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How long is an ACRO police certificate valid? The 12-month clock Brits need to plan around

Tips · 2026-10-18 · 9 min read

An ACRO police certificate has no fixed expiry date of its own: ACRO leaves that to whoever asks for it. For an Australian visa, Home Affairs treats police certificates as valid for 12 months from the issue date, and the certificate must cover your time from age 16. ACRO can take up to 20 working days plus postage, so the trick is to apply late enough to stay inside those 12 months, but early enough to answer Home Affairs on time.

ACRO sets no expiry: the authority asking for it does

ACRO Criminal Records Office issues the ACRO Police Certificate for people who want to emigrate, need a visa to live or work abroad, or want residency in another country. Gov.uk says you may need one when applying for a visa or emigrating to countries including Australia and New Zealand.

On validity, ACRO's own police certificates page is plain. There is no set validity period, because different authorities use different ones, and it is your job to check with the relevant authority before you apply.

ACRO also says it is your responsibility to check that the authority will accept its certificate, and it cannot refund you if the certificate is refused.

Home Affairs' 12-month rule and the age-16 start

Home Affairs may ask for a police certificate from every country you have lived in, usually if you are over 17 and lived there for at least 12 months in the past 10 years. For most Brits, that list starts with the UK.

Its character requirements page says police certificates for Australian visas are valid for 12 months from the issue date. They must also cover the time from age 16 up to the issue date, or the whole time you spent in that country.

So the useful question is not "how long is ACRO valid?" but "will my certificate still be inside 12 months when Home Affairs looks at it?" Home Affairs' Services outside Australia page has a country list that explains how to get a police certificate for each country, so check the United Kingdom entry before you order.

How long ACRO takes, from form to doormat

ACRO says it can take up to 20 working days to process a certificate from when it receives a correctly completed application. That count leaves out the day you submit, the day it is dispatched and postal delivery time.

Certificates are sent by post only; there is no emailed copy. Standard first class or international standard post is included, and international courier delivery costs £48, though not to UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man addresses.

ACRO advises not to arrange travel, employment or accommodation until the certificate has arrived. If you move flat in Manchester while it is in the post, that advice matters.

When Home Affairs asks on a working holiday application

For the first Working Holiday visa (subclass 417), Home Affairs may ask for an overseas police certificate from every country, including your home country, where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16. It says it will let you know if you need to provide one.

That is a strong hint on timing. Ordering a certificate long before you lodge simply burns months off the 12-month window, while the request from Home Affairs tells you exactly when it is needed.

If you have also lived abroad, for example 12 months or more working in Dubai, that country's certificate is part of the same request. For the UAE side, EmiratesPrime's guide to UAE police clearance for an Australian visa explains which certificate fits and when to apply.

Sponsored work visas and the accredited sponsor exception

On the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), there is one useful exception. If you are sponsored by an accredited sponsor and attach the sponsor's reference confirming good character and no criminal convictions, Home Affairs says you do not need police certificates from countries other than Australia.

Not every employer is an accredited sponsor, so ask before you order anything. Our guide to the Skills in Demand 482 visa covers the rest of that application, and the New Zealand AEWV guide covers New Zealand's main work visa.

Checks can come from employers as well as the visa side. Gov.uk's Living in Australia guide says you may need a criminal records check to apply for a job. Optional: a verified Talent Tabloid profile lets employers check your experience and can help your application stand out while the paperwork is in progress.

A timeline that keeps the certificate in date

If an apostille is requested

ACRO does not offer an apostille or translation service, and points applicants to gov.uk to get the certificate legalised. Gov.uk says you cannot get an e-Apostille for ACRO police certificates for England and Wales, so they need a paper-based apostille if one is asked for.

A standard paper apostille costs £45 per document plus courier or postage, and usually takes up to 25 working days. Gov.uk says to check first whether the person asking needs one at all; do not add weeks to your plan for a stamp nobody requested.

Applying online without losing your work

1. Confirm which certificate the authority wants and how it treats validity (for Australia, 12 months from issue).
2. Register for an ACRO account first: without one, the 10-page online form must be completed in one go.
3. Gather a recent passport-style photo (JPG or PNG, up to 3MB), colour copies of your passport and a valid email address.
4. Write out your address history for the last 10 years, with any convictions or pending prosecutions, and have a debit or credit card ready.
5. Decide on extra copies now (£7.75 each) rather than later (£15 each).
6. Submit, then allow up to 20 working days plus post before any deadline Home Affairs gives you.
7. Upload the certificate as soon as it arrives, and note its issue date for the 12-month count.

Common mistakes with UK police certificates

• Ordering months too early. A certificate issued well before you lodge can run out of its 12 months before a decision.
• Sending a basic DBS check instead. A basic DBS check (£20, usually up to 3 days, for jobs in England and Wales) shows only unspent convictions and is a different product from the ACRO Police Certificate.
• Assuming it proves good conduct. ACRO says its certificate cannot be used as a certificate of good character or good conduct.
• Booking flights or a job start on the expected date. ACRO advises against it until the certificate is in your hands.
• Forgetting other countries. Home Affairs may want a certificate from every country where you lived 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
• Cancelling halfway. ACRO keeps a £15 administration fee from any refund.

Criminal record checks across borders have been in the news too: read what the shelved criminal record sharing plan means for visa applicants. For timing on the visa side, see the new visa processing priorities for skilled migrants and what Australia's visa slowdown means for applicants and employers. If care work appeals, browse community services jobs or this home care role in Mandurah.

Frequently asked questions

How long is an ACRO police certificate valid?

ACRO itself sets no validity period, because each authority decides its own. For Australian visas, Home Affairs says police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date, so that is the clock to plan around.

How long does ACRO take to issue a police certificate?

ACRO says it can take up to 20 working days from the time it receives a correctly completed application. That does not count the day you submit, the day it is sent or the time in the post, and certificates are posted only.

Should I get my ACRO certificate before I apply for a working holiday visa?

For the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417), Home Affairs says it may ask for police certificates and will let you know if you need to provide one. Waiting for that request helps keep the certificate inside its 12-month window while the application is decided.

Can I order a spare copy of my ACRO certificate later?

Yes, within limits. Extra copies cost £7.75 each if you ask for them in the application, or £15 each if you order them up to six months after you receive the certificate, so ask at the start if you think you will need more than one.

Is a basic DBS check the same as an ACRO police certificate?

No. A basic DBS check is a copy of your criminal record for jobs in England and Wales, costs £20 and shows only unspent convictions. ACRO says its Police Certificate is for people who need a visa to live or work abroad or are emigrating.

Key takeaways

• ACRO sets no validity; Home Affairs counts 12 months from the issue date.
• The certificate must cover your time from age 16, or your whole time in the country.
• Allow up to 20 working days plus post, and order spare copies in the first application.
• On a working holiday application, Home Affairs tells you if it needs a certificate.
• Get a paper apostille only if someone asks for one.

Last checked: 22 October 2026 against the official pages linked above.

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