Certificates, apostilles and digital identity in Spain
Almost every Spanish procedure starts with a certificate — and with the digital identity you need to request it online. We request and organise the certificates you need, coordinate apostilles and sworn translations, and help you set up the FNMT digital certificate and Cl@ve so you can deal with the administration yourself.
Who it’s for
- New residents who need their padrón, digital certificate and Cl@ve set up
- People who need a Spanish certificate for use abroad
- Applicants preparing an immigration, nationality or employment file
- Families dealing with civil records after a birth, marriage or death
Documents you’ll usually need
- Passport and NIE, TIE or EU registration certificate
- Rental contract or title deed, for the padrón
- Details of the event (date and place of birth, marriage or death)
- Spanish mobile phone number, for Cl@ve
- Death certificate, for last-wills requests
What we handle
Criminal-record certificate
Requesting the Spanish criminal-record certificate from the Ministry of Justice, including for use abroad.
Civil Registry certificates
Birth, marriage and death certificates from the Registro Civil, in the format you need.
Apostille coordination
Arranging the apostille of Spanish public documents with the competent authority, and checking foreign apostilles before use in Spain.
FNMT digital certificate
Guiding you through the request and identity verification for the FNMT personal digital certificate, and installing it.
Cl@ve registration
Registering you in the Cl@ve system for online access to the tax agency, Social Security and other services.
Padrón registration
Registering or updating your address on the municipal register and requesting padrón certificates.
Last-wills and insurance certificates
Requesting the certificate of last wills and the certificate of life-insurance cover after a death.
Last reviewed: Legal basis: Ley 20/2011 (Registro Civil) · Hague Apostille Convention 1961
Who does what — stated plainly
BorderConexion coordinates and prepares your case. Our founder is completing the official Máster en Gestión Administrativa (2026–27), the qualifying route to colegiación as a Gestora Administrativa in Spain. We are currently onboarding colegiado partners (abogados and gestores administrativos colegiados). Until those partnerships are in place, we offer consultations, route planning and document preparation; any filing that legally requires a colegiado professional will be submitted by a named partner, identified in your engagement letter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a Spanish criminal record certificate?
It is issued by the Ministry of Justice and can be requested online with a digital certificate or Cl@ve, in person or through an authorised representative. If you need it for use abroad, check whether it must be apostilled for the destination country.
How do I get an FNMT digital certificate as a foreigner?
You request the certificate on the FNMT website, then verify your identity — usually in person at an authorised registration office, with your NIE document and passport, or by another method the FNMT accepts. Once verified, you download and install the certificate on the same device used to request it.
What is the padrón and do I need it?
The padrón is the municipal register of residents. Registering is a legal obligation for people living in a municipality, and the padrón certificate is needed for many procedures, including residence applications, schools and healthcare.
Where do I get a document apostilled in Spain?
Spanish public documents are apostilled by the competent authority for the type of document, which may be the Ministry of Justice, a regional High Court or a notarial college. Foreign documents must be apostilled in the country that issued them before being used in Spain.
Tell us what you need
One short form. We'll route it to the right service and reply within two working days.