Criminal Record Certificate Translation

Certified Translation of Criminal Record Certificates

Updated: April 2026 · Written by the Apostilla Antecedentes team

Certified translation of FBI checks, state police certificates, and foreign criminal records for Spain, USCIS, and international immigration. Sworn translators for Spain. Fast turnaround, prepared to your receiving office's official requirements.

  • Sworn (jurado) translators for Spain
  • Prepared to USCIS and consular requirements
  • FBI + apostille + translation packages
  • 1–2 business day turnaround
Laura Chen
Reviewed byLaura ChenLegal Document Expert

What criminal record translation do you need?

Step 1 of 4

Where was your criminal record certificate issued?

Why criminal record certificates need certified translation

Criminal record certificates (background checks) are among the most frequently required — and most frequently rejected — documents in immigration applications. The most common rejection reasons:

  • Wrong translator type — Spain specifically requires sworn (jurado) translators. Using a regular certified translator causes rejection.
  • Translation before apostille — where your procedure requires it, the translation may need to cover the apostille text as well, so confirm the order and required content with the receiving office before ordering. Translating first does not automatically invalidate every translation.
  • Name discrepancies — The name in the translation must exactly match the name on the certificate and on your passport. Accent marks, middle names, and order matter.
  • Expired certificate — The certificate itself must be within the age limit your procedure sets (often 3 months, sometimes 5–6). The translation does not renew an expired certificate.

We prevent all of these errors through our pre-submission review process.

Who needs this service?

🇪🇸 Spain visa and residency applicants

Where Spain requires an official translation of your criminal record certificate, it must be admitted under RD 724/2020, art. 17 (for example, a sworn (jurado) translation) and cover what the receiving office demands. Which countries must be documented — e.g. the FBI check for US residents or certificates from other countries of residence — depends on the visa and consular post, not a single 5-year rule.

🛂 US immigration applicants

USCIS requires certified translations of foreign criminal record certificates. If you are applying for a US green card, adjustment of status, or naturalization, any foreign police certificate must come with a certified English translation.

📋 2026 regularisation: pending cases (applications closed 30 June 2026)

The application period for Spain's 2026 extraordinary regularization closed on 30 June 2026, so this applies only to pending cases or later document requests. The programme required criminal record certificates for the countries of residence required by the program's rules — each apostilled and, where the document is not in Spanish, officially translated. We handle the full chain for multiple countries simultaneously.

Required documents

DocumentIssuing authorityEstimated timeNotes
Original criminal record certificate Issuing authority (FBI, state, foreign ministry) Before translation Must be the original or apostilled copy. We translate the full document including any apostille attached.
Apostille (if required by destination country) Issuing country apostille authority Before translation (or simultaneously) Spain, EU, and most immigration authorities require the apostille before or at the same time as the certified translation.
Certified / sworn translation Qualified translator (sworn for Spain) 1–2 business days For Spain: use an official translation admitted under RD 724/2020, art. 17 — the ordinary route is a sworn (jurado) translator on the MAEUEC registry, and the article admits other channels too. For USCIS and other authorities: certified translation is sufficient.
Copy of valid ID or passport Applicant Current Names must match across all documents. Any discrepancy can cause rejection.

How the process works

1

Upload a clear scan of your criminal record certificate. We review the issuing authority, confirm whether an apostille is also needed, and provide a quote and timeline.

2

If your certificate still needs an apostille, we handle that first — or in parallel — so you receive both the apostilled original and the certified translation together.

3

Your certificate is translated by a specialist in legal and immigration documents. For Spain, translations follow RD 724/2020, art. 17 (ordinary route: sworn (jurado) translators). For US immigration, we use ATA-compliant certified translators.

4

Receive your certified translation by email and, if needed, by tracked courier. We also advise on submission requirements for your specific authority — consulate, USCIS, or immigration office.

Example scenarios

Illustrative examples based on common situations; names and details are changed.

DM
Democratic Memory Law – Name Typo

from USA to Spain

Apostille
The problem was…

An applicant for Spanish citizenship under the Democratic Memory Law had their mother's 40-year-old US Naturalization Certificate rejected because of a minor spelling error in her first name.

We solved it…

The applicant had to petition USCIS for a formal name correction, which can take months, and request an extension from the Spanish consulate.

Result

In this example, the fix is to correct the name through USCIS so the Spanish citizenship application can resume.

DM
Deferred Master's – Expired FBI Check

from USA to Spain

Apostille
The problem was…

A student deferred their Spanish master's program for a year and tried to reuse their previously apostilled FBI background check for the new visa application.

We solved it…

The consulate rejected it because the underlying criminal record check is only valid for 5 to 6 months from its original date of issuance.

Result

In this example, the fix is to obtain a new FBI check for the student visa application for the following year.

FF
FBI Fingerprint Card – Translation Required

from USA to Spain

Apostille
The problem was…

An applicant submitted an apostilled and translated FBI background check to the Spanish consulate, but it was rejected for missing a translation of the physical fingerprint card itself.

We solved it…

The applicant had to hire a sworn translator to translate the English text on the standard FBI FD-258 fingerprint card to meet the consulate's translation checklist.

Result

In this example, the refile would include a translation of the fingerprint card; some consulates require it.

View all cases →

Official sources & authorities

Information on this page is based on procedures from recognized government and intergovernmental bodies — not third-party estimates.

FBI CJIS Division — Identity History Summary Official source for US federal criminal background checks. View source →
USCIS — Translation Requirements USCIS requires certified translations of all foreign criminal record certificates submitted with immigration applications. View source →
Spain Ministry of Justice — Criminal Record Official source for Spanish criminal record certificates (certificado de antecedentes penales). View source →

Related guides

Guide
FBI background check for Spain: the complete 2026 guideLaura Chen · 2026
→

Related services

🔍FBI background check for Spain (full service)FBI check + apostille + sworn translation for Spain visas🇪🇸Sworn translation for SpainMinistry-accredited sworn (jurado) translations for Spain✈️Translation for visa applicationsAll translations for visa and residency applications📋All criminal record servicesBackground check certificates from every country
Laura Chen

Reviewed by

Laura Chen

Legal Document Expert

Specialist in documents for the English-speaking market with a focus on fast and secure processing.

View full profile →

Frequently asked questions

Does my FBI certificate need to be apostilled before translation?

It depends on what your receiving office demands. Where the apostille text must be included, we apostille first and translate the full apostilled document; Ottawa and Boston explicitly state the apostille need not be translated for the reviewed procedures. Confirm the order and content with the receiving office — translating first does not automatically invalidate every translation.

Can I translate a state-level criminal record certificate for Spain?

State-level certificates (from a state criminal justice authority) can be apostilled by the relevant state Secretary of State, then sworn-translated for Spain. However, for Spain visa purposes, Spain typically requires the FBI federal check — not state-level checks — because it covers your entire US residence history.

What if I have criminal record certificates from multiple countries?

We handle multi-country packages. If you need certificates from 3 or more countries apostilled and translated, we coordinate the entire process — staggering timelines so you receive everything together. This was common in the 2026 regularización extraordinaria (applications closed 30 June 2026).

How long is the translation valid?

The translation itself has no expiry. However, the underlying criminal record certificate must fit the freshness limit your procedure sets; verified Spanish checklists range between three, five and six months. We recommend timing your translation to your application date.

Will the translation be accepted by Spanish consulates outside Spain?

We work with sworn translators accredited for Spanish procedures and prepare the translation against the requirements each consulate publishes. Check the specific consular office's current rules; final acceptance is decided by the receiving authority — not guaranteed by us.

What does criminal record certificate translation cost?

Sworn translation of a standard criminal record certificate (1–2 pages) starts at $79. FBI certificates with apostille text run slightly longer and start at $89. Rush delivery (+$25) is available. Contact us for a quote on multi-document packages.

Laura Chen
Laura Chen Legal Document Expert
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