Good to know · Legal
Get an FBI criminal-record check with apostille for a Spanish visa
Spanish consulates processing long-stay visas such as the non-lucrative and telework (digital nomad) visas require an FBI Identity History Summary, apostilled by the US State Department and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator, issued within the last 6 months.
- Why it matters
- It is the document with the longest lead time for many US applicants because it needs fingerprints, an apostille and a sworn translation, and a state-level check is not accepted.
- When
- You are preparing a Spanish long-stay visa application at a consulate in the US.
- How long it takes
- FBI: about 48 hours after electronic fingerprints, or up to about 15 days by mail (FBI page); apostille time not verified.
- Official page
- Non-working (non-lucrative) residence visa
- Last checked
- 6 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 5 steps, what to bring (4 items), and tips and what to watch for, with every official source.