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Documents from Senegal for a Spanish nationality file: criminal record, birth certificate, apostille and validity

Where each document comes from, who issues the apostille, 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

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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

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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.

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  • The order to ask for each document, with the dates that can already be worked out
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In short

  • Criminal record: The Ministry of Justice page says to apply at the registry of the court of the place of birth, or at the Dakar Court of Appeal for a Senegalese born abroad; we found no page on applying from Spain or on validity.
  • Birth and marriage: Ask the civil-status centre of your birthplace or the consulate: we found no page saying whether Spain needs an extract or a full copy, and no Senegalese validity period.
  • Apostille: Senegal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad issues the apostille; we found no current fee, processing time or way to apply from abroad.
  • Translation: Spain's Ministry of Justice says translation is done or checked at Spanish consulates abroad or at the origin country's consulates in Spain, or by a sworn translator-interpreter; we found no page saying in which language Senegalese certificates are issued.
  • Order: Our arithmetic, not an official rule: request first the documents that need an apostille and a sworn translation, then the criminal record certificate so you can still finish its apostille and translation inside its validity; the clock below gives the dates.

Each line sums up a section below. The sources are in that section.

Last checked: 18 October 2026. Check the official page: sede.mjusticia.gob.es.

CiviqPass is an independent service.

1. Criminal record certificate

The Senegalese Ministry of Justice's page says the extract of the criminal record (Bulletin n° 3) is issued to anyone born in Senegal, to Senegalese born abroad and to foreigners living in Senegal.[1]

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

Sources (1)
  1. justice.sec.gouv.sn, Casier judiciaire (intro)Official wordingL’extrait du casier judiciaire (Bulletin n° 3) est délivré à toute personne née au Sénégal, au Sénégalais né à l’étranger et à l’étranger résidant au Sénégal.

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

The FAQ of the Agence nationale de l'état civil (ANEC) says a birth is declared at the civil-status centre of the place of birth, even if the parents live elsewhere.[1] It says that often a birth bulletin and/or a birth extract is handed to the person who declared the birth.[2]

ANEC's page on its digital tools says its users' platform lets people request a civil-status document and pay for the service.[3] It also says that its software edits full copies and extracts of civil-status acts.[4] We found no ANEC page saying whether the platform can be used from abroad, and no official page saying whether an extract or a full copy is needed for Spain: ask the civil-status centre or the consulate.

The Foreign Ministry's list of documents that its civil-registry bureau can legalise includes the original birth extract and the original literal copy of the birth certificate.[5]

Spain asks for the birth certificate of the country of origin, legalised and translated where needed.[6] We found no official Spanish text saying whether an extract or a full copy is needed: ask the registry.

Validity. We found no Senegalese official page that states a validity period for a birth certificate. Spain's order says that for certificates the validity written on the document itself is what counts.[7]

If you are married, Spain also asks for the marriage certificate of the country where the marriage took place.[8] The Foreign Ministry's list includes the original marriage extract or certificate, which must show the husband's option ("l'option de l'époux") and the spouses' matrimonial regime.[9] We found no official page on how to obtain a marriage certificate from abroad: ask the consulate.

Sources (9)
  1. anec.sn, Naissance, 3 - Où doit-on déclarer une naissance ?Official wordingLa déclaration de naissance se fait au centre d’état civil du lieu de naissance de l’enfant, même si les parents résident dans une autre localité.
  2. anec.sn, Naissance, 7 - Que se passe-t-il après la déclaration ?Official wordingSouvent un bulletin de naissance et/ou un extrait de naissance sont remis au déclarant.
  3. anec.sn, Plateforme des usagersOfficial wordingDemander un document d’état civil ; Payer un service d’état civil ;
  4. anec.sn, Application LGEC / NekkalOfficial wordingEdition de copies intégrales et extraits d’actes d’état civil.
  5. diplomatie.gouv.sn, Liste, points 1 à 3Official wording1. Casier judiciaire original ; 2. Extrait de naissance original ; 3. Copie littérale de naissance originale ;
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. diplomatie.gouv.sn, Liste, point 4Official wording4. Extrait ou certificat de mariage original (célébré ou constaté), comportant l’option de l’époux et le régime matrimonial des époux ;

3. Apostille and legalisation

The status table of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) lists Senegal with accession on 13 July 2022 and entry into force on 23 March 2023.[1] The Senegalese Foreign Ministry's page says the Convention entered into force between Senegal and the States that raised no objection on 23 March 2023,[2] and that effective implementation would begin on Monday 3 April 2023.[3]

The HCCH page of notifications lists objections to Senegal's accession from Germany[4] and from Austria.[5] The Netherlands withdrew its declaration objecting to the accession; the page dates this 28 January 2026.[6] We found no objection from Spain on that page.

The Foreign Ministry's page says the apostille is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad.[7] The HCCH page designates officials of that ministry for this task: the Director of Legal and Consular Affairs, the Head of the Chancellery Division and the Head of the Civil Registry Office.[8][9]

The ministry's list of documents that its civil-registry bureau can legalise[10] includes the original criminal record, the original birth extract and the original literal copy of the birth certificate.[11]

The page says that when the service began, issuing the apostille would be free until a stamp, whose price the Senegalese authorities would set, became payable.[12] We found no official page with the current fee, a processing time, or a way to apply from abroad (counter, post or online): ask the ministry or the consulate.

The Spanish Ministry of Justice's warning describes the Hague apostille as a single stamp and signature that simplifies the legalisation of public documents.[13] It calls legalisation an essential requirement for accepting foreign documents.[14]

The Spanish Foreign Ministry says documents from countries that signed the Apostille Convention are not legalised, but those issued by their diplomatic or consular agents are, because the Convention excludes them.[15] It also says documents issued by foreign representations in Spain, on facts within their consular district, must be legalised by its Legalisation Service to be valid in Spain.[16]

The same Spanish page says legalisation has no expiry date, but that if the document has a validity period, legalisation does not extend it.[17]

Two pages of the Spanish consulate in Dakar disagree. A PDF says the legalisation of Senegalese documents was suspended after the Convention entered into force in Senegal on 23 March 2023.[18] An undated page of the same consulate still says Senegal is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.[19] The HCCH table above lists Senegal as a party.[20] We found no Spanish Ministry of Justice page on Senegalese documents: ask the Ministry or the registry which route applies to you.

Sources (20)
  1. hcch.net, Status table, Senegal rowOfficial wordingSenegal 13-VII-2022 A** 23-III-2023
  2. diplomatie.gouv.sn, III - Date d’entrée en vigueurOfficial wordingLa Convention est entrée en vigueur entre l’État adhérant et les États n’ayant pas formulé d’objection, le 23 mars 2023.
  3. diplomatie.gouv.sn, III - Modalités pratiquesOfficial wordingLa mise en œuvre effective commencera le lundi 03 avril 2023.
  4. hcch.net, Objections (Germany)Official wordingthe Federal Republic of Germany raises an objection to the accession of Senegal in accordance with Article 12 (2) of the Convention.
  5. hcch.net, Objections (Austria)Official wordingThe Republic of Austria raises an objection to the accession of the Republic of Senegal with reference to Article 12, paragraph 2 of the Convention.
  6. hcch.net, Objections (Netherlands, withdrawal)Official wording28-01-2026 The Kingdom of the Netherlands withdraws its declaration made in accordance with Article 12, second paragraph, of the Convention, objecting to the accession of the Republic of Senegal to the Convention.
  7. diplomatie.gouv.sn, II - La portéeOfficial wordingla délivrance d’un certificat « apostille » émis par l’Autorité désignée de l’État d’origine, dans le cas du Sénégal, par le Ministère des Affaires Étrangères et des Sénégalais de l’Extérieur.
  8. hcch.net, Senegal - Competent Authority (Art. 6)Official wordingThe following officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad of the Republic of Senegal are designated, ex officio, to issue the certificate referred to in article 3 (1) :
  9. hcch.net, Senegal - Competent Authority (Art. 6)Official wordingDirector of Legal and Consular Affairs (Directeur des Affaires juridiques et consulaires); Head of the Chancellery Division (Chef de la Division Chancellerie); Head of the Civil Registry Office (Chef du Bureau de l'Etat Civil).
  10. diplomatie.gouv.sn, Liste documents à légaliser (intro)Official wordingLa liste non exhaustive des documents qui peuvent être légalisés par le bureau de l’état civil du Ministère des Affaires étrangères et des Sénégalais de l’Extérieur sont :
  11. diplomatie.gouv.sn, Liste, points 1 à 3Official wording1. Casier judiciaire original ; 2. Extrait de naissance original ; 3. Copie littérale de naissance originale ;
  12. diplomatie.gouv.sn, III - Modalités pratiquesOfficial wordingLa délivrance de l’Apostille sera gratuite en attendant le paiement ultérieur d’un timbre dont le prix sera fixé par les Autorités sénégalaises compétentes.
  13. Advertencia legalización y apostilla (Ministerio de Justicia), advertencia, punto 2Official wordingEl Convenio de La Haya es un trámite que simplifica la legalización de documentos públicos. Consiste en la estampación de un solo sello y firma en el documento.
  14. 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
  15. exteriores.gob.es, 2.1 Convenio de la ApostillaOfficial wordingNo se legalizan documentos de países firmantes del Convenio de la Apostilla, aunque sí se legalizan los otorgados por sus agentes diplomáticos o consulares, al estar excluidos del Convenio en su artículo primero.
  16. exteriores.gob.es, Documentos de representaciones extranjeras en EspañaOfficial wordingLos documentos que expiden las representaciones extranjeras en España, referidos a hechos o datos del ámbito de su demarcación consular, han de ser legalizados por el Servicio de Legalizaciones del MAEUEC para su validez en España.
  17. 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.
  18. exteriores.gob.es, Servicio de legalización de documentosOfficial wordingLa legalización de documentos senegaleses quedó suspendida tras la entrada en vigor en Senegal, el 23/03/2023, de la Convención del 5 de octubre de 1961
  19. exteriores.gob.es, Documentación y trámites, apostillaOfficial wordingAl no ser Senegal miembro del Convenio de la apostilla de la Haya, tanto los documentos senegaleses a presentar en la Administración Española como los documentos españoles que deban presentarse en la Administración Senegalesa
  20. hcch.net, Status table, Senegal rowOfficial wordingSenegal 13-VII-2022 A** 23-III-2023

4. Translation into Spanish

The Spanish Ministry of Justice warning says translation must be done or checked at the Spanish consular offices abroad or at the consular offices in Spain of the document's country of origin, and the documents must then be legalised.[1] It adds that the translation or checking may instead be done by a sworn translator-interpreter named by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[2]

The Spanish Foreign Ministry says translations into Spanish are official if made by someone holding the title of sworn translator-interpreter.[3] The Ministry has a search tool for sworn translators.[4]

Senegal's Constitution says the official language of the Republic is French.[5] We found no official page saying in which language a Senegalese certificate is issued. Spain's order asks for the birth certificate "traducido en su caso", that is translated where needed.[6]

Sources (6)
  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. exteriores.gob.es, Traducciones oficialesOfficial wordingLas traducciones e interpretaciones de una lengua extranjera al castellano y viceversa tendrán carácter oficial si han sido realizadas por quien se encuentre en posesión del título de Traductor/a-Intérprete Jurado/a
  4. exteriores.gob.es, Traductores e intérpretesOfficial wordingUn traductor jurado es un profesional que puede traducir documentación escrita de un idioma a otro;
  5. conseilconstitutionnel.sn, Article premierOfficial wordingLa langue officielle de la République du Sénégal est le Français.
  6. 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.

5. Consulates in Spain

The Senegalese Foreign Ministry's directory of embassies and consulates has a Madrid entry in its consulates column.[1] Its list of missions gives the embassy's address as C/ Moralzarzal nº 18, 28034 Madrid.[2]

ANEC's page says one of its tasks is to ensure, with the Foreign Ministry, the proper working of consular civil status.[3] We found no official page listing a Senegalese consulate in Barcelona, and none saying which of these documents a consulate issues or whether it can arrange an apostille: ask the consulate.

Sources (3)
  1. diplomatie.gouv.sn, Tableau Ambassades / ConsulatsOfficial wordingBANJUL Fixe : 00220 449 65 23 MADRID Fixe : 00 34 91 30 04 5 25
  2. diplomatie.gouv.sn, Missions diplomatiques et postes consulairesOfficial wordingAmbassade du Sénégal en Espagne C/ Moralzarzal nº 18 28034, Madrid
  3. anec.sn, Mission, plan de la modernisationOfficial wordingd'assurer l'authentification des actes et de veiller, en liaison avec les services compétents du Ministère en charge des Affaires étrangères et des Sénégalais de L'Extérieur, au bon fonctionnement de l'état civil consulaire ;

6. 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 apostille 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 apostille 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 an apostille and a sworn translation, since those steps come after issue.
  3. Request the criminal record certificate when you can still finish its apostille 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

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The nationality file, step by step

Your file silent after a year

Years to Spanish nationality by country

Criminal record certificate from Senegal: 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.