We arrange the last step: a sworn translation (traducción jurada) into Spanish by a MAEC-appointed translator. A certificate usually takes 24–48 hours, from €29. That is a starting price: you approve our written quotation before work starts. Send a scan once the apostille is on.
In this guide
- Does Spain accept the ACRO police certificate?
- Which Spanish procedures ask Brits in Spain for an ACRO certificate?
- How do I get an ACRO police certificate while living in Spain?
- Why can't an ACRO certificate get an e-Apostille?
- Is Disclosure Scotland or AccessNI accepted instead of ACRO?
- How long is an ACRO certificate valid in Spain?
- Does the ACRO certificate need a sworn Spanish translation?
- How long does the ACRO, apostille and translation chain take?
Apostilled ACRO certificate on your desk? A MAEC-appointed sworn translator can translate it and its apostille, usually in 24–48 hours. See our police clearance certificate sworn translation.
Does Spain accept the ACRO police certificate?
Yes. For UK criminal records, Spain's consulates ask for the ACRO police certificate. The London consulate's checklists say: "For UK Criminal Records submit ACRO Certificate." It must carry a Hague apostille from the FCDO. It also needs a translation into Spanish by a sworn translator-interpreter.
ACRO is the ACRO Criminal Records Office, a UK police body. Spanish officials call its certificate a certificado de antecedentes penales (criminal record certificate). An apostille is a certificate that confirms the signature and seal on a public document.
These official sources state the rule:
| Office | What it says about UK records |
|---|---|
| Consulate General in London, non-lucrative checklist | "For UK Criminal Records submit ACRO Certificate"; apostille; sworn translation |
| Consulate General in London, digital nomad checklist | Same ACRO line; certificates for the last 2 years plus a 5-year self-declaration |
| Consulate General in Edinburgh, non-lucrative checklist | "Only the ACRO police certificate is valid for the UK" |
Offices inside Spain, such as Extranjería and the Ministry of Justice, ask for an apostilled and translated criminal record certificate. For a UK national, that is the ACRO certificate in practice.
Which Spanish procedures ask Brits in Spain for an ACRO certificate?
The main ones are Spanish nationality, the arraigo residence permits and first residence visas. Nationality asks for a criminal record certificate from your country of origin. Arraigo asks for one from each country you lived in during the last 5 years. Visa checklists usually cover the last 5 years too.
382,474 UK nationals held a Spanish residence document on 31 December 2025 (Ministry of Inclusion / OPI). Many will meet one of these procedures:
- Spanish nationality by residence. Under RD 1004/2015, art. 5, you file a criminal record certificate from your country of origin, legalised and translated. See Spanish nationality sworn translation.
- Arraigo (residence through settlement). The Hojas for arraigo social and arraigo familiar ask for no criminal record in Spain or in your countries of residence in the last 5 years. See arraigo sworn translation.
- Non-lucrative and digital nomad residence. Consulates ask for criminal records for the last 5 years (London digital nomad: 2 years plus a declaration). See non-lucrative visa translations and digital nomad visa translations.
Example: Sarah has lived in Alicante since 2015. For her 2026 nationality file she still needs an ACRO certificate, because the UK is her country of origin.
Tip: for arraigo, the rule follows where you lived. If you left the UK more than 5 years ago, check whether your office still wants a UK certificate. For full nationality steps, see our guide to Spanish citizenship requirements.
How do I get an ACRO police certificate while living in Spain?
You apply to ACRO online, then send the paper certificate to the FCDO for a paper apostille. The FCDO can courier it back to a Spanish address. Then you send a scan for the sworn translation. Plan the whole chain before you apply, because the certificate's validity starts on its issue date.
Follow these steps:
- Check your office's rule. Note its validity window and years covered.
- Apply to ACRO. Check its current fee, processing time and delivery options to Spain first.
- Apply online to the FCDO. gov.uk says you apply for both apostille types online, then post paper documents.
- Choose a return to Spain. gov.uk charges £32 per 1.5 kg for courier return to most European countries. Postage is only offered to UK addresses.
- Order the sworn translation. Send a scan of the certificate and the apostille together.
Source: gov.uk, get a document legalised (source: gov.uk, 12 October 2026).
Common mistake: routing the certificate through a UK family address. Each extra postal leg eats into the validity window.
Why can't an ACRO certificate get an e-Apostille?
The FCDO's e-Apostille is not available for ACRO police certificates for England and Wales. gov.uk lists them as ineligible, with DBS certificates, disclosure certificates for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and fingerprint certificates. So the ACRO certificate needs the paper apostille: £45, usually up to 25 working days, plus postage.
| FCDO service | Fee | Time | Available for ACRO? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper apostille | £45 per document | Usually up to 25 working days, plus postage or courier | Yes |
| e-Apostille | £35 per document | Up to 2 working days | No |
Either service may take longer if a signature needs verifying (gov.uk). The 2-day e-Apostille time does not apply to ACRO.
UK birth and marriage certificates also need paper; see UK documents sworn translation for Spain. For the apostille concept itself, read apostille before or after sworn translation.
Is Disclosure Scotland or AccessNI accepted instead of ACRO?
No, not for Spanish visas. The Spanish Consulate General in Edinburgh, which covers Scotland and Northern Ireland, states: "Only the ACRO police certificate is valid for the UK. The disclosure Scotland certificate is not accepted." Its checklist does not mention AccessNI. So Scottish and Northern Irish residents use ACRO too.
Edinburgh's checklist (last update July 2025) covers Scotland, Northern Ireland and several counties in north-east England.
Offices inside Spain publish no Scotland-specific rule. The safe choice is ACRO for every UK national. Already hold a Disclosure Scotland or AccessNI certificate? Ask your office before filing it.
How long is an ACRO certificate valid in Spain?
There is no single national rule. Validity is set by each office, commonly 3 to 6 months. The London and Edinburgh checklists accept certificates issued within 6 months, unless the certificate states a longer validity. For nationality, the Ministry of Justice treats a certificate with no stated validity as valid for 6 months.
| Procedure | Validity rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Non-lucrative visa (London, Edinburgh) | Issued within 6 months, unless it states otherwise | Consulate checklists |
| Spanish nationality | 6 months from issue, unless it states otherwise | Ministry of Justice nationality FAQ |
| Arraigo and other Extranjería files | Set by each office | Check your Hoja and your office |
The clock runs from the issue date on the ACRO certificate. It does not restart with the apostille or the translation. A sworn translation has no expiry of its own; see does a sworn translation expire.
Does the ACRO certificate need a sworn Spanish translation?
Yes. The London checklists ask for a translation "into Spanish by a sworn Translator-Interpreter". Inside Spain, Extranjería's Hoja 61 accepts a MAEC-appointed sworn translator as its main route. In Spain, an "official" or "certified" translation means a sworn translation (traducción jurada) by a MAEC-appointed translator.
A certified translation made in the UK is not a sworn translation, and most Spanish offices won't accept it. The ACRO certificate is in English, so you need an English to Spanish sworn translation.
Edinburgh's checklist says the apostille stamp itself needs no translation. Other offices set their own rules, so we can include the apostille page if yours expects it.
Every translator we work with is appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC) and seals each page. You can verify a Spanish sworn translator on the official MAEC list.
How long does the ACRO, apostille and translation chain take?
Allow ACRO's current processing time, then usually up to 25 working days at the FCDO, plus courier time to Spain. The sworn translation usually takes 24–48 hours after that. Work back from your filing date so the certificate is still well within its window.
Tip: apply to ACRO last, once your other documents are ready.
Example: Mark in Málaga files for nationality on 15 June. He applies to ACRO in early March, and the apostilled certificate reaches Spain in late April.
If the Ministry of Justice later asks for the certificate in a requerimiento, RD 1004/2015, art. 10, gives you three months to reply. An Extranjería requerimiento is shorter: 10 working days (días hábiles) under Ley 39/2015, art. 68. See correction notice sworn translation. For tight dates, our urgent sworn translation helps.
Courier just delivered your apostilled ACRO certificate? Send the scan today. A standard certificate is usually translated in 24–48 hours.
What should be in your ACRO file before you go to Extranjería?
Check this list before you file:
- The ACRO police certificate is the original paper document.
- It carries the FCDO paper apostille.
- It is within your office's validity window on the filing date.
- It covers the years your procedure asks about.
- Your name matches your passport, including any married or former name.
- The sworn translation covers the certificate, and the apostille if your office expects it.
- The translator appears on the official MAEC list.
Filing other UK papers too? See birth certificate sworn translation into Spanish, marriage certificate sworn translation into Spanish and medical certificate sworn translation. If the apostille is still to arrange, see apostille and sworn translation. American spouse in the same file? Read our FBI background check guide for a Spain visa and the US documents sworn translation for Spain page.
What if Extranjería queries your ACRO translation?
Sending a UK criminal record to a Spanish office raises four fair questions.
- Is the translator real? Every page of your translation carries the sworn translator's official seal and signature. Any office, or you, can check it against the official MAEC list.
- What if the office rejects it? Free, prioritised re-issue if rejected on formal grounds. See our re-issue policy.
- Is my ACRO record safe with you? Your files are deleted within 7 days of delivery. Read our privacy policy.
- Is your nationality or arraigo date close? Tell us the date when you order, and we plan around it.
What clients say
4.9/5.0 from 18,000+ reviews
“Good service and clear communication. I needed my police clearance certificate translated for a residence application. They explained what they needed from me and answered my questions promptly.”
“We needed a police certificate translated and had some doubts about the paperwork. The team replied patiently and explained the process. It was helpful to get a clear answer instead of trying to work everything out ourselves.”
“I needed my birth certificate translated for my Spanish nationality paperwork and wasn't really sure where to start. I sent an enquiry first, and the team explained the process without making it complicated. The communication was good, and I felt more confident about getting the documents ready.”
“We had to translate our marriage certificate for a family reunification procedure. I was worried about getting the paperwork wrong, so I had quite a few questions. The team was patient and explained the translation process clearly. That was genuinely helpful during an already stressful time.”
“My nationality application involved documents from my home country, and I wasn't sure how to arrange the translations. I reached out with my questions and received a clear explanation of the process. It saved me from spending more time guessing what to do next.”
“We needed corporate documents translated into Spanish for a business procedure. The terminology and consistency mattered to us, so we wanted a service that understood the formal nature of the documents. Communication was professional, and the process was well organised.”
“Muy buen servicio. I needed an English-to-Spanish sworn translation for official paperwork and had a few doubts before ordering. They answered my questions clearly, and the whole process was easier than I expected.”
“Muchas gracias por la ayuda 😊 I needed my marriage certificate translated for a family application here in Spain. Communication was good and the steps were easy to understand.”
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an ACRO certificate if I have lived in Spain for years?
Usually yes. ACRO takes applications online, and Spanish offices ask UK nationals living abroad for its certificate. Check ACRO's site for current eligibility, fee, time and delivery to Spain.
Does Spain accept a DBS check instead of ACRO?
No, the consulate checklists name ACRO for UK criminal records. A DBS certificate is for UK employment checks. Use the ACRO police certificate for Spanish procedures.
Can I get an e-Apostille on my ACRO certificate?
No. gov.uk lists ACRO police certificates among the documents that cannot get an e-Apostille. You need the paper apostille at £45, usually up to 25 working days, plus postage.
Do I need an ACRO certificate for Spanish nationality?
Usually yes, if the UK is your country of origin. Nationality files need a criminal record certificate from your country of origin, legalised and translated. Our Spanish nationality sworn translation page lists the other documents.
Can I translate the ACRO certificate before the apostille?
No, apostille it first. The sworn translation includes a stamped copy of the document as it was, so a later apostille would be missing. Translate the certificate and apostille together.
Is a UK certified translation of my ACRO certificate enough?
Usually not. Spanish consulates in the UK ask for a sworn translator-interpreter, and Extranjería's Hoja 61 names the MAEC sworn translator route. A UK certified translation is not a sworn translation.
Sources: gov.uk: get a document legalised · London non-lucrative checklist · London digital nomad checklist · Edinburgh non-lucrative checklist · RD 1004/2015 (BOE) · Ministry of Justice nationality FAQ · Hoja: arraigo social · ACRO · MAEC sworn translator search. Last checked: 12 October 2026.
How do I get my apostilled ACRO certificate translated?
Scan the ACRO certificate and its FCDO apostille, and tell us your office and date. Then request a fixed quote for your ACRO translation. You get one fixed total and a delivery date before you pay; see our sworn translation prices. Prices start from €29 per certificate. These are starting prices. For your final price, send your details through the quote form. We email you a written quotation, and work starts only after you approve it. A standard certificate is usually ready in 24–48 hours.
What happens next
- 1We check the apostille, the issue date and your filing date, then send a fixed quote.
- 2You approve a draft showing your names, dates and the ACRO reference.
- 3The signed PDF arrives by email; paper with a handwritten seal can follow by courier.
About this guide: Written by our editorial team and checked against official sources. We coordinate translations by MAEC-appointed sworn translators and are not affiliated with ACRO, the FCDO or any Spanish authority. We only translate. We never sell appointments. Read our editorial policy and more guides on sworn translation in Spain.