Criminal record certificate from Nigeria for a Spanish nationality file: who issues it and how long it stays valid
What the official pages of Nigeria and of Spain say about the criminal record certificate: who issues it, how to ask for it from Spain, cost and time where they are stated, and how long it counts for your file, with a source under every line. Reading this page is free.
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In short
- Criminal record: The Nigeria Police Force issues the Police Character Certificate, applied for on the POSSAP portal, whose FAQ has an entry for applicants from the diaspora and says to pay in dollars (or the host country's currency); the PCC page gives 5 to 7 working days of processing and we found no stated validity or amount, so the clock uses Spain's six months.
Each line sums up a section below. The sources are in that section.
Last checked: 19 October 2026. Check the official page: sede.mjusticia.gob.es.
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1. Criminal record certificate
The Nigeria Police Force's page on the Police Character Certificate (PCC) says it is an official document issued by the Nigeria Police Force that certifies an individual's criminal record status.[1] It says the certificate confirms whether the applicant has any criminal convictions, pending charges or police cautions recorded against their name within Nigeria.[2] Its list of who needs the certificate includes Nigerians seeking permanent residency or citizenship abroad.[3] We found no mention of Spain on that page.
The same page lists the steps, including: submit the application and upload all required documents on Police Services,[4] attend a biometric capture session at your designated NPF station,[5] and download and print the certificate from the portal.[6] We found no page saying how a person who lives outside Nigeria does the biometric step: ask the issuer.
The home page of the POSSAP portal (the Police Specialized Services Automation Project) lists the Police Character Certificate among the services the public can request.[7] It says a new user must create an account using a recognized means of identification,[8] and its FAQ says the portal retrieves information such as your name and phone number from the records of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) or the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS).[9] The PCC page lists among the documents required a valid National Identity Card (a NIN slip is accepted temporarily),[10] a birth certificate or statutory declaration of age[11] and evidence of payment of the prescribed fee.[12]
For people living abroad, the portal's FAQ has an entry for applicants from the diaspora. It asks what proof to upload to show you are not in Nigeria,[13] and answers that you can upload any valid supporting document such as a diaspora residence document, utility bills or a bank statement.[14] It says diaspora payments must be made in dollars (or the corresponding currency of your host country), for the exact amount displayed on the portal.[15] It also says biometric capturing sessions for Police Character Certificates are completely free of charge.[16]
Cost and validity: we found no stated validity, and no amount for the certificate. The PCC page asks for evidence of payment of the prescribed fee and prints no amount.[17] A question in the portal's FAQ about a diaspora payment made in naira mentions 53.76 USD, but the page does not say which service that amount is for.[18] On timing, the PCC page says 5 to 7 working days from the date complete documentation is submitted, with an express service of 2 to 3 working days at additional cost.[19] That is a processing time and says nothing about validity. We found no Nigerian page that states how long the certificate stays valid. Spain's order says all documents must be in force when you apply,[20] that the certificate's own term applies if it states one,[21] and that a criminal record with no stated validity counts for six months from issue.[22] The clock below therefore uses six months, and only if your certificate states no validity.
Spain asks for the criminal record certificate of the country of origin, legalised and translated, and says that as a rule it must be issued by the competent body of that country.[23][24]
Sources (24)
Next steps
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Where is my Spanish nationality file? The official ways to check it
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