Criminal Record Apostille: Tips from San Francisco for Spain non lucrative visa

Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

Question

A question for any recently successful Spain non lucrative visa applicants from San Francisco consulate. Where did you get an Apostille of your Criminal Record and how long did it take?

Answers

These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:

“The only way to get an Apostille of your Criminal record is to send the record to the Department of State. Make sure to send them your personal check for $20. They won’t accept money orders etc.

Over the phone they can accept a credit card. Very friendly people and it may take no more than 2 weeks. For return I used USPS with the tracking number and it was lost, so I sent it a second time with my record and another $20. They did it in 2 days, sent back by UPS second day delivery.”

“FBI background requires you to send it to the US State Department in Virginia to apostille since it’s a federal document. All information including links on the consulate web page. We did it all ourselves and it took 4-5 weeks to get the apostille. 10. Criminal record check certificate.

Applicants over 18 must present original and copy of the criminal record certificate(s) issued by their country or countries of residence for the past 5 years. The Criminal record check certificate cannot be issued more than 6 months preceding the submission of the visa application. Residents in the US: – Certificate must be based on fingerprints and issued by FBI and legalized with the Federal Apostille of the Hague Convention requested to the Department of State in Washington DC and translated via an official Translators – Sworn Interpreters (exteriores.gob.es)

– FBI BACKGROUND CHECK: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/identity-history-summary-checks

– APOSTILLE: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/records-and-authentications/authenticate-your-document/apostille-requirements.html

– Translations: Translators – Sworn Interpreters (exteriores.gob.es)”

“Here you can find 2 recommended Spanish sworn translators and a self-service sworn translation service with urgent service (48hs/24hs/12hs delivery): https://spainguru.es/sworn-translations-spanish-translators-registered-with-ministry-foreign-affairs/

Here you can get Apostille services in the US: https://spainguru.es/apostille-services-us-uk/“

Conclusion

For those looking to apply for Spain Non Lucrative Visa through the San Francisco consulate, the process of obtaining an Apostille for criminal records involves sending the document directly to the Department of State, with a processing time that can vary from a few days to several weeks.

Important details include the necessity of sending a personal check for payment, the requirement for the criminal record check certificate to be based on fingerprints and issued by the FBI, and the need for official translations.

Bruno Bianchi CEO & Spain Immigration Expert

Bruno Bianchi is the founder and CEO of Spainguru, Spain's largest expat immigration community with 150,000+ members. Since 2014 he has helped thousands of people relocate to Spain through expert guides, webinars and vetted professional services covering visas, residency, taxes and life in Spain.

See Full Bio

Spain Non-Lucrative Visa Spain Digital Nomad Visa Spanish Residency Taxes in Spain for Expats Moving to Spain