UK applicants who need to present a criminal record certificate in Spain are often asked for an ACRO Police Certificate. The exact checklist depends on the visa or procedure, but Spanish consular guidance commonly requires the document to be legalised with a Hague Apostille and accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish.
Check the exact procedure first
Requirements vary by visa type, consular district and the country or countries where the applicant has lived. For example, the Consulate General of Spain in London states that applicants for its non-lucrative residence visa must submit criminal record certificates from countries of residence during the preceding five years. Its instructions specify an ACRO certificate for UK criminal records.
Always use the official checklist for your own application before ordering a certificate or translation. This article is practical guidance, not legal advice.
Typical document sequence
- Request the appropriate ACRO Police Certificate.
- Obtain the Hague Apostille where the applicable Spanish checklist requires it.
- Send the complete document, including the apostille, for sworn translation into Spanish.
Ordering the translation after the apostille helps ensure that the translation covers every page that will be submitted to the Spanish authority.
How recent must the certificate be?
There is no universal answer. The Consulate General of Spain in London indicates that, for its non-lucrative residence visa, the certificate cannot be more than six months old unless the certificate itself specifies a longer validity. Other procedures may set a different period. Check the checklist that applies to your case.
Do I need to translate the apostille too?
Spanish consular guidance states that foreign criminal record certificates must be legalised or apostilled where applicable and submitted with an official translation into Spanish. In practice, provide the complete document package to your sworn translator so that the translation can reflect the certificate and its attached apostille.
Before you request a sworn translation
- Confirm the procedure and consular district.
- Check whether certificates are required from more than one country.
- Verify the permitted age of the certificate.
- Make sure the apostille, if required, has been completed.
- Send clear scans of every page, including stamps and the apostille.
Need an English–Spanish sworn translation?
If you already have your ACRO certificate and apostille, send a legible copy. Sergio Boix, English–Spanish sworn translator No. 4473, will confirm the cost, timing and pages to be translated before work begins.