30 Years of Trusted Police Certificate Translations
A police criminal record certificate (in the UK, sometimes referred to as an ‘ACRO certificate’) is an official record of an individual’s criminal convictions, or confirmation that they do not have any convictions, issued by a law enforcement authority or government agency.
Business Language Services has over 30 years of experience translating criminal record certificates and certifying them to ensure that they are recognised by the authority receiving them.
Certified translations in just four simple steps!
Quick, Simple and Reliable: Certified Translations Made Easy
Our police certificate translation services are designed to make the entire process – from getting a quote to delivering high-quality translations – as simple and seamless as possible:
Submit Documents
Send us a scan or photograph of your certificate(s), either by email or via the online quote form.
Project Assigned
A project manager oversees your translation from start to finish, starting with a certification consultation.
Quote Preparation
We analyse the document(s), determine the word count, and prepare a quote for cost and turnaround time.
Approve & Pay
If you are happy with the quote, you make your payment. We then get your translation underway.
Why translate a police criminal record certificate?
There are many situations where you will need to prove that you have no criminal record and will therefore need to have a police certificate translated, including:
- Applying for work or study abroad
- Working with children or vulnerable people
- Adopting or fostering children
- Obtaining a weapon or firearm licence
- Applying for visas
How to choose a police certificate translation provider
Since they are important legal documents, translations of criminal record certificates must always be certified. This confirms to the organisation receiving the translation that it was completed by a skilled professional linguist, that it is a true and accurate representation of the original, and that the translation has the same legal status as the original.
Only an accredited linguist or translation company can certify a translation, as this requires a stamp from a recognised translation industry body. The three such bodies in the UK are the Association of Translation Companies (ATC), the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), and the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), all of whom endorse each other’s certification procedures and guidelines.
Business Language Services is an Accredited Member of the Association of Translation Companies (ATC), so you will see our ATC stamp on any certified translation we provide (except ‘sworn’ translations, due to their specific requirements). This stamp is your seal of quality and accuracy and is recognised by all major institutions.
Police certificate translation from £66!
The exact certification requirements for police certificate translations vary from country to country.
We offer four levels/types of certification, depending on your requirements:
Certified translation
Certified Translation is the standard level of certification needed for any translation for legal purposes. The translation includes our ATC stamp and a verification letter, signed by a project manager or translator, certifying its accuracy. Certified Translation involves:
- Translation by a native-speaking professional
- Editing by a second experienced linguist
- Proofreading and formatting checks by your project manager
- Certification using our ATC stamp and verification letter
- Delivery of scanned copy by email, hard copy via first-class post to your UK address
Notarised translation
Notarisation provides an extra level of guarantee on top of our standard certification. Notarisation is often required for government, legal submissions, and sometimes for job or education applications. Notarised Translation involves:
- Translation by a native-speaking professional
- Editing by a second experienced linguist
- Proofreading and formatting checks by your project manager
- Certification using our ATC stamp and verification letter
- Notarisation by our trusted Notary Public
- Delivery of scanned copy by email, hard copy via first-class post to your UK address
Legalised/Apostilled translation
Legalisation (also known as apostille) is the highest level of certification typically available in the UK. Legalisation (apostille) is normally required if you plan to use your documents outside the UK in countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Legalised (Apostilled) Translation involves:
- Translation by a native-speaking professional
- Editing by a second experienced linguist
- Proofreading and formatting checks by your project manager
- Certification using our ATC stamp and verification letter
- Notarisation by our trusted Notary Public
- Legalisation by the FCDO
- Delivery of scanned copy by email, hard copy via first-class post to your UK address
Sworn (in-country)
Although the concept of ‘sworn’ translation does not officially exist in the UK, many other countries may require the translation to be completed by a ‘sworn’ translator.
‘Sworn’ translation is only needed in countries where the concept exists and when specifically requested by the organisation to which you are submitting the translation. ‘Sworn’ Translation involves:
- Translation by a native-speaking professional
- ‘Swearing’ of the translation in front of a solicitor, if applicable in that jurisdiction
- Delivery of scanned copy by email, hard copy via first-class post to your UK address
Every project is unique, so the above prices are estimates only. In order to provide an accurate quote for the cost and turnaround time for your translation, we will need to analyse your document(s).
Choosing the right certification for your police certificate translation
Due to their importance and legal significance, it is very common for translations of criminal record certificates to require Legalisation (Apostille) – this involves sending the translation and the original (paper) certificate to the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) in the UK, who will confirm that the original certificate and our translation certification are genuine. Standard Certified Translation or Notarisation are typically sufficient for less formal procedures such as work or study applications.
The organisation to which you are submitting your translation will know what level of certification they need, so we advise checking with them to ensure that you do not pay for a higher level than you need. Our expert project managers are also happy to advise you on the level of certification you might need.
How long does it take to translate a police certificate?
Standard Certified Translation of a police criminal record certificate typically takes around a full working day to translate, edit, proofread and certify, so you can expect to receive the translation 2 working days after we receive the source file.
If Notarisation is needed, this usually adds an extra working day on top of the standard certification timeline, so these projects are generally completed in a total of 2–3 working days.
Legalisation (apostille) takes longer still, as this requires paper copies to be posted to the FCDO. This generally adds around a week to the turnaround time after the translation is completed. It is possible to get your translations legalised independently, but our express service is significantly quicker.
Frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about police certificate translation.
Do you need the original certificate?
For the initial quotation and translation process, a scan or clear photograph of the document is sufficient. If you do not have access to a scanner, you are more than welcome to bring your certificate to our office, and we will be happy to scan it for you.
However, if Notarisation or Legalisation (Apostille) is required, then our Notary Public and the FCDO will need to receive the original certificate to verify that it is genuine. We will let you know if this is needed.
Does it matter if the certificate is damaged?
Provided that all the text is still legible, it does not matter if there is some light cosmetic damage (e.g. creases) to your certificate. If any text is missing or illegible, though, you might need to request a new copy, so that we can ensure that the translation is complete and accurate.