In brief
For residence permits, citizenship and study in Spain, a criminal record certificate and diplomas from Russia need an apostille and a sworn translation into Spanish (traducción jurada). Russian civil registry certificates are accepted in Spain without an apostille under a 1984 agreement, confirmed by the Spanish Ministry of Justice in 2024; a translation is still required. The Spanish consulate treats a criminal record certificate as valid for 3 months, and for citizenship it is 6 months. We obtain the documents without you travelling.
Which Russian documents are most often needed in Spain
- Criminal record certificate — for residence permits, visas and citizenship.
- Civil registry (ZAGS) certificates — birth, marriage, divorce; for citizenship, marriage and registering children.
- Diplomas and school-leaving certificates — for homologación and study.
- Federal Tax Service (FNS) and Federal Bailiff Service (FSSP) certificates — for renouncing Russian citizenship.
- Certificate of departure from the Social Fund of Russia (SFR) — for the visa and residence permit for remote workers employed by a company.
Apostille: when it is needed and when it is not
| Document | Apostille |
|---|---|
| Criminal record certificate, diplomas, notarial and court documents | required |
| Russian ZAGS certificates and records | not required — 1984 agreement |
| ZAGS documents from other former Soviet republics | apostille from the issuing country required |
The 1984 agreement covers only ZAGS documents and only Russia as the successor state of the USSR. In practice, some officials still ask for an apostille — in that case we will arrange it.
Sworn translation into Spanish
Spanish authorities accept foreign documents with a translation into Spanish, usually a sworn one (traducción jurada) — both the document and the apostille are translated. We work with sworn translators listed in the register of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the translation can be certified with an electronic signature. Translation: from €140 for a standard one-page document.
How long a criminal record certificate remains valid
| Purpose | Validity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visas and documents via the Spanish consulate in Moscow | 3 months from the date of issue | Consulate General of Spain in Moscow |
| Spanish citizenship by residence | 6 months from the date of issue | Spanish Ministry of Justice |
| Residence permit (extranjería) | not officially stated — plan on 3 months | our recommendation |
Prices
- Criminal record certificate with apostille: from €115 — turnaround times and prices.
- Duplicate ZAGS certificate: from €65.
- FNS, FSSP and SFR certificates: €125 per certificate.
- Sworn translation into Spanish: from €140.
The state fee for the apostille is included in the price. Delivery to Spain is charged at the courier’s rate. Euro prices are based on the Bank of Russia exchange rate on 22.10.2026.
Reviews from our team’s clients (in Russian)
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Reviews left on Google Maps by clients of our team whose orders we completed. The texts are quoted unchanged; names are shortened.
Frequently asked questions
Will an electronic criminal record certificate from Gosuslugi do?
Spain requires the original certificate with an apostille — this is what the Consulate General of Spain in Moscow states. That is why we order a paper certificate from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD).
I was told in Spain to get an apostille on a ZAGS certificate. What should I do?
Show the official the 1984 agreement and the 2024 DGSJFP decision from the list of sources. If the authority still insists, we will arrange an apostille on the Russian certificate in Russia. Certificates from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and other former Soviet republics always need an apostille.
Is a sworn translation with an electronic signature accepted?
Yes. Since 8 March 2025, a sworn translator in Spain may certify a translation with a qualified electronic signature (Orden AUC/213/2025). Some organisations still ask for a paper copy — you can order one too.
Sources
- Consulate General of Spain in Moscow — legalisation of documents — checked 22.10.2026
- Spanish Ministry of Justice — FAQ on nationality (October 2022), question 3 — checked 22.10.2026
- Exchange of notes between Spain and the USSR of 24.02.1984, BOE-A-1985-6208 — checked 22.10.2026
- DGSJFP decision of 17.09.2024, BOE-A-2024-23023 — checked 22.10.2026
- Orden AUC/213/2025 — electronic signature of sworn translations (BOE-A-2025-4519) — checked 22.10.2026
This is general information, not legal advice. Requirements may differ between authorities: please confirm them before you submit your documents. Legal notice