs £70 including standard post, and ACRO allows up to 20 working days to process it, plus postage. Extra copies cost £7.75 each with the application, and international courier delivery is £48.
How long is an ACRO police certificate valid?
ACRO sets no validity period, because each authority sets its own. The US accepts ACRO certificates for one year, Spain's consulate for 6 months from issue.
Can I get an e-Apostille on an ACRO or DBS certificate?
No. GOV.UK excludes ACRO, DBS and Scottish and Northern Irish disclosure certificates from the e-Apostille service, so use the paper service at £45 per document plus courier or postage.
My certificate says "No Live Trace". Does that mean I have no criminal record?
No. ACRO says it means a criminal record exists but has been stepped down and is not shown. You receive a separate print of those offences, which the US State Department, for one, requires with the certificate.
I live in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Which certificate do I need?
For visas and residence, the ACRO certificate, which also searches Scottish and Northern Irish policing databases. If an employer abroad accepts a basic check, Disclosure Scotland must first issue a stamped paper copy, and AccessNI must sign its certificate, before legalisation.
Does the translation have to be done in the destination country?
Sometimes. Spain requires a sworn translator registered in Spain and French naturalisation files need a traducteur agréé, so a UK translation will not do there. Other authorities accept a certified translation or one notarised and apostilled, which we can provide; ask first.
How much does it cost to translate a police certificate?
Official Translations charges £29.95 per page, a page being up to 300 words. An ACRO certificate is usually short, and most single-page documents arrive as a signed PDF by email within 24 hours.
