How to apostille an FBI background check for Spain’s non-lucrative visa
Spain’s non-lucrative visa does not call for just any background check. Spanish consular instructions in the United States generally require an FBI report, a federal apostille and an official Spanish translation.
Order the right record
Request the FBI Identity History Summary through fingerprints. The consular instructions reviewed for this guide state that local or state checks do not replace the federal report for this requirement.
The apostille is federal
The FBI is a federal agency. The apostille therefore comes from the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications—not the Florida, Texas or New York Secretary of State. It must authenticate the eligible federal signature, not a notarial signature added later.
Recommended sequence
- Identify the Spanish consulate with jurisdiction over your residence.
- Order the FBI report early.
- Check the name, date and signature.
- Obtain the federal apostille.
- Arrange the official Spanish translation required by your consulate.
- Do not remove staples or separate the apostille.
Validity and timing
The consular pages reviewed state that the certificate must have been issued within the six months before the application. Work backward from the appointment and allow time for fingerprints, FBI processing, federal authentication, shipping and translation.
If you lived in other countries
You may also need police certificates from countries where you lived during the period specified by the consulate. Each certificate follows the legalization or apostille rules of its country of origin and may need a separate translation.
Mistakes that delay a file
- Using a state check instead of the FBI report.
- Requesting a state apostille for a federal record.
- Notarizing the original FBI report.
- Removing a staple or altering the apostilled set.
- Using a translation that does not meet consular instructions.
- Following another consular district's checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apostille a photocopy?
The reliable route is the eligible federal report, not an improvised notarized photocopy.
Translation before or after apostille?
Applicants commonly obtain the apostille first and translate the required set afterward. Verify your consulate's exact instruction.
Does Integramerica determine visa eligibility?
No. We can help with the document route; the consulate decides eligibility and approval.
Official sources
Want to confirm the route for your documents?
Send us the document type, issuing state or agency and destination country. We review the document route before you incur unnecessary expense.
Informational content only. Integramerica is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Requirements and final acceptance depend on the receiving authority.