Considering moving abroad with a criminal record (ACRO): where do you start?
A practical way to organise your questions, separate visits from residence and assess the information you find.
ACRO · Relocation with a criminal record
A Plan B and a Plan C,
properly researched.
Considering a move abroad can feel uncertain when your ACRO police certificate shows a criminal record. The question is personal: where might you realistically be able to live, given your record and circumstances?
PennyPA Relocation is being prepared to help British passport holders explore that question through detailed, individual research. Our focus is on realistic routes to residence and the practicalities of life abroad, whether you are planning a move or preparing an alternative for the future.
Start with the relocation guides →Start with the right questions
Your record is part of the picture.
Your ACRO certificate, household, income, savings and priorities all help shape the questions worth asking. A promising route must be considered alongside the life you want to lead and the requirements you would need to meet.
We are preparing a personal Plan B report that brings those questions together: potential residence routes, the evidence behind them, practical costs and introductions to qualified local advisers. Where the evidence supports a second route, it can provide a back-up Plan C.
We research routes and make introductions. We do not arrange residence or property, and no one can guarantee a residence decision. We take no commission or referral fees from lawyers, advisers or other third parties.
British passport holders without a criminal record are also welcome. The same careful approach can help with a particular destination or a wider search.
Useful reading
Begin with a clearer picture.
ACRO police certificates and moving abroad
What the certificate tells you, why the requested document matters, and what still needs investigating.
A personal service.
Adam Smith is the founder and your personal contact. He works through the findings with our specialist agentic assistants, Cheryl Smith and Kevin Roberts, and takes responsibility for each report.
We use AI to support research and case preparation, with Adam reviewing the work. The aim is clear, carefully checked information that helps you understand your options.