Author Irina Firsova Immigration lawyer in Spain, member of the Barcelona Bar Association no. 46.385 15 September 2026 6 min read Message the author

Georgian criminal record certificate for a Spanish residence permit

If you lived in Georgia for the two years before applying for a Spanish residence permit, a Russian criminal record certificate alone is not enough: Spain will also ask for a certificate from Georgia (for no lucrativa, countries of residence over five years are considered). In Georgia it is issued by the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) for GEL 20 in three working days, and the same agency apostilles it. Below: who needs a Georgian certificate, how to order it, get it apostilled and translated, and what to do if you have already left Georgia.

Who needs a certificate from Georgia

The digital nomad visa and residence permit, the highly qualified professional permit and the start-up visa are governed by Article 62 of Ley 14/2013: the applicant must have no criminal record in Spain or in the countries where they have lived for the last two years. Certificates are submitted from those countries, plus a sworn declaration of no criminal record for five years. For no lucrativa (non-lucrative residence) and other permits under the general regulations, countries of residence over five years are considered.

Hence a simple rule: if you lived only in Georgia for the last two years, you need a Georgian certificate. If you spent part of that period in Russia, you need both. Spanish consulates word the requirement the same way: a certificate from the country or countries of residence over two years, issued no earlier than three months before the application, with an apostille. How to get the Russian certificate is explained in the article criminal record certificate for a Spanish residence permit.

The Georgian certificate and apostille are handled by one authority, so as standard the certificate and apostille take about eight working days, plus translation. The period Spain counts is marked in terracotta.

How to order a criminal record certificate in Georgia

The criminal record certificate is issued by the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. It shows information on criminal convictions and on whether the person is wanted.

Where to apply. In person at an agency office, or online on the sa.gov.ge website and in the SERVICE AGENCY app after registering. The website does not describe how foreigners without a Georgian ID card can register: if applying online does not work, ask the agency by phone on +995 32 241 91 91.
Who applies. The person themselves with an identity document, or someone else with your written consent or a power of attorney.
Cost and time. GEL 20 for three working days or GEL 40 for one working day.
Electronic issue. The agency also issues certificates electronically, via the app and the portal, and when you apply at an office it sends a link by SMS. You can order an apostille for the certificate straight away.

The agency itself sets a validity period of 15 calendar days for the certificate. This is an internal Georgian rule. Spain counts its own period: three months from the date of issue.

Apostille on a Georgian certificate

Georgia is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, so for Spain an apostille is enough, with no consular legalisation. Certificates issued by the MIA Service Agency are apostilled by the agency itself:

GEL 20 for five working days;
GEL 50 for one working day.

Documents from other Georgian authorities are apostilled by the Public Service Development Agency of the Ministry of Justice at Public Service Halls (Houses of Justice), from GEL 30 for eight working days, and it also offers an electronic apostille. For an MIA certificate, go to the MIA agency: it is faster and cheaper.

If you take an electronic certificate with an electronic apostille, check in advance with the Spanish consulate or your lawyer whether a printout of it will be accepted: there is little practice with such documents, and a paper certificate with a paper apostille is the safer option.

Translation into Spanish

For Spanish authorities the certificate is translated in full, together with the apostille. The official translation is done by a sworn translator (traductor-intérprete jurado) from the list kept by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which can be searched by language.

The Georgian MIA agency translates its own certificates into Spanish for GEL 20 per page. But there is no official confirmation that such a translation replaces a sworn one, so for an application in Spain a sworn translation is the safer choice.

If you have already left Georgia

Online, via the agency’s website or app, if registration is available to you.
Through a representative in Georgia, with a power of attorney or written consent: they collect the certificate and order the apostille straight away.
Through the Embassy of Georgia in Spain: Madrid, Plaza de las Cortes 4, 5th floor. The consular section is open Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 14:00, phone +34 914 293 329, and applications are made via the consular portal of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The embassy’s website does not say whether it issues the certificate to a foreigner rather than a Georgian citizen, so ask in advance. Georgian consulates, for example in New York and Brussels, issue the certificate free of charge in 5–10 days.

If you lived in Armenia or Turkey

Armenia. The criminal record certificate is ordered online on the consular portal of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the finished certificate is sent by post, including abroad. It takes two working days. The certificate is bilingual: Armenian plus a language of your choice, including Spanish and Russian. It is apostilled by the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Turkey. The criminal record register is kept by the Turkish Ministry of Justice. Foreigners who lived in Turkey can apply from abroad only through Turkish diplomatic missions. The certificate is issued in 43 languages, including Spanish and Russian.

Common mistakes

Only a Russian certificate, although you lived in Georgia for the last two years.
A certificate older than three months on the date of application: the Georgian one is quick to get, so order it closer to applying.
Apostille from the wrong authority: an MIA certificate is apostilled by the MIA agency.
Translation without the apostille: the whole document is translated.

The full list of documents for digital nomads and the application procedure are in the guide to the digital nomad visa in Spain. On the Georgian community in Spain, see the article Georgians in Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get a criminal record certificate in Georgia?

From the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia: in person at an office, or online on sa.gov.ge and in the agency’s app after registering. A representative with a power of attorney can also apply.

How much does a criminal record certificate cost in Georgia?

GEL 20 for three working days or GEL 40 for one working day. An apostille at the same agency costs GEL 20 for five working days or GEL 50 for one day.

Do I need a certificate from Georgia for the digital nomad visa?

Yes, if you lived in Georgia during the two years before applying: Spain requires certificates from all countries of residence over that period and a declaration of no criminal record for five years.

Who apostilles a Georgian criminal record certificate?

The Service Agency of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs that issued the certificate. Documents from other authorities are apostilled by the Public Service Development Agency of the Ministry of Justice.

How long is a Georgian criminal record certificate valid for Spain?

Spanish consulates accept a certificate issued no earlier than three months before the application. The Georgian 15-day period is an internal rule of the agency.

Can I get a Georgian certificate while in Spain?

Yes: online via the agency if registration is available, through a representative in Georgia with a power of attorney, or through the Embassy of Georgia in Madrid; ask the consular section whether it issues the certificate to foreigners.

Where is the Embassy of Georgia in Spain?

In Madrid, Plaza de las Cortes 4, 5th floor. The consular section is open Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 14:00, phone +34 914 293 329.

Sources

Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia: criminal record certificate and legalisation and apostille.
Embassy of Georgia in Spain: address and consular section hours.
Ley 14/2013, Article 62: certificates from countries of residence over two years. BOE-A-2013-10074.
Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: criminal record certificate; Turkish Ministry of Justice: applying from abroad.

Checked against official sources on 15 September 2026.

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