Apostille Translations for Spain

What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is an official certification issued under the Hague Convention of 1961 that authenticates a public document for use in another member country. It confirms that the issuing authority, signature, or seal on the document is genuine.

Spain is a member of the Hague Convention, so documents from other member countries that carry an apostille are recognised as authenticated public documents for official use in Spain. Without an apostille, a foreign public document may not be accepted by Spanish authorities.

The apostille is typically attached to the back of the document it certifies, either as a stamped page or as a separate sheet. It is issued by a designated authority in the country where the document was produced — for example, the Secretary of State for US documents, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office for UK documents, or the Department of Foreign Affairs for Philippine documents.

Which Documents Commonly Carry an Apostille

Any official public document issued for use abroad may carry an apostille. The documents most commonly apostilled for use in Spanish applications include:

Criminal Record Certificates

Background check certificates are among the most frequently apostilled documents in Spanish visa and immigration files. Common examples include:

• FBI Identity History Summary (United States) — apostilled by the US Department of State or Secretary of State
• ACRO Police Certificate (United Kingdom) — apostilled by the FCDO
• NBI Clearance (Philippines) — apostilled by the DFA
• RCMP Criminal Record Check (Canada) — apostilled at the federal or provincial level
• Other national police clearance certificates from Hague Convention countries

Civil Status Documents

Documents used to prove identity, family status, and civil records are commonly apostilled when submitted to Spanish civil registries, consulates, or administrative bodies:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Divorce decrees or dissolution orders
• Death certificates
• Certificates of singleness or no record of marriage
• Certificates of legal capacity to marry

Academic and Professional Documents

Diplomas, degree certificates, and transcripts submitted for homologación, equivalencia, or other recognition procedures may also carry an apostille:

• University diplomas and degree certificates
• Academic transcripts
• Professional licences or certifications

Notarial and Legal Documents

Notarial documents, powers of attorney, and other legal records issued for use abroad are also commonly apostilled.

Does the Apostille Page Need to Be Translated?

Yes. When a document is submitted for official use in Spain, the apostille page forms part of the complete document package. Spanish authorities expect the full document — including the apostille — to be covered by the sworn translation.

In practice, the apostille is translated together with the main document as a single sworn translation. If the apostille has been issued as a separate sheet, it may be translated as a separate page, but it is still part of the same translation order.

EU Documents and the Apostille Requirement

Documents issued in EU member states are generally exempt from the apostille requirement for Spanish administrative purposes, under EU regulations on the free movement of public documents. This means you do not normally need to apostille a document from another EU country before presenting it in Spain.

However, an EU document that is not in Spanish may still need sworn translation even if no apostille is required. Always confirm the exact requirements with the Spanish authority handling your application.

How It Works