Criminal records check apostille – UK legalisation service

Fast, secure apostille service for your criminal records check

We provide fast apostille and legalisation services for criminal records checks, including priority FCDO apostille UK processing and secure tracked delivery. This service is commonly required for overseas employment, immigration applications and international background verification.

What is a criminal records check?

A criminal records check is an official document confirming whether an individual has any criminal convictions, cautions or warnings recorded in the United Kingdom. These checks may be issued by ACRO, DBS, Access NI or Disclosure Scotland depending on the type and location of the check.

Why you may need an apostille

You may require an apostille for:

  • Visa and immigration applications
  • Overseas employment applications
  • Residency or work permit applications
  • International background checks
  • Professional licensing abroad

An apostille ensures your criminal records check is legally recognised in Hague Apostille Convention countries.

Can I legalise a criminal records check?

Yes — UK criminal records checks can be legalised for international use, provided they meet the required format and certification standards.

Apostille requirements
  • Original criminal records check required
  • Documents must meet current FCDO legalisation standards
  • Certain documents may require certification by a UK solicitor or Notary Public before apostille
Acceptable formats for legalisation

✔ Original criminal records checks issued in the UK
✔ ACRO police certificates
✔ DBS certificates, Access NI or Disclosure Scotland documents where accepted
✔ Documents certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public where required
❌ Uncertified photocopies, scans or unofficial printouts are not accepted

Embassy attestation (if required)

If your destination country is not part of the Hague Convention, additional embassy attestation may be required after the FCDO apostille UK process.

We can arrange:

  • Embassy attestation
  • Certified translations
  • PDF scanning
Our apostille service includes
  • Pre-submission document checks
  • Priority FCDO apostille UK submission
  • Secure tracked return delivery
  • Optional services: embassy attestation, translation and scanning
Processing time

Priority service:
Next working day submission to the FCDO if documents are received before 12:30 pm at our Milton Keynes office.

Most clients receive their apostilled documents within 1–2 working days after FCDO processing.