Getting Your UK Documents Ready for Australian Immigration

Police clearances — the ACRO certificate

The Department of Home Affairs requires a police certificate from every country where you've lived for 12 or more months in the past 10 years. For the UK, that means an ACRO certificate.

Apply online through the ACRO website with your passport details, current address, and any previous names. ACRO's own published fee schedule listed GBP 55 for the standard service (about 12 working days to process) and GBP 95 for the premium service (about 4 working days); check acro.police.uk for current fees, since these can change. ACRO issues certificates in a physical format only — there is no digital delivery.

ACRO itself sets no fixed validity period — it says the acceptable age of a certificate is up to the authority requesting it. Since skilled visa processing can take several months, check current Home Affairs guidance on how recent your certificate needs to be, and time your application accordingly.

To upload, scan the original and submit it through ImmiAccount as a colour PDF or JPEG. You don't need to certify or apostille the police certificate. Note that ACRO covers all of the UK — England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. You don't need a separate Disclosure Scotland check.

Health examinations — Bupa panel clinics

Australian immigration health assessments must be completed at a panel-approved clinic. In the UK, these are operated by Bupa Medical Visa Services, with clinics in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, and other cities.

How to book. Generate a HAP (Health Assessment Portal) referral through your ImmiAccount, then book directly with a Bupa clinic using your HAP ID. You can't walk in without a referral.

What to expect. The exam covers a medical history review, physical examination, and chest X-ray (for applicants aged 11 and over). Some visa subclasses also require blood tests. Bring your passport and HAP ID letter. Bupa sends results directly to Home Affairs electronically — you don't upload anything yourself.

Cost. Bupa sets its own pricing depending on the tests your visa subclass requires — check current fees directly with your Bupa clinic before booking. For a full breakdown of immigration-related expenses, see our UK-to-Australia cost guide.

Identity documents — birth certificates, passports, and name changes

Birth certificates

For Australian immigration, you need a full birth certificate — not the short-form extract. In the UK, full birth certificates are issued by the General Register Office (GRO) or the relevant local register office.

If you don't have your original, you can order a replacement from the GRO online for GBP 12.50, plus a GBP 3.50 search fee if you don't have a GRO index reference number. Certificates are sent 4 days after you apply if you have the reference number, or 15 working days if the GRO needs to search for it; a priority next-working-day service costs GBP 38.50. For Australian visa purposes, a certified copy of your birth certificate is sufficient. You don't need the original or an apostille.

Passport

Upload clear colour scans of your passport's biographical page through ImmiAccount.

Marriage certificates

If your application involves a spouse or partner, you'll need your marriage certificate from the GRO or the register office where the marriage took place. A certified copy is accepted.

Name changes by deed poll

If you've changed your name by deed poll, provide the deed poll certificate. For enrolled deed polls (enrolled at the Royal Courts of Justice), request a certified copy. For unenrolled deed polls (more common), provide the original signed document plus supporting evidence such as a bank statement in your new name. A certified copy is usually sufficient for immigration purposes, though some skills assessment bodies may request the original.

Educational documents — degrees and HEDD verification

UK qualifications are well-recognised in Australia, especially for occupations assessed under the Washington Accord. You'll still need to present them in the right format.

HEDD verification. HEDD (Higher Education Degree Datacheck) is the UK's official degree-verification hub, covering 471 recognised UK institutions. Some skills assessment bodies require or accept HEDD verification as proof that your degree is genuine. HEDD confirms the institution, award title, classification, and date of award. It isn't a service graduates use to verify their own award — it's the assessing body or employer that raises the check, with your consent, and checks start from GBP 14.

What to provide. At minimum, you'll need certified copies of your degree certificate and academic transcript. If your university has changed its name or merged since you graduated, HEDD verification clarifies the link to its current identity.

Skills assessments by profession

A skills assessment is required for most skilled visa applications (subclasses 189, 190, 491, and 482). The assessing body depends on your nominated occupation. Each body has its own document requirements.

Engineers Australia — CDR or Washington Accord fast track

UK engineering degrees accredited by the Engineering Council are recognised under the Washington Accord. This may qualify you for a fast-track assessment that skips the full Competency Demonstration Report (CDR). You'll need certified copies of your degree and transcript, plus evidence of Engineering Council accreditation.

If your degree isn't Washington Accord-accredited, you'll prepare a full CDR with three career episodes, a summary statement, and a continuing professional development list.

ACS (Australian Computer Society)

ACS requires certified copies of your degree certificate and transcript, plus employer references on company letterhead confirming your job title, duties, and dates. If your degree title doesn't clearly indicate an ICT focus, provide unit outlines showing the ICT content.

VETASSESS

VETASSESS assesses a wide range of professional, managerial, and trade occupations. Requirements vary by occupation group but generally include certified copies of your qualification, transcript, and employment references. Some groups require minimum post-qualification experience.

For eligibility estimates, try the Migratio points calculator or speak with a migration agent who specialises in skilled visas.

Professional registration transfers

Transferring a UK professional registration to its Australian equivalent is separate from your visa and skills assessment, but the processes share documents.

Nursing — NMC to AHPRA. UK nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) apply to AHPRA through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. You'll need a verified copy of your NMC registration, qualification documents, employment references, and an English language declaration. Processing can take several months — start early.

Medical practitioners — GMC to AHPRA. UK doctors registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) apply through the Medical Board of Australia via AHPRA. Doctors with primary UK qualifications from GMC-recognised medical schools may qualify for the faster competent authority pathway.

Surveyors — RICS. There is no direct mutual recognition agreement for RICS membership in Australia. You'll need to apply to the relevant Australian professional body separately.

Keep multiple certified copies of your qualifications and references so you can submit to different bodies at the same time.

Document certification vs apostille — when each is needed

This distinction causes the most confusion for UK applicants.

Certified copies are photocopies verified as true copies of the original by a solicitor, notary public, or Justice of the Peace. The certifier signs, dates, and stamps each page.

Apostilles are issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) under the Hague Apostille Convention. They authenticate a UK public document for use in another country. The standard paper-based apostille costs GBP 45 per document plus courier or postage, and usually takes up to 25 working days. A faster e-Apostille option costs GBP 35 and takes up to 2 working days, but it isn't available for GRO documents (birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates) or for ACRO police certificates for England and Wales — those need the paper-based service.

Which do you need? For most visa applications, the Department of Home Affairs accepts certified copies. Apostilles are not routinely required. However, some skills assessment bodies do request apostilled documents — check with your assessing authority before paying. Start with certified copies and only order apostilles if specifically asked.

Common mistakes UK applicants make

Ordering the short-form birth certificate. The abbreviated version won't be accepted. Always request the full birth certificate from the GRO.

Applying for the ACRO certificate too early. ACRO sets no fixed validity period, but the authority assessing your application decides how recent it needs to be. If it's considered too old by the time your visa is granted, you'll need a new one — check current Home Affairs guidance before you time your application.

Missing HEDD verification. Some applicants assume their degree certificate alone is enough for a skills assessment. Several assessing bodies now require HEDD verification as standard. Check before you submit.

Confusing certified copies with colour scans. A colour scan is not a certified copy. A certified copy is a photocopy signed and stamped by an authorised certifier. For ImmiAccount, you scan the certified copy and upload the scan as a PDF.

Not keeping enough certified copies. You may need to submit documents to Home Affairs, your skills assessment body, your professional registration body, and your employer at the same time. Get at least four certified copies of each key document.

Forgetting former names. If you've changed your name by deed poll or marriage, provide evidence linking your current name to the name on your qualifications and police certificate. Gaps in the name chain cause processing delays.

Next steps

Documents are one part of a larger process. For help deciding which visa pathway suits you, see our UK visa options guide. To estimate costs in GBP and AUD, use the visa cost calculator. For what life looks like after you arrive, read our settling in Australia guide.

If you want professional help, Migratio connects you with MARA-registered migration agents who specialise in UK-to-Australia moves. You can search by visa type or read our guide on how to choose a migration agent. To see where you stand on the points test, try the points calculator.

Do I need an apostille on my UK documents for Australian immigration?

Generally no. The Department of Home Affairs accepts certified copies for most visa applications. However, some skills assessment bodies may require apostilled documents. Check the specific requirements of your assessing authority before ordering apostilles.

How long does an ACRO police certificate take?

ACRO's published fee schedule lists about 12 working days for its standard service and about 4 working days for its premium service. Apply online through the ACRO Criminal Records Office website, and check acro.police.uk for current timeframes.

Where can I get the medical exam for my Australian visa?

You need to attend a Bupa Medical Visa Services panel clinic. There are clinics in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Belfast, and several other UK cities. Book through the ImmiAccount HAP (Health Assessment Portal) referral system.

How do I verify my UK degree for an Australian skills assessment?

HEDD (Higher Education Degree Datacheck) is the UK's official degree-verification service, but it's initiated by the requesting party, not by you — your skills assessment body — whether Engineers Australia, ACS, VETASSESS, or another authority — will specify whether they raise a HEDD check themselves, or whether certified copies of your degree and transcript are enough.