Last reviewed: 15 October 2026
If you are preparing a Destination Thailand Visa application from the UK, include the police certificate in your document planning. An old DTV checklist may no longer contain everything the Royal Thai Embassy in London requires.
This guide focuses on obtaining the appropriate UK certificate and coordinating it with your application. It covers applications handled by London; applicants using another Thai embassy or consulate should check that mission’s instructions.
Does a UK DTV Application Require Police Clearance?
London’s updated DTV requirements include a police clearance certificate, with ACRO named as a UK example. The document change took effect on 31 August 2026.
The embassy’s checklist includes the requirement across its workcation, soft power and dependant categories. Families should confirm how the certificate requirement applies to children before ordering documents.
What Is an ACRO Police Certificate?
ACRO Criminal Records Office issues police certificates for overseas immigration purposes. This is a different service from simply obtaining an employer’s background check.
Start with the official ACRO website and select its Police Certificates service. Read the current instructions for the identification, photograph, address information and other evidence requested.
Check the current charges, service options and delivery arrangements directly with ACRO. Allow time to resolve any request for further information before you need the certificate for your visa application.
Can I Use a DBS Check Instead?
Do not assume that a DBS certificate or a subject access response will satisfy the DTV requirement. These documents serve different purposes, and London specifically names ACRO as an example in its DTV guidance.
If you already hold another type of check, obtain confirmation from the embassy before relying on it. Ordering the appropriate document at the outset can avoid having to repeat the process.
Time the Certificate Around Your Submission
London requires a certificate issued within the six months before submission. Check the issue date against your intended application date.
If your plans change, review the certificate again before submitting. A document obtained for a previous application may have become too old.
Use the waiting period to organise the rest of your evidence rather than leaving the entire application until the certificate arrives.
Prepare the Rest of Your DTV Evidence
Police clearance is one part of the application. You must also provide evidence relevant to your circumstances and chosen DTV category.
- Check the passport and photograph requirements.
- Prepare the financial evidence requested by London.
- Gather evidence supporting your workcation, activity or dependant category.
- Check the nationality and permanent-residence evidence applicable to you.
- Review any translation or authentication requirements.
London also changed its residence-document requirement. Check the evidence applicable to your nationality and immigration status rather than assuming that temporary presence in the UK establishes eligibility to apply.
Check Your Certificate Before Uploading
Review your personal details and retain the complete certificate. Prepare a clear, complete copy in the format requested by the application system, including all relevant pages.
If the certificate contains information you do not understand, have it reviewed before completing the application. Answer the visa questions accurately and provide explanations where required.
A police certificate does not guarantee approval. The Thai authorities assess the complete application and may request additional evidence.
More Thailand Travel Guides
Preparing for your stay in Thailand? These guides cover other practical travel arrangements.
- Thailand Re-entry Permits: What They Are and When You Need One — check when a permit applies to your immigration permission; a valid multiple-entry DTV does not ordinarily require one.
- Travel Insurance for Thailand: Do You Really Need It?
- Thailand SIM Card Registration for Tourists
Discuss Your DTV Application
Contact Thai Visa Express to discuss document preparation and Thailand visa application support. Provide your nationality, UK residence status, intended travel dates and proposed DTV category.
If you already have a police certificate, tell us its issuing authority and issue date. Please avoid sending sensitive criminal-record information in an initial general enquiry.
Official sources: Royal Thai Embassy London: DTV requirements, supporting-document announcement and GOV.UK police certificate guidance. Check current instructions before applying.
