Find out everything you need to know about the UK Police Check and how to get one.

Prefer to watch the video? Click the picture below.

Can you get a Non Lucrative Visa for Spain with a UK criminal record?
How do you find out what’s on your record?
How long do convictions last?
Which ones stop you from getting your visa?
What’s the difference between ACRO and DBS?

Stick around, and you’ll find out.

What is ACRO?

It’s a Police Certificate that’s specific to the UK and shows your criminal record. 

Why do I need one?

A quick explanation of the NLV first – if you’re a UK passport holder, you’re no longer an EU citizen since Brexit, so if you want to move to Spain you’ll need to apply for a visa, like the Non Lucrative visa for example. To get one of these you need to show, amongst other things, that you’re not a criminal. The ACRO police check is the first document you need before you apply for a Spanish visa.

Is the ACRO police check the same as the DBS?

No. The DBS is a slightly different check that can only be applied for by registered employers in parts of the UK, and it covers other non-conviction information as well as criminal convictions. It’s a service to protect vulnerable people. But that’s not the police check you need in order to apply for the Non Lucrative Visa.

Do you get the ACRO in other countries as well?

Other countries have their own versions of the criminal record check, like the FBI check in the US, but in this video we’ll just talk about the ACRO.

How do you apply?

Click HERE to go to the ACRO website and scroll to where it says Police Certificates. Click on ‘Download Form’. There are instructions there about what to do after you’ve completed the form.

What documents and information do I need? 

• Proof of current address

• Passport sized photo

• Colour copy of your passport’s title/information page

• 10 year address history including dates

• Valid email address

• Endorser details – a suitable individual’s name, occupation, relationship to you, telephone number, and email address

• Your UK National Insurance number and Driving Licence number if you have one

• Any additional relevant documentation (e.g. Power of Attorney, Letter of Authority)

What are the four kinds of ACRO certificate?

No Trace, No Live Trace, Trace, and Further Information Stepped Down. 

• No Trace means there are no convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings or conditional discharges on record for you, which is just what the consulate will be looking for in someone wishing to live in Spain.

• No Live Trace means there is a criminal record but it’s been stepped down, which means they’ve removed the conviction from the certificate after a certain length of time based on the severity of the crime.

• Trace means there is a criminal record and all of the information has been disclosed.

• Further Information Stepped Down means there is a criminal record, but only relevant information appears on the certificate because some information has been stepped down.

Which certificates will stop me getting a visa?

It’s unlikely you’ll have a problem purely based on a No Trace or No Live Trace. The authorities are more concerned with stopping people who’ve committed more serious crimes, especially the ones involving violence, and those kind of crimes don’t tend to get stepped down. If you get a Trace certificate or Further Information Stepped Down, it’s likely your visa application will be refused.

How long does it take to get a certificate?

Usually just a few weeks.

Can I check my ACRO a few months in advance just in case?

Yes. It costs about £55 to get the check done. Just remember that the certificate needs to be dated less than six months before your application date, so if you do it too early you’ll need to get a new copy.

Is there a cheaper way to find out?

You can do what’s called a Subject Access Request, or SAR, which should show up any possible convictions. Write to this email address to ask subjectaccessrequest@acro.police.uk 

Can you get convictions removed from your ACRO?

If you think there’s a conviction that shouldn’t be there, you can appeal for it to be taken off. Write to deletions@acro.police.uk 

But remember, not all offences can be removed.

Anything else I need to know?

Yes, before you send off your ACRO to the consulate, it needs to be apostilled with the Hague stamp, and translated by an officially registered Spanish translator.

HERE is a link to our favourite apostille company who can get it done in a jiffy including the translation, and you get a discount! 

HERE is a link to the Spanish government’s official translators’ list. 

Any more questions? 

Put them in the comments below, or you can ask the experts on YouTooSpain live on Saturday mornings.

Peace & Love! Peas & Fluff! Let’s dance!

Article by Skatz