Why Your Police Clearance Certificate for Spain Is Rejected

If your police clearance certificate is in English, Spain will not accept it on its own. It needs an apostille or legalization from the issuing country, plus a sworn translation into Spanish. This applies whether you are applying for Spanish residency, a visa, nationality, or the 2026 regularization.

This guide covers what Spain requires and which countries can use the apostille. It also explains how to meet the 15-day deadline if Extranjería has sent you a requerimiento.

Already have a deadline? Request a Quote

What does Spain Require for a Foreign Police Certificate?

Spain asks for three things, in this order:

1. The original certificate from the issuing country, covering every country where you lived in the five years before arriving in Spain.
2. An apostille or legalization, so Spain can trust the signature on it.
3. A sworn translation into Spanish (traducción jurada) if the certificate is not in Spanish.

The translation must come from a sworn translator appointed by the MAEC, listed in the ministry's official search tool. Spanish consulates warn that a translation done abroad can be rejected even when it is legalized. A translation by you, a friend, or an online tool has no legal value.

How Long is the Certificate Valid?

Under the 2010 instructions of Spain's Directorate General for Immigration, the certificate is valid for the period printed on it. If it states no period, it is valid for three months from the issue date. The clock does not restart when you get the apostille, so translate it as soon as it arrives.

What is the 15-Day Requerimiento?

In the 2026 regularization (Real Decreto 316/2026), applicants whose home country did not send the certificate could ask Spain to request it through diplomatic channels. The file was then suspended for up to three months. If the certificate still did not arrive, Extranjería notifies the applicant to provide it within 15 days. Miss that deadline and the application is treated as withdrawn.

Apostille or Legalization? Check Your Country

An apostille is a single stamp from the issuing country. It only works if that country belongs to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention and Spain has not objected to its accession. Otherwise the certificate needs diplomatic legalization, which takes longer. Every certificate below is usually issued in English, so all of them need a sworn Spanish translation.

Dates come from the Hague Conference status table, updated 30/06/2026. We checked the register of objections, Spain objected to India in 2005 and withdrew it in 2008. It has not objected to any other country in this table.

Certificate in English? Our MAEC sworn translators translate it into Spanish, apostille included, in 1 to 2 days. Request a quote.

How Do You Get It Ready In Time?

1. Request the certificate through the fastest channel. Many countries issue it online or through their consulate in Spain.
2. Ask for a sworn translation quote on day one. You don't need the final document yet. Knowing the language and page count lets the translator book your slot.
3. Get the apostille or legalization in the issuing country as soon as the certificate arrives.
4. Order the sworn Spanish translation of the certificate and its apostille. The apostille is part of the document, so it must be translated too.
5. File it through the channel shown in your notification and keep the submission receipt.

Is an Electronic SWORN Translation Valid?

Yes. Order AUC/213/2025, published in Spain's official gazette (BOE) on 7 March 2025, lets sworn translators certify translations with a qualified electronic signature. The signature covers the whole PDF, original and translation together. For online applications this is the fastest option, with no paper to post. For in-person filing, ask for the signed and stamped paper version.

Which Mistakes Get a Police Certificate Rejected?

• A translation that isn't sworn. Certified translations made outside Spain, or by non-sworn translators, are not traducciones juradas.
• Translating before the apostille. The apostille then stays untranslated and the file is incomplete.
• An expired certificate. If it states no validity, three months from issue is the limit.
• A missing country. Spain wants a certificate from every country you lived in during the five years before arriving.
• Names that don't match. The translation must spell your name exactly as in your passport.

Will You Need it Again?

Almost certainly. Renewing or changing your Spanish residency permit, and applying for Spanish nationality, can each require a new certificate, legalized and translated. Because it expires, you can't reuse today's copy. Note which office issued it and how long it took, so next time you know your real lead time.

Sworn Spanish Translation with PoliLingua

PoliLingua works with sworn translators appointed by the MAEC. We translate police certificates, apostilles and civil records into Spanish, delivered as a signed PDF for online filing or on paper for in-person appointments.

• Delivery in 1 to 2 days for documents of 1 to 2 pages
• Free quote within 15 minutes
• ISO 17100:2015 certified process and ELIA member
• 100% acceptance guarantee
• Offices in London and Madrid, translating since 2002

Got a deadline? Send us a photo or PDF of your certificate and the date on your notification. You will have the sworn translation in 1 to 2 days, leaving most of your 15 days free. Get a sworn translation quote