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Applying for Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa often means collecting documents from different countries, employers, banks, and public authorities. One of the most common questions is simple: which documents need a sworn translation for Spain?
In general, the documents most likely to need translation are the ones supporting your identity, eligibility, income, remote work arrangement, qualifications, and family relationship if relatives are applying with you. Official requirements can vary slightly depending on whether the application is filed from abroad as a visa application or from inside Spain through UGE, and the authorities may ask for more documents if needed.
Foreign public documents that are not in Spanish must be submitted with a sworn translation, and foreign public documents issued abroad must be legalized or apostilled. UGE also states that additional documents may be requested if the file submitted is not considered sufficient.
Not sure which document set applies to you?
The documents required differ depending on whether you are applying as an employee or a self-employed freelancer. See the employee vs. freelancer document guide for a clear breakdown before you gather your file.
Quick Checklist
The documents most commonly translated for a Spain Digital Nomad Visa are:
- Criminal record certificate
- Apostille attached to the criminal record certificate
- Employer authorization letter or remote work letter
- Employment contract or professional/client contract
- Payslips or invoices
- Bank certificate and sometimes supporting bank documents
- Company registration document or proof the foreign company has been active for at least one year
- Degree, diploma, transcript, or qualification documents
- Proof of at least 3 years of professional experience, where relevant
- Health insurance certificate or policy
- Social Security coverage certificate, if applicable
- Marriage certificate, pareja de hecho documents, or birth certificates if family members are included
Documents Commonly Requiring Sworn Translation
Criminal Record Certificate
This is one of the most important documents in the application. UGE requires a criminal record certificate from the country or countries where the applicant has lived during the last two years, plus a declaration regarding the last five years. Because it is a foreign public document, it normally falls into the category of documents that must be apostilled or legalized and translated for Spain.
Apostille Page
If your criminal record certificate or other public record carries an apostille, the apostille page is usually translated together with the main document. For Spain, the apostille forms part of the official document package being submitted. See Do Apostilles Need Translation for Spain?
Employer Letter or Remote Work Authorization Letter
UGE asks for a letter from the foreign company authorizing the work to be carried out from Spain. It should confirm the job profile, main duties, that the work can be performed remotely, the salary in euros, and the conditions of the remote arrangement.
Employment Contract or Client Contracts
Applicants must show a labor or professional relationship of at least three months before the application date. For employees, that usually means an employment contract. For self-employed applicants, it usually means a professional services agreement or client contract.
Payslips, Invoices, and Bank Certificate
UGE asks for payslips or invoices from the previous three months and a bank certificate, in the applicant’s name and signed or stamped by the bank, covering the previous three months and matching the income shown in the application. These documents are very commonly translated in Digital Nomad Visa files.
Company Registration or Proof of Business Activity
UGE requires evidence that the foreign company or group of companies has had real and continuous activity for at least one year, usually through an official company registry certificate or equivalent document from the country of origin.
Degree, Diploma, or Proof of Professional Experience
Applicants usually qualify either through relevant education or through at least three years of professional experience in similar functions. That means some applicants translate diplomas and transcripts, while others translate work certificates, employer letters, or equivalent experience documents.
Health Insurance and Social Security Documents
UGE requires proof of health coverage. If the applicant is relying on an international Social Security arrangement, the relevant certificate may need translation. If private insurance is used, the policy or certificate may also need translation. UGE also states that travel insurance, reimbursement-only insurance, policies with copays, and policies with waiting periods are not accepted for this purpose.
If You Are Applying With Family
If your spouse, partner, or children are applying with you, the translation checklist usually expands to include:
- Marriage certificate
- Pareja de hecho certificate or documents proving a durable partnership
- Birth certificates for children
- Additional dependency documents, where relevant
- Criminal record certificate for adult family members, when required
- Insurance or beneficiary documents, if applicable
UGE’s family guidance specifically lists marriage certificates, partnership records, and birth certificates as key documents for proving the family relationship. It also confirms that foreign public documents not in Spanish must be accompanied by a sworn translation.
What Usually Needs an Apostille
The documents most commonly needing an apostille are:
- criminal record certificates
- marriage certificates
- birth certificates
- official civil status records
- academic documents, where treated as public documents in the country of issue
- other foreign public documents included in the application
What Usually Does Not Need an Apostille, but Still Needs Translation
If any of these documents are not already in Spanish, they should also be translated:
- employer letters
- employment contracts
- client contracts
- payslips
- invoices
- bank certificate
- insurance documents
- supporting company documents that are not public certificates
One important detail
Not every document is treated exactly the same way. UGE specifically states that the applicant’s CV may be translated by simple translation, while foreign public documents not in Spanish must be accompanied by a translation by a sworn translator authorized by Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
How It Works
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Upload Your Documents
Send clear scans or PDFs of the documents you want to submit with your application.
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Confirm What Needs Translation
If you are not sure which pages need sworn translation, that can be checked before the work begins.
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Receive Your Sworn Translation
Your translation is prepared personally by Alba and delivered as a digitally signed and stamped PDF for official use in Spain.
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Pay After Delivery
You only pay once your translation has been delivered. Credit card, bank transfer, and Zelle are available.
