About the Author
Kwok is a practising solicitor based in London, admitted in England & Wales and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. He is registered with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Kwok has worked as legal counsel and in-house solicitor across leading firms and corporations. He personally oversees every apostille and legalisation case at Ginkgo Advisory, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and end-to-end quality control.
Kwok Lam
Legal Consultant of Ginkgo Advisory
If you need an ACRO Police Certificate and then a UK FCDO apostille, Ginkgo Advisory can assist in two practical ways.
You can either apply for the certificate yourself and ask ACRO to send the original certificate directly to our London office, or you can ask Ginkgo Advisory to apply for the certificate on your behalf and then arrange the apostille.
Option 1: You Apply for the ACRO Police Certificate Yourself
You can complete the ACRO Police Certificate application yourself.
During the application, you can ask ACRO to send the original certificate directly to our London office.
Once we receive the original certificate, Ginkgo Advisory can arrange the UK FCDO apostille in 2 working days, where the document is suitable for our express apostille route.
This option may suit applicants who prefer to manage the ACRO application themselves, but want professional support with the apostille stage.
The process is:
You submit the ACRO application → ACRO sends the original certificate to our London office → Ginkgo Advisory arranges the UK FCDO apostille → We return the apostilled certificate to you
Option 2: Ginkgo Advisory Applies for the ACRO Police Certificate for You
If you prefer a managed process, Ginkgo Advisory can apply for the ACRO Police Certificate on your behalf.
After ACRO issues the certificate, we can arrange the UK FCDO apostille for you.
This option may suit applicants who want support with the ACRO application, document preparation and apostille process.
The process is:
Ginkgo Advisory prepares the ACRO application → ACRO issues the certificate → Ginkgo Advisory arranges the UK FCDO apostille → We return the apostilled certificate to you
Your Details When Applying for Someone Else
If you complete the ACRO online form on behalf of another person, the form may ask for your own details.
This section will usually ask for:
- Your name
- Your telephone number
- Your email address
This helps ACRO identify the person completing the form and communicate about the application where required.
If Ginkgo Advisory applies for the ACRO Police Certificate on your behalf, we will need to make sure the correct representative details are entered.
Passport and Travel Document Details
For Police Certificates and International Child Protection Certificates, also known as ICPCs, ACRO asks for details from the applicant’s passport or travel document.
ACRO uses these details to confirm the applicant’s identity.
These details may also appear on the certificate, so they must be recorded correctly.
You will need to upload copies of the passport or travel document and confirm that the details are accurate.
Before uploading the image, ACRO asks applicants to crop the image and remove excess background around the document.
The uploaded image should clearly show:
- All information on the passport or travel document
- The photograph
- The machine-readable zone, also known as the MRZ
- The full document without obstruction
The image should not be hidden by watermarks or other objects.
If the applicant does not have a passport or travel document, ACRO may require another photographic identity document.
Why the Passport Image Quality Matters
The passport or travel document image is not just a supporting upload.
ACRO uses it to verify identity and record certificate details.
If the photograph, passport details or MRZ are unclear, the application may face delay.
Therefore, before submitting the form, you should check that the document image is clear, complete and correctly cropped.
If Ginkgo Advisory applies for the ACRO Police Certificate on your behalf, we can help check that the document upload is suitable before submission.
Personal Details on the ACRO Form
The personal details section records the applicant’s personal information and contact details.
This may include the applicant’s:
- Personal details
- Telephone number
- Email address
For Police Certificates and ICPCs, all names entered in this section will appear on the certificate.
This means the names must be checked carefully before submission.
If the applicant has current names, previous names, alternative spellings or names shown on identity documents, the form should be completed with care.
Address History for the Past Ten Years
ACRO requires the applicant’s address history for the past ten years.
For Police Certificates and ICPCs, the form will ask for a full ten-year address history.
You may not be able to continue if there are gaps in the address history.
Therefore, applicants should prepare their address information before starting the form.
This is especially important for people who have moved between countries, used temporary accommodation, studied overseas or changed address frequently.
If the Applicant Has Not Lived in the UK for the Last Ten Years
If the applicant has not lived in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man during the last ten years, ACRO asks for the applicant’s last address in one of those places.
This can be relevant for applicants who now live overseas but previously lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
For Police Certificates and ICPCs, if no address in Scotland or Northern Ireland has been entered, ACRO may ask the applicant to confirm whether they have ever lived in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Address Search on the ACRO Form
ACRO’s online form includes an address search function.
You can start typing the first line of the address and select the correct address when it appears in the dropdown list.
If the address does not appear in the international address search results, you can manually type the address into the address fields.
After the address is populated, you should check that it is complete and accurate.
In particular, you should check whether flat, apartment or unit information appears correctly.
If needed, Address Line 2 can be used, but the address should remain in the correct order.
Postcode Requirements for ICPC
For an ICPC, if the address is in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, a postcode is mandatory.
If the applicant cannot provide a full postcode, ACRO asks for a partial postcode instead.
Although this article focuses on ACRO Police Certificate application and apostille support, applicants completing an ICPC form should also follow these address requirements carefully.
Sending the ACRO Certificate Directly to Our London Office
If you apply yourself, you can ask ACRO to send the original ACRO Police Certificate directly to our London office.
This can help the apostille stage proceed more smoothly because the original certificate can move directly from ACRO to Ginkgo Advisory.
Once we receive the original certificate, we can arrange the UK FCDO apostille in 2 working days, where suitable.
How Ginkgo Advisory Can Help
Ginkgo Advisory can assist with:
- ACRO Police Certificate application support
- Representative details where we apply on your behalf
- Passport and travel document upload checks
- MRZ and document image quality review
- Personal details and name consistency checks
- Ten-year address history preparation
- ACRO Police Certificate delivery to our London office
- UK FCDO apostille after ACRO issues the certificate
- 2 working day UK FCDO apostille, where suitable
- Return delivery of the apostilled certificate
Whether you apply yourself or ask us to apply on your behalf, we can help create a clear route from ACRO application to FCDO apostille.
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