The UAE is one of the most common destinations for UK professionals relocating for work, and an apostilled ACRO Police Certificate is almost universally required as part of the employment visa and residency process. Because the UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, a UK apostille alone is not sufficient - the certificate must go through three distinct authentication stages before UAE authorities will accept it.

Stage one: prepare and submit the original to the FCDO

An ACRO Police Certificate carrying a wet-ink signature from an authorised official and the date can be submitted directly to the FCDO for apostille. Only the original certificate is accepted - photocopies and digital copies carry no original signature or stamp and cannot be authenticated. If the original has been lost or damaged, a replacement must be ordered from the ACRO Criminal Records Office before the process can begin. Standard replacement takes approximately twenty working days; a premium two-working-day service is available for urgent timelines.

Stage two: UAE Embassy digital attestation in London

Once the FCDO apostille has been obtained, the apostilled certificate must be submitted to the UAE Embassy in London for attestation. Since early 2025, the UAE Embassy operates a fully digital attestation system - physical stamps and stickers are no longer applied. The Embassy scans the apostilled document and applies a digital attestation electronically. Processing takes approximately eight to ten working days. There is no expedited service at the Embassy, and additional delays occur during Ramadan and Eid.

Stage three: MOFA digital attestation in the UAE

Following Embassy approval, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs completes the final authentication step. MOFA issues a digital attestation certificate as a secure PDF, which is emailed to the applicant. This digital certificate is fully recognised across the UAE for employment visa and residency purposes and can be verified online using the reference number provided.

Total timeline and planning

Between FCDO apostille processing and UAE Embassy attestation, the full three-stage process typically takes four to six weeks from the point the original certificate is ready for submission. If a replacement ACRO certificate is also needed, factor in the additional ordering time. Start the process as early as possible - UAE visa applications have firm document submission deadlines.

Get started

Call our team on +44 (0) 204 630 6700 to confirm the current UAE requirements and manage the full three-stage legalisation process on your behalf.