Police Clearance Certificate for a Spanish Visa — US, UK & Canada (2026 Overview)
A criminal record certificate is a mandatory document for almost every Spanish long-stay visa and residency permit — including the Digital Nomad Visa, Non-Lucrative Visa, autónomo (self-employed) visa, and entrepreneur visa. The issuing authority and the exact process differ significantly depending on your country. This page summarizes what you need if you are applying from the United States, United Kingdom, or Canada, with links to the detailed step-by-step guides for each.
Fees, processing times, and consular requirements change without notice. Always confirm current procedures with the issuing authority and your Spanish consulate before submitting documents. Nothing here constitutes legal or immigration advice.
What Spain requires
Spanish consulates typically require a certificate that:
- Is issued by the national law-enforcement or justice authority of your country (state or provincial checks alone are generally not accepted).
- Is apostilled under the Hague Apostille Convention by the competent authority of the issuing country.
- Is accompanied by a sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada) by a translator certified by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Was issued within 90 days of your application date (some consulates extend this to 6 months — confirm with your specific consulate).
If you have lived in multiple countries, you may need certificates from each. Always ask your consulate for the full list of required clearances early in the process.
United States — FBI Identity History Summary
For US citizens and residents, the required document is the FBI Identity History Summary, issued by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. It is the only federally issued US criminal record document that covers records from across all states and is accepted by Spanish consulates.
A state-level background check (e.g., from a state police department or the California DOJ) does not satisfy the Spanish consulate requirement. You need the federal FBI Identity History Summary.
Quick facts — FBI Identity History Summary
- Issuing authority: FBI CJIS Division
- Request methods: FBI-approved channeler (24–72 hour turnaround) or direct mail to FBI CJIS (2–4 weeks)
- FBI fee: $18 per request (plus channeler service fee if applicable)
- Fingerprints required: yes — FD-258 ink card or electronic LiveScan depending on method
- Format needed for apostille: physical paper original with FBI signature and seal
- Apostille: US Department of State, Office of Authentications (federal apostille — state apostille does NOT apply)
- Apostille fee: $20 per document
- Apostille processing: up to 5 weeks by mail; ~7 business days for in-person drop-off at Sterling, VA
See the full step-by-step walkthrough in our dedicated guide: FBI Identity History Summary — US police clearance for Spain.
United Kingdom — ACRO Police Certificate
For UK citizens and residents, the required document is an ACRO Police Certificate, issued by the ACRO Criminal Records Office. A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is not accepted by Spanish consulates for visa purposes.
Quick facts — ACRO Police Certificate
- Issuing authority: ACRO Criminal Records Office (acro.police.uk)
- How to apply: online application on the ACRO website only — paper forms are no longer accepted
- Standard service: £68, up to 20 working days
- Enhanced/premium service: £121, approximately 2 working days
- Apostille: FCDO Legalisation Office (formerly the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office) — postal service £45 per document, up to 25 working days; faster turnaround available through FCDO-registered service providers
- Sworn Spanish translation: required after apostille; allow 2–5 business days
Spanish consulates in the UK explicitly require the ACRO Police Certificate. A DBS (Basic, Standard, or Enhanced) check is a domestic employment check and is not a valid substitute for immigration purposes.
Budget 4–6 weeks for the full chain if using ACRO standard service and FCDO postal apostille. Using ACRO premium service and an FCDO-registered provider reduces this to approximately 7–10 business days.
For apostille procedures, see Apostille by country.
Canada — RCMP Certified Criminal Record Check
For Canadian citizens and residents, Spain requires an RCMP Certified Criminal Record Check (also called a Canadian Police Certificate or RCMP Police Clearance Certificate), issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Local police checks or provincial checks are not accepted.
Spanish consulates typically require the RCMP check to include fingerprints and a photograph. This means you must submit a certified fingerprint-based check — not the name-based "vulnerable sector check" used for domestic employment. Confirm the exact format required with your consulate.
Quick facts — RCMP Certified Criminal Record Check
- Issuing authority: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) CJIS — Criminal Justice Information Services
- Federal processing fee: CAD $25 (plus local fingerprinting agency fee)
- Fingerprints: digital (LiveScan preferred for speed) or ink card; taken at an accredited fingerprinting agency or local police service
- Processing time: approximately 3 business days (no match found) plus mailing time; up to 120 business days if further investigation is required
- Apostille: Global Affairs Canada — Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024. Before that date, a lengthier authentication/legalization chain was required; the apostille now replaces that process.
- Apostille options: (1) Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa — can take several months; (2) Canadian Embassy in Madrid — typically ~2 weeks. Confirm current wait times with each office before submitting.
- Sworn Spanish translation: required after apostille
If you are already living in Spain, obtaining the apostille through the Canadian Embassy in Madrid is significantly faster than sending documents to Ottawa. The Embassy in Madrid handles apostilles on federally issued documents such as the RCMP certificate. Contact the Embassy directly for current appointment availability and fees.
For apostille procedures, see Apostille by country.
Apostille and sworn translation
Whichever country your certificate comes from, two additional steps are always required before submission to a Spanish consulate:
- Apostille: The certificate must carry an apostilla (apostille) — the standardized authentication stamp under the Hague Apostille Convention — issued by the competent authority in the country that issued the document. For US, UK, and Canadian documents, the competent authorities differ; see Apostille by country for the full breakdown.
- Sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada): The apostilled certificate must be translated into Spanish by a traductor jurado — a translator officially certified by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A standard or notarized translation is not sufficient.
Need help navigating this process?
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