Fees and steps checked on
An ACRO police certificate is attested for the UAE in three stages: ACRO Criminal Records Office issues the certificate, the FCDO adds a paper apostille, and the UAE Embassy in London attests it together with MOFA. UAE employers, schools, licensing bodies and some residence files ask for it from people who lived in the UK. One practical point changes everything: ACRO says it cannot post hard-copy certificates to the UAE at the moment, so the certificate has to go to an address outside the region.
Price: from AED 985 plus VAT on standard (22 to 24 working days), AED 1,200 on express (18 working days) or AED 1,600 on premium (12 to 14 working days). FCDO, embassy and MOFA fees and courier are in the price. ACRO's application fee is separate. See attestation fees.
Applying to ACRO
You apply on the ACRO police certificates page with an online form. ACRO's current figures:
| Item | ACRO's figure |
|---|---|
| Fee | £70 |
| Time | Up to 20 working days, not counting post |
| Extra copies | Cheaper when ordered with the application |
| International courier | Available for a fee, but not to the UAE |
| Validity | No fixed period; the receiving authority decides |
People who never lived in the UK can apply when an authority asks them to, using a British passport.
The delivery address problem
ACRO lists the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and others as countries it cannot currently post hard copies to. You have these options:
- A UK address of a family member, who then hands it on.
- Direct to the FCDO. ACRO's form help explains how to have the certificate sent straight to the FCDO Legalisation Office.
- Another country. Any address outside the countries ACRO lists, where someone can receive it for you.
Step by step
- Apply to ACRO with a delivery address outside the region. Tell us which one you chose.
- FCDO apostille, paper only. GOV.UK confirms ACRO certificates cannot get an e-Apostille. We check whether your certificate goes to the FCDO as it is or needs a solicitor's certification first.
- UAE Embassy London and MOFA, applied for on the MOFA portal and attested digitally after VFS collects the paper certificate.
- Email delivery of the attested certificate, with the paper sent on by courier.
Who asks for it in the UAE
- Schools. Good conduct checks are part of teacher files for KHDA, ADEK and the Ministry of Education. See teacher certificate attestation.
- Licensing bodies, for example for some health and finance roles.
- Employers in security, finance and work with children.
- Some visa routes, when the authority wants a police certificate from your last country of residence. See police clearance for a UAE visa.
What goes wrong
- A UAE address on the form. ACRO cannot post there, and the certificate is delayed.
- A basic DBS bought instead. Some UAE offices accept it, others ask for ACRO. Ask before you pay. The DBS route is on UK DBS certificate attestation.
- An old certificate. Many receivers want a recent one. Apply close to the date you will file.
- Name differences. Use your passport name, and list former names on the form.
A UAE police certificate for use abroad is a different document, covered on police clearance certificate in Dubai.
ACRO police certificate attestation for the UAE in one view
If you searched for "ACRO police certificate attestation UAE", this is the whole job. ACRO issues the certificate, the FCDO adds a paper apostille, and the UAE Embassy in London attests it together with MOFA. We run the second and third stages and tell you before you apply to ACRO which delivery address avoids the posting problem. You stay in the UAE throughout.
What to send us
- A clear PDF or photo of the ACRO certificate, every page in colour with stamps readable.
- The photo page of your passport.
- A name-change document (marriage certificate or deed poll) if your name on the certificate differs from your passport.
- The UAE office that asked for the certificate, and its deadline.
The paper certificate is what travels through the FCDO and embassy steps, so it leaves your hands for the duration. It comes back by courier once the attestation is done, and the attested copy is emailed to you first. Keep it flat and do not laminate it: MOFA does not accept laminated documents.
How long the whole thing takes
Two waits add together. ACRO says up to 20 working days, not counting post. Our attestation then runs 22 to 24 working days on standard, 18 on express or 12 to 14 on premium, counted from the day we have the paper certificate. Apply to ACRO first, and as early as your deadline allows.
Why the apostille alone does not work
The FCDO apostille is a UK stamp. The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a UAE office will not accept an ACRO certificate with an apostille and nothing else. The UAE Embassy London and MOFA step is what makes it valid here. The difference is explained on attestation vs apostille.
Check the finished attestation
Enter the reference number and issue date from the last page at verify.mofa.gov.ae and open Document Status. More on that on MOFA attestation verification. The UAE office can run the same check.
