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Documents from Nigeria for a Spanish nationality file: criminal record, birth certificate, legalisation and validity

Where each document comes from, who issues the legalisation, how long each one stays valid and what Spain's own texts say about legalisation and translation, with a source under every line. Free.

Validity clock: your dates, worked out

Type a date you already have and read the date it leads to, with the official rule beside it. Nothing is stored or sent: the calculation runs in your browser. Add a date to your calendar with a reminder.

Sources (1)
Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo, 4. Validez de los documentosOfficial wordingEn el caso de certificados de antecedentes penales en los que no conste plazo de validez, se entenderá que tienen una vigencia de seis meses a contar desde su expedición.
Sources (1)
sede.mjusticia.gob.es, página del trámiteOfficial wordingDispone de dos meses desde la fecha de creación para completar su solicitud, si pasado ese plazo no ha firmado y presentado su solicitud, se borrará de manera automática.
How we count

Months and years end on the same day number, or on the last day of the month if there is no such day; they start the day after the date you give. A deadline that ends on a weekend moves to the next working day. Document validity is not moved: the date shown is the last day it stays valid, even on a weekend. Days are working days unless a law says otherwise.

Ley 39/2015, art. 30.4Official wordingéstos se computarán a partir del día siguiente a aquel en que tenga lugar la notificación o publicación del acto de que se trate
Ley 39/2015, art. 30.4Official wordingo desde el siguiente a aquel en que se produzca la estimación o desestimación por silencio administrativo.
Ley 39/2015, art. 30.2Official wordingSiempre que por Ley o en el Derecho de la Unión Europea no se exprese otro cómputo, cuando los plazos se señalen por días, se entiende que éstos son hábiles
Ley 39/2015, art. 30.2Official wordingexcluyéndose del cómputo los sábados, los domingos y los declarados festivos.
Ley 39/2015, art. 30.4Official wordingEl plazo concluirá el mismo día en que se produjo la notificación, publicación o silencio administrativo en el mes o el año de vencimiento.
Ley 39/2015, art. 30.4Official wordingSi en el mes de vencimiento no hubiera día equivalente a aquel en que comienza el cómputo, se entenderá que el plazo expira el último día del mes.
Ley 39/2015, art. 30.5Official wordingCuando el último día del plazo sea inhábil, se entenderá prorrogado al primer día hábil siguiente.

Where is my file? With your application number, follow it on the Ministry's website: Ministry of Justice: nationality by residence

The File Pack: your file in one workspace

Your documents with their dates, the order to ask for them, every deadline in one calendar file, two letters already drafted and twenty-five checks before you file. It uses the same sourced rules as this page, organised for your own file.

  • A tracker for each document, with a check of whether it will still count on your filing day
  • The order to ask for each document, with the dates that can already be worked out
  • One calendar file with every date you fill in, and reminders
  • Two letters already drafted: asking for the state of your file and answering a requirement, with the last day to answer
  • Twenty-five checks before you file, and nine questions to ask before you pay a lawyer
  • In English, Spanish, French and Arabic. What you type stays in your browser.

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You submit your file yourself on the Ministry's site; the File Pack shows each document and each step, with the official source beside it.

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.
  • Birth and marriage: The National Population Commission registers births and its FAQ describes Birth Attestation (age 18 and above) and a Certificate Reprint module; we found no page on requesting a birth or marriage certificate from abroad, and no official validity.
  • Legalisation: We did not find Nigeria in the HCCH table of Apostille parties, so the route described is legalisation by Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has a document authentication service, and then either the Spanish Consulate General in Lagos, which prints a fee of N69.800 per page (written with a point; confirm the amount), or, in Spain, the Foreign Ministry's Servicio de Legalizaciones, which the Ministry of Justice warning says is free; we found no Nigerian fee or delay.
  • Translation: We found no official page saying which language Nigerian certificates are written in or whether a translation is needed; Spain's order says "traducido en su caso" for the birth certificate and "traducido" for the criminal record.
  • Order: Our arithmetic, not an official rule: request first the birth and marriage certificates, then the criminal record certificate (which also needs legalisation and translation), so that you can finish its legalisation and translation while it is still valid; the clock below gives the dates.

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.

CiviqPass is an independent service.

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.

Criminal record certificate from Nigeria: who issues it and how long it stays valid

Sources (3)
  1. npf.gov.ng, What it isOfficial wordingThe Police Character Certificate (PCC) is an official document issued by the Nigeria Police Force that certifies an individual's criminal record status.
  2. npf.gov.ng, What it isOfficial wordingIt confirms whether the applicant has any criminal convictions, pending charges, or police cautions recorded against their name within Nigeria.
  3. npf.gov.ng, Who needs itOfficial wordingNigerians seeking permanent residency or citizenship abroad

2. Birth certificate, and marriage certificate if you are married

The National Population Commission's page on civil registration says the Commission currently registers births, deaths and stillbirths.[1] It says birth registration records provide legal and documentary evidence to certify a person's age, parentage, birthplace, and nationality or citizenship.[2]

The Commission's Vital-Reg FAQ gives the age range as 18 and above for Birth Attestation and 0 to 17 for Birth Registration.[3] For Birth Attestation it lists a National Identification Number (NIN) and a court sworn affidavit as requirements.[4] It says a birth certificate can be reprinted through the "Certificate Reprint" module in the Services section of the Commission's website,[5] and that an old birth certificate can be converted to a digital version through the "Certificate Reissuance" module.[6]

What we did not find. No Commission page says which of these documents a foreign authority will accept, how a person living outside Nigeria requests one, what it costs or how long it takes. We found no page saying whether the Commission's modules can be used from abroad: ask the issuer.

For a marriage certificate, we found no page that names the issuing body for all Nigerian marriages. The Ministry of Interior's marriage portal lists a "Certify True Copy" service at ₦50,000, described as getting certified true copies of documents,[7] and says it has 13 registries nationwide.[8] The page does not say which documents the service covers or whether it issues copies of marriage certificates: ask the registry.

Spain asks for the birth certificate of the country of origin, duly legalised and translated "en su caso" (where applicable).[9] If you are married, it also asks for the marriage certificate of the country where the marriage took place.[10] We found no official Spanish text saying which kind of copy (extract or full) it wants: ask the registry.

Validity. Spain's order says all documents must be in force when you apply.[11] We found no official page that states a validity for a Nigerian birth or marriage certificate.

Sources (11)
  1. nationalpopulation.gov.ng, Civil Registration and Vital StatisticsOfficial wordingCurrently, the National Population Commission registers Births, Deaths and Still Birth.
  2. nationalpopulation.gov.ng, Administrative benefitsOfficial wordingBirth registration records provide the necessary legal and doocumentary evidence to certify a person's age, parentage, birthplace, and nationality or citizenship
  3. nationalpopulation.gov.ng, What is the age range for Birth Attestation and Birth Registration?Official wordingBirth Attestation: For individuals 18 years and above. Birth Registration: For individuals 0 to 17 years.
  4. nationalpopulation.gov.ng, What are the requirements for Birth Attestation?Official wordingWhat are the requirements for Birth Attestation? National Identification Number (NIN) Court Sworn Affidavit
  5. nationalpopulation.gov.ng, How can I reprint my Birth Certificate?Official wordingHow can I reprint my Birth Certificate? Visit the National Population Commission website: nationalpopulation.gov.ng . Navigate to the Services section. Click on the “Certificate Reprint” module.
  6. nationalpopulation.gov.ng, I have an old Birth Certificate. How do I get the digital version?Official wordingI have an old Birth Certificate. How do I get the digital version? Visit the National Population Commission website: nationalpopulation.gov.ng . Under the Services section, select the “Certificate Reissuance” module.
  7. candb.interior.gov.ng, Marriage Portal homeOfficial wordingCertify True Copy ₦50,000 Get certified true copies of documents.
  8. candb.interior.gov.ng, Marriage Portal homeOfficial wordingNationwide registry coverage 30,000+ Applications Submitted 13 Registries Nationwide
  9. Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo 1.aOfficial wordingCertificado de nacimiento del país de origen debidamente legalizado y traducido en su caso, conforme los Convenios Internacionales.
  10. Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo 1.aOfficial wordingEn el caso de personas casadas certificado de matrimonio del país de celebración, debidamente traducido y legalizado en su caso.
  11. Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo, 4. Validez de los documentosOfficial wordingTodos los documentos deberán estar en vigor en el momento de la solicitud.

3. Legalisation

The HCCH status table for the 1961 Apostille Convention (last update 30-VI-2026) counts 130 Contracting Parties; we did not find Nigeria among those listed.[1] We found no Nigerian apostille authority, so the route described by the Spanish pages is legalisation. Spain's Ministry of Justice warning says that "en el resto de los casos" there is an obligation to legalise public documents through the diplomatic route,[2] and describes the two steps, adding that the Spanish consular step carries a fee.[3] It also names the Foreign Ministry's Servicio de Legalizaciones in Spain, where it says legalisation is always free.[4] The warning calls legalisation of foreign documents an essential requirement.[5]

The page of the Spanish Embassy in Abuja says that, as a general rule, unless a rule exempts it, every foreign public document must be legalised or apostilled to be valid in Spain.[6] It says only originals (or authentic copies issued by the body that issued the original), legalised or apostilled, are admitted.[7]

On the Nigerian side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' page on document authentication says its authentication service validates and legalizes documents to meet global standards, making them officially recognized worldwide.[8] The page has an entry on birth certificate authentication,[9] and its tabs also name child adoption documents, end user certificates and marriage certificates.[10] The Ministry's Automated Consular Services portal says it provides end-to-end services to Nigerian government and citizens at home and abroad,[11] has a section headed Authentication and Legalisation of Documents/Certificates,[12] and its home page shows three general steps: register,[13] select the authentication service, then upload the documents and track the application.[14]

What we did not find. The Ministry's pages print no fee and no delay, and the only steps listed are the three general ones on the ACS home page (register, select the authentication service, upload documents and track). The wording of the birth certificate entry speaks of a certificate issued by one government and checked in another jurisdiction, and we found no page saying whether it covers Nigerian certificates for use in Spain. The criminal record certificate is not named among the documents on the page, and we found no page saying whether the Ministry authenticates it. We found no Nigerian page saying how its step links to the Spanish consulate: ask the issuer and the consulate.

The Spanish Embassy in Abuja's page says the Embassy has a consular section but does not offer a legalisation service,[15] and asks you to contact the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos.[16] The Lagos consulate's page says more information on how to apply for legalisation or apostille may be obtained on request by email from the Consular Office. Under the same heading the page prints "Fee: N69.800 per page".[17] We read the point as a thousands separator (69,800 naira), but confirm the amount with the consulate. The Embassy's consulates page gives the Lagos e-mail address for legalisation questions: cog.lagos.leg@maec.es.[18] We found no processing time on these pages: ask the consulate.

Spain's Foreign Ministry says legalisation has no expiry date but, if the document has a validity period, legalisation does not extend it.[19]

Sources (19)
  1. hcch.net, Status table, Convention 12 (Apostille)Official wordingLast update: 30-VI-2026 Number of Contracting Parties to this Convention: 130
  2. Advertencia legalización y apostilla (Ministerio de Justicia), advertenciaOfficial wordingEn el resto de los casos, existe OBLIGACIÓN DE LEGALIZACIÓN DE DOCUMENTOS PÚBLICOS por vía diplomática
  3. Advertencia legalización y apostilla (Ministerio de Justicia), advertenciaOfficial wordingla legalización por el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores del país extranjero emisor del documento, y seguidamente, es necesaria la legalización por la Oficina Consular de España en tal país. Este último trámite conlleva el pago de una tasa.
  4. Advertencia legalización y apostilla (Ministerio de Justicia), advertenciaOfficial wordingServicio de Legalizaciones del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación. La legalización en dicho Servicio es siempre gratuita.
  5. Advertencia legalización y apostilla (Ministerio de Justicia), advertenciaOfficial wordingLa legalización de los documentos extranjeros aportados a la solicitud de nacionalidad española por residencia constituye un requisito esencial para la aceptación de dicha documentación
  6. exteriores.gob.es, Legalización y apostilla de la HayaOfficial wordingPor regla general, salvo que alguna norma exima de esta obligación, todo documento público extranjero debe ser legalizado o apostillado para tener validez en España
  7. exteriores.gob.es, Legalización de documentos extranjeros en la Oficina ConsularOfficial wordingSólo se admite los documentos originales (o las copias auténticas emitidas por el mismo órgano que expidió el original) legalizados o apostillados.
  8. foreignaffairs.gov.ng, Document AuthenticationOfficial wordingOur authentication service validates and legalizes documents to meet global standards, making them officially recognized worldwide
  9. foreignaffairs.gov.ng, Document AuthenticationOfficial wordingBirth certificate authentication is the process of verifying the authenticity of a birth certificate issued by one government in another jurisdiction.
  10. foreignaffairs.gov.ng, Document AuthenticationOfficial wordingChild Adoption Document End User Certificate Marriage Certificate
  11. acs.foreignaffairs.gov.ng, HomeOfficial wordingACS is a service delivery platform that provides end-to-end services to Nigerian government and citizens at home and abroad.
  12. acs.foreignaffairs.gov.ng, HomeOfficial wordingAuthentication and Legalisation of Documents/Certificates
  13. acs.foreignaffairs.gov.ng, Home, How it WorksOfficial wording1. Register. No need to fill out long forms, simply & securely register using a secured service code.
  14. acs.foreignaffairs.gov.ng, Home, How it WorksOfficial wording2.Select Authentication Service. Choose the service you need from the available options after clicking get started. 3.Submit & Track. 3.Upload required documents and track your application status effortlessly.
  15. exteriores.gob.es, Legalización de documentos extranjeros en la Oficina ConsularOfficial wordingEsta Embajada cuenta con sección consular pero lamentablemente no ofrecemos servicio de legalizaciones.
  16. exteriores.gob.es, Legalización de documentos extranjeros en la Oficina ConsularOfficial wordingrogamos ponerse en contacto con el Consulado General de España en Lagos
  17. exteriores.gob.es, Legalization of foreign documents at the Consular OfficeOfficial wordingMore information on how to apply for legalization or apostille may be obtained on request (by email) from this Consular Office. Fee: N69.800 per page
  18. exteriores.gob.es, ConsuladosOfficial wordinglegalizaciones: cog.lagos.leg@maec.es
  19. exteriores.gob.es, Legalización diplomática - 5. Práctica de la legalizaciónOfficial wordingLa legalización carece de fecha de caducidad. No obstante, si el documento tiene un plazo de validez, la legalización no implica su extensión.

4. Translation into Spanish

We found no official Nigerian page saying in which language its certificates are written, and no official Nigerian or Spanish page saying whether a document in a particular language needs a translation. Spain's order says "traducido en su caso" for the birth certificate and "traducido" for the criminal record.[1][2]

The Spanish Ministry of Justice warning says translation is done or checked at Spanish consular offices abroad or at the consular offices in Spain of the document's country of origin, and that the documents must then be legalised. It adds that a sworn translator-interpreter named by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can do the translation or check.[3][4]

Sources (4)
  1. Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo 1.aOfficial wordingCertificado de nacimiento del país de origen debidamente legalizado y traducido en su caso, conforme los Convenios Internacionales.
  2. Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo 1.aOfficial wordingCertificado de antecedentes penales del país de origen debidamente legalizado y traducido conforme a los Convenios Internacionales.
  3. Advertencia legalización y apostilla (Ministerio de Justicia), advertenciaOfficial wordingha de realizarse o cotejarse en las Oficinas Consulares de España en el extranjero o en las del país de origen del documento en España y posteriormente deben legalizarse
  4. Advertencia legalización y apostilla (Ministerio de Justicia), advertenciaOfficial wordingExiste la posibilidad de que la traducción o cotejo de esta la lleve a cabo un intérprete-traductor jurado nombrado por el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores

5. Order of requests and validity

Spain's order says that all documents must be in force when you apply.[1] For certificates, the validity stated on the certificate itself counts,[2] and a criminal record certificate with no stated validity counts for six months from the day it was issued.[3]

Legalisation does not make a document last longer. Spain's Foreign Ministry says legalisation has no expiry date but that, if the document has a validity period, legalisation does not extend it.[4]

When you create the online application you have two months to complete and file it, or it is deleted.[5]

Our arithmetic, not an official rule. The sources above fix how long a document stays valid, not the order in which you request things. If the validity counts from the day of issue, and the legalisation and a sworn translation take time afterwards, the request date matters most for the documents with the shortest validity. Type a date in the clock below to see when your criminal record certificate stops being valid, then count back the time the legalisation and the translation take in your case.

  1. Find out what validity, if any, each issuer prints on its certificate (the sections above say what we found).
  2. Request first the documents that need a legalisation and a sworn translation, since those steps come after issue.
  3. Request the criminal record certificate when you can still finish its legalisation and translation inside its validity.
  4. Type its issue date in the clock below and file before the "valid until" date it shows.
  5. Create the online application only when you are close to filing: from creation you have two months.
Sources (5)
  1. Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo, 4. Validez de los documentosOfficial wordingTodos los documentos deberán estar en vigor en el momento de la solicitud.
  2. Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo, 4. Validez de los documentosOfficial wordingPara determinar la validez en el caso de los certificados se atenderá al plazo de vigencia que conste en el propio documento.
  3. Orden JUS/1625/2016, anexo, 4. Validez de los documentosOfficial wordingEn el caso de certificados de antecedentes penales en los que no conste plazo de validez, se entenderá que tienen una vigencia de seis meses a contar desde su expedición.
  4. exteriores.gob.es, Legalización diplomática - 5. Práctica de la legalizaciónOfficial wordingLa legalización carece de fecha de caducidad. No obstante, si el documento tiene un plazo de validez, la legalización no implica su extensión.
  5. sede.mjusticia.gob.es, página del trámiteOfficial wordingDispone de dos meses desde la fecha de creación para completar su solicitud, si pasado ese plazo no ha firmado y presentado su solicitud, se borrará de manera automática.

Next steps

When to see a lawyer

  • A document is refused and you do not know why.
  • Your names are spelled differently in your documents.
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These are general triggers, not an assessment of your case. A lawyer should confirm what applies to you. CiviqPass does not name or recommend a lawyer.

The nationality file, step by step

Your file silent after a year

Years to Spanish nationality by country

Criminal record certificate from Nigeria: who issues it and how long it stays valid

Where is my Spanish nationality file? The official ways to check it

The Spanish nationality oath (jura): what to bring and where to do it

Years, exams and fee for Spanish nationality by country of origin: open data

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What is inside

Explanation written with AI from the official source cited on this page.

CiviqPass is an independent service. Built from the texts linked beside each line; procedures change, so confirm on the official pages.