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Requirements — background checks

The criminal record certificate — your most time-sensitive DNV document

Every DNV applicant must provide an apostilled criminal record certificate from their home country — and from any other country where they have lived for 5 or more years. It has a strict 3-month validity window. Start it first.

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3 months
maximum validity — must be issued within 3 months of submission
Apostille
required — Hague Convention authentication by the issuing country
5+ years
the residency threshold — need a certificate from each country where you lived this long
First
request this before all other documents — it takes longest to arrive

Why start this first

The 3-month clock — and why it dictates your timeline

Criminal record certificates for Spain's DNV must have been issued within 3 months of the date your application is submitted to the Spanish authorities. This is the shortest validity window of any document in the DNV bundle — most other documents have longer valid periods or are not date-sensitive in the same way.

The practical consequence is that you need to carefully time the issuance of your criminal record certificate relative to your target submission date. If the certificate arrives too early and you then spend 6–8 weeks gathering other documents, you may find the certificate has expired before you submit. If it arrives too late, it becomes the bottleneck that delays submission.

The solution is to request the certificate as soon as you engage our service, so your case manager can track the validity window and advise on whether a renewal is needed before submission. For US applicants in particular — where the FBI background check can take 8–14 weeks — the certificate typically needs to be requested on day one of the process.

Do not leave the criminal record certificate until last

Many applicants make the mistake of gathering every other document first and then requesting the criminal record certificate. By that point, they are ready to submit but waiting weeks for the certificate. Request it first, track its progress, and time everything else around it.

Country-by-country guide

How to obtain your apostilled criminal record certificate

Below is a comprehensive guide for the most common applicant nationalities. The process varies significantly by country — issuing authority, apostille authority, typical timescales, and costs all differ. Click on your country for the specific steps you need to follow.

Country Issuing Authority Apostille Authority Typical Time Notes
UK (England / Wales) ACRO Criminal Records Office (acro.police.uk) — Basic Disclosure / Police Certificate FCDO Legalisation Office 5–15 working days + 5–10 days apostille Apply online via ACRO. Certificate cost approx £65. Apostille approx £30–50 via FCDO. English-language — no sworn translation required.
UK (Scotland) Disclosure Scotland (mygov.scot) — Basic Disclosure FCDO Legalisation Office 7–14 days + apostille Scottish residents use Disclosure Scotland, not ACRO. The apostille is still issued by FCDO. Do not use ACRO if you are Scotland-based — it may not include Scottish records.
UK (Northern Ireland) AccessNI FCDO Legalisation Office 5–14 days + apostille AccessNI handles criminal record checks for Northern Ireland residents. Apostille via FCDO as with England and Wales.
USA FBI Identity History Summary (FBI Background Check) — apply via FBI directly or an FBI-approved channeler US Department of State Authentication Office (Washington DC) 8–14 weeks (FBI direct); 3–6 weeks via channeler + 2–4 weeks apostille Using an FBI-approved channeler is strongly recommended — significantly faster. State Department apostille can take 2–4 additional weeks. Start this on day one.
Canada RCMP Criminal Record Check — apply via RCMP directly or an accredited fingerprint service Global Affairs Canada (Authentication of Documents service) 2–4 weeks + apostille Accredited fingerprint services are faster than applying direct to RCMP. English or French language — no sworn translation required.
Australia Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Police Check — apply at afp.gov.au Relevant state Attorney-General's Department (varies by state) 2–15 business days + apostille The AFP check is online and typically fast. The apostille authority varies by state — New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland etc. each have their own Attorney-General apostille service.
New Zealand New Zealand Police Criminal History Check (NZ Police Vetting Service — police.govt.nz) NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) 5–20 working days + apostille Apply online via the NZ Police website. Apostille through MFAT. English-language — no translation required.
Ireland Garda Síochána — apply via vetting.garda.ie or through a solicitor Department of Foreign Affairs (Irish DFA) 1–4 weeks + apostille Garda vetting is the standard route. English-language — no sworn translation required.
South Africa SAPS (South African Police Service) Criminal Record Clearance — apply in person at SAPS DIRCO (Dept of International Relations and Cooperation) 4–8 weeks + apostille The SAPS process requires in-person application and fingerprinting. Allow extra time. Certificate is in English — no translation required. Apostille via DIRCO.
India Indian Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) from the Regional Passport Office Ministry of External Affairs (MEA apostille) 3–6 weeks + apostille Apply through the Passport Seva portal. MEA apostille is a well-established system. Certificate may be in English or Hindi — if Hindi only, sworn translation into Spanish or English is required.
UAE (residents) Home country certificate (see above) — the UAE does not issue a standard criminal record certificate for this purpose As per home country As per home country UAE residents use their home country police certificate. A Dubai Police clearance may occasionally be requested in addition for certain routes — your case manager will advise.
Qatar / Saudi Arabia / Bahrain Home country certificate — Gulf states generally do not issue criminal record certificates used for this purpose As per home country As per home country Same approach as UAE residents. Your home country certificate is the primary document required.

What the requirement actually means

What counts as a "clean" record for DNV purposes

The DNV requires applicants to be free of criminal convictions in Spain and in their country of residence for offences that would carry a sentence of more than 1 year. This is the formal legal threshold — it does not mean any conviction at all will disqualify you.

Minor convictions — motoring offences, minor public order matters, small fines, and similar — are generally not disqualifying. The 1-year sentencing threshold means that genuinely serious criminal convictions are the concern, not routine or minor matters. Spent convictions that no longer appear on your certificate are simply not an issue.

If your criminal record certificate shows any conviction, share the details with your case manager before submitting the application. They will assess whether it falls within the disqualifying threshold and advise on how to proceed. Do not attempt to conceal a conviction — Spanish immigration authorities conduct checks and submitting misleading documents is a very serious matter that can result in permanent exclusion.

Translations

When you need a sworn translator

English-language certificates from UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland are generally accepted without sworn translation for Spanish DNV purposes. Certificates in all other languages — including Hindi, French (Canada may be French-language), Afrikaans, Arabic — must be translated by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) officially recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your case manager provides referrals to approved translators.

Multiple countries

When you need more than one certificate

If you have lived in more than one country for 5 or more continuous years, you need a certificate from each. This is the most common situation for long-term expats — for example, someone who grew up in the UK (10 years), lived in the UAE for 7 years, and is now applying for the Spanish DNV. Each certificate needs its own apostille. All must be valid within the 3-month window at the same time as submission.

Questions & answers

Criminal record certificate — FAQ

You need a criminal record certificate for every country where you have lived continuously for 5 or more years. For most applicants this is just their home country. If you have lived in multiple countries for 5+ years each — for example, if you lived in the UK for 10 years and then in the UAE for 6 years — you need certificates from both. Shorter periods of residence do not generally trigger the requirement, but your case manager will confirm based on your personal history.
The DNV requires you to be free of convictions carrying a sentence of more than 1 year in Spain and in your country of residence. Minor convictions — motoring offences, small fines, and other matters that would not carry more than a 1-year sentence — are generally not disqualifying. Spent convictions that do not appear on the certificate are not a concern. If you have a more serious conviction in your history, discuss it with your case manager before applying.
Criminal record certificates for the Spain DNV must have been issued within 3 months of the date your application is submitted to the Spanish authorities. This is a strict validity window. If your certificate was issued more than 3 months before submission, you will need a new one. This is why the certificate is the most time-sensitive document in the DNV bundle — you need to time its issuance carefully relative to your planned submission date.
If your criminal record certificate expires (becomes older than 3 months) before you submit, you must obtain a new one. This can happen if document preparation takes longer than expected, or if there are delays in obtaining other documents. Your case manager will monitor the validity window and alert you if you need to renew the certificate before submission. In some cases, it is better to wait and obtain the certificate closer to your target submission date rather than getting it too early.
Yes. You can begin gathering other documents — employment contracts, payslips, bank statements, health insurance, and so on — while waiting for your criminal record certificate. However, your application cannot be submitted until all documents, including the apostilled criminal record certificate, are complete. We recommend requesting your criminal record certificate as soon as you engage our service, so that it does not become the bottleneck at the end of the process.
An apostille is an internationally recognised certification that authenticates a public document for use in another country. It is governed by the Hague Convention of 1961, to which over 120 countries are parties. When Spain requires an apostilled document, it means the document must carry this official authentication stamp issued by the relevant authority in the country that produced the document. For a UK criminal record certificate, the apostille is issued by the FCDO Legalisation Office. For a US FBI report, it comes from the US Department of State. The apostille does not translate the document — it simply certifies its authenticity.
This depends on the issuing country and the application route. Some countries now issue digital certificates with electronic apostilles (e-apostilles), which may be accepted. However, many consulates and the UGE still require physical apostilled documents. Your case manager will confirm the current requirements for your specific country and application route. When in doubt, obtain a physical apostilled certificate — it is always accepted, whereas digital-only certificates may not be.
If you have lived in three countries for 5 or more years each, you need a criminal record certificate from each of those countries. Each certificate must be apostilled by the issuing country and, if not in English or Spanish, translated by a sworn translator. Managing multiple certificates across different countries requires careful timing — the 3-month validity window applies to each certificate independently, so they all need to be valid at the point of submission. Your case manager will help you coordinate this.
If your home country is not a member of the Hague Convention and therefore cannot issue apostilles, an alternative legalisation process is required — typically involving the Spanish Embassy or Consulate in your home country authenticating the document through a chain of local authentication steps. This is more complex and slower than a standard apostille. If you are in this situation, advise your case manager early — the legalisation process can add several weeks to document preparation.
Disclosing a conviction does not automatically disqualify you. The DNV disqualification relates to convictions carrying a sentence of more than 1 year. If your certificate shows a conviction, share the details with your case manager confidentially before submitting. They will advise whether the conviction is likely to affect the application and, if so, whether there are any mitigating factors that can be addressed. Do not attempt to conceal a conviction — submitting incomplete or misleading documents to Spanish immigration authorities is a serious matter.
The total time varies significantly by country. UK (ACRO): approximately 3–5 weeks including apostille. USA (FBI): 6–12 weeks via FBI directly, 3–6 weeks via an approved channeler, plus 2–4 weeks for the State Department apostille. Canada (RCMP): 4–8 weeks including apostille. Australia (AFP): 2–4 weeks including apostille. Ireland (Garda): 2–5 weeks including apostille. Start as early as possible — for US applicants in particular, the FBI process is the most common cause of delays in the overall DNV timeline.
Sworn translations (traducciones juradas) must be performed by a translator officially recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. English-language certificates from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland generally do not require sworn translation for Spanish immigration purposes. Certificates in other languages — Hindi, French, Afrikaans, Arabic, etc. — must be translated by a sworn translator. Your case manager will confirm whether your certificate needs translation and can provide a referral to an approved translator.

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