To obtain your first residence permit in Spain, a certificate of no criminal record is a standard requirement, and in the case of residence by settlement (Arraigo), it is a key condition. The period it must cover and its validity period depend on the type of residence permit.
Period and Validity Terms of the Certificate of No Criminal Record
Residence permit under Law 14/2013
(digital nomad, startup, highly qualified professional)
Period the certificate must cover — the last 2 years before the application date.
Validity period — 6 months.
Other types of residence permits
(Cuenta Propia, Settlement, No lucrativa, etc.)
Period the certificate must cover — the last 5 years before the application date.
Validity period — 3 months.
From Which Countries the Certificate is Required
You must provide certificates of no criminal record from all countries where you have resided for more than 180 days in the last 2 or 5 years (depending on the type of residence permit you are applying for).
The certificate is not required if:
you had short trips (1–2 months)
you have lived only in Spain for the last 5 years
you have already submitted a certificate previously when obtaining a residence permit and have not left Spain for more than 6 consecutive months since then
The certificate of no criminal record is formally not tied to your citizenship. That is, if you have not lived in your countries of citizenship for more than 180 days in the last 2 or 5 years, formally a certificate of no criminal record from there is not required. However, Spanish immigration authorities may request a certificate at their discretion (especially from citizens of the Russian Federation). Therefore, in practice, it is better to prepare it in advance — usually only 10 working days are given to respond to such an additional request.
Certificate of No Criminal Record from the Russian Federation
For applying for a visa or residence permit in Spain, one of two options is suitable:
Certificate issued in Russia:
issued at the Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation or through MFC (application submission is possible through Gosuslugi)
requires sworn translation into Spanish
apostille is placed on the original certificate
Certificate from the Russian consulate in Spain:
issued at the Consular Department of the Russian Embassy in Madrid or at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Barcelona
requires sworn translation into Spanish
apostille is not required
How to Submit the Certificate of No Criminal Record: Original or Scan
In-person submission (to the consulate for a visa or to extranjería) — original with apostille and translation is required.
Online for residence permit in Spain — a scan of the original with apostille and translation is sufficient.
Renewal and Modification of Residence Permit: Is Re-submission of the Certificate of No Criminal Record Required
As a rule, when renewing the same type of residence permit or when modifying to another residence permit with continuous residence in Spain, re-submission of the certificate is not required.
However, if the situation is non-standard — long-term residence in a third country, numerous or long departures, gap in status — Extranjería may request the certificate additionally. In such cases, it is better to analyze the case individually and prepare the necessary documents in advance.
