Police Clearance Certificate is an official document issued by the internal affairs authorities confirming that a person currently has no criminal record, is not wanted for criminal offenses, or that any previous convictions have already been expunged. It is one of the most commonly required documents for international mobility.
A Police Clearance Certificate is often required in the following situations:
- Obtaining a visa;
- Applying for a temporary residence permit;
- Applying for a residence permit;
- Obtaining citizenship;
- Employment;
- Admission to an educational institution;
- Background checks for adoption or guardianship;
- Providing evidence in court;
- Marriage registration.
What is a Police Clearance Certificate in Spain?
The full official name of the Police Clearance Certificate in Spain is currently Certificado de antecedentes penales (Criminal Record Certificate).
The issuance of Criminal Record Certificates in Spain is regulated by:
- Organic Law 7/2014 of November 12 on the exchange of information on criminal records and the consideration of criminal court decisions in the European Union,
- Organic Law 4/2024 of October 18 on the exchange of information on criminal records and the consideration of criminal court decisions in the European Union, and its adaptation to the European Union regulation on the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS),
- Organic Law 7/2021 of May 26 on the protection of personal data processed for the purposes of the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of criminal offenses and the enforcement of criminal penalties,
- other regulatory legal acts.
The Criminal Record Certificate is a paper or electronic document of a fixed format issued by the justice authorities of Spain, confirming that an individual has not been subject to criminal liability. Unlike in a number of other countries, information on criminal records in Spain is included in the certificate only after the case has been reviewed by all judicial instances and the appeal periods have expired.
If the applicant holds citizenship of another EU country, they may request, in the application submitted to the Spanish justice authorities, the inclusion of data from the relevant national register. In addition, this service is available to third-country nationals or stateless persons who have resided in other European countries. However, when requesting information from foreign registers, the Spanish authorities do not guarantee compliance with the standard processing time for issuing the certificate.
In some situations, a Criminal Record Certificate from Spain may not be sufficient. In certain cases (for example, if the applicant intends to work with children), it is also necessary to obtain a separate Certificate of Absence of Sexual Offenses (Certificado de Delitos de Naturaleza Sexual). This is an internal document, can only be used within Spain, and is not subject to legalization.
How to obtain a Police Clearance Certificate in Spain
Police Clearance Certificates in Spain can be requested in the following ways:
- in electronic form via a dedicated service on the Ministry of Justice portal;
- in paper form by post;
- in person in paper form at the central citizen service office or territorial offices of the Ministry of Justice.
Requesting an electronic certificate
To request a certificate online, you need to:
- Access the service page on the Ministry of Justice portal using a digital certificate;
- Pay the fee via the Tax Agency payment gateway;
- Complete the application form;
- Verify the entered data;
- Receive the document by email.
If issuing the certificate in electronic form is not possible for any reason, you must apply in person to the justice authorities.
Requesting a paper certificate in person
To request a Criminal Record Certificate in person, you need to:
- Appear in person at the central office or territorial offices of the Ministry of Justice;
- Confirm your identity by presenting the original or a certified copy of an identity document;
- Complete and submit application form 790.
Requesting a certificate by post
To request a Criminal Record Certificate by post, you need to:
- Download Form 790 from the Internet and complete it;
- Send the completed Form 790 together with a certified copy of an identity document and proof of payment of the fee to the following address: Oficina Central de Atención al Ciudadano del Ministerio de Justicia, Calle Bolsa, 8, 28071 Madrid;
- Wait for a response.
Requesting a certificate by power of attorney
A Police Clearance Certificate may also be obtained through a representative under a power of attorney. When submitting the request, the representative must provide, in addition to the application and a certified copy of the applicant’s identity document, the original or a certified copy of their own identity document, as well as the original or a certified copy of the notarized power of attorney.
Processing time for a Police Clearance Certificate in Spain
The general processing time is from one to two months, depending on the city, specifics of the request, the need for legalization, and the delivery address.
How to verify the authenticity of a Police Clearance Certificate?
The authenticity of a Police Clearance Certificate issued by the Ministry of Justice of Spain can be verified using a dedicated service of the authority.
Apostille on a Police Clearance Certificate in Spain
Spain has been a party since 1978 to the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, which abolishes the requirement of legalization of foreign public documents (the “Apostille Convention”).
An apostille is an internationally standardized form certifying the legality of a document for use in countries that recognize this type of legalization. It usually takes the form of a special stamp or certificate.
In recent years, the electronic apostille (e-Apostille) has also become widespread — a special digital certification confirming the authenticity of documents issued in electronic form.
The Legalization Department of the Ministry of Justice of Spain is responsible for apostilling Criminal Record Certificates.
What is an apostille?
What is an apostille? Why do I need an apostille? How do I get an apostille? - Our video will explain everything you need to know about the apostille. If you have a document that needs to be certified with an apostille for use abroad, Schmidt and Schmidt will assist you! We provide apostille services in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Consular legalization of a Police Clearance Certificate in Spain
If the country where the Police Clearance Certificate from Spain is to be used is not a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, for example the UAE, the document must undergo a more complex and costly procedure known as consular legalization.
Consular legalization is a multi-step procedure for verifying the authenticity of a document, used for countries that are not members of the 1961 Hague Convention.
To carry out consular legalization of a Police Clearance Certificate from Spain, the following steps must be followed:
- Obtain the certificate;
- Certify the certificate at the Legalization Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain;
- Prepare a certified translation of the certificate;
- Legalize the document at the consulate or consular section of the embassy of the destination country.
Due to the number of steps involved, the procedure is lengthy and relatively expensive. Some countries do not have consulates in Spain, so the final stage of legalization may need to be completed in another country where a consulate is located.
What is consular legalization?
In our video we are explaining what consular legalization is and where to apply for it.
Schmidt & Schmidt will assist you in all issues concerning the legalization.
Schmidt & Schmidt offers legalization in more than 80 countries all over the world.
Official translation of a Police Clearance Certificate from Spain
The Police Clearance Certificate from Spain is issued in Spanish. To use it abroad, an official translation must be made in accordance with the legislation of the destination country — by a sworn, certified, notary, or court translator in the country where the document will be submitted.
A translation made in Spain (except in cases of consular legalization) will most likely not be accepted abroad.
Document delivery
After obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate, its apostille, or legalization, it is often necessary to send the document to another country. In such cases, not only speed but also the security of delivery is crucial, especially when dealing with original official documents.
Schmidt & Schmidt organizes international document delivery worldwide. We use reliable logistics solutions and modern tracking systems, allowing full monitoring of the shipment at every stage and ensuring timely delivery to the recipient.
Our specialists provide careful and confidential handling of documents and assist with any issues that may arise during international shipping, including carrier requirements and customs procedures.
We can arrange delivery of Police Clearance Certificates, apostilled documents, translations, and other official papers to most countries worldwide — for both private clients and legal entities.
How we can help
We are happy to assist you in obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate from Ukraine, including requesting it, apostilling, and legalizing it for use abroad, as well as providing translation and delivery to any location worldwide.
You can always contact Schmidt & Schmidt. We have extensive experience in requesting and legalizing a wide variety of documents and provide all necessary services in this field, including notarized copies, translations, preparation of required powers of attorney, legalization of documents with government authorities and foreign consulates, and delivery of completed documents to most countries around the world.
For more information about the legalization and apostille process, you can read on our website.
