Searching for “certified translation” for Spain? For Spanish visa procedures, what you need is a sworn translation — not a general certified translation. Learn the difference →
Applying for Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa usually means gathering documents from banks, doctors, insurers, civil registries, and government authorities. One of the most common questions is simple: which documents need a sworn translation for Spain?
In most cases, the documents that form part of your Non-Lucrative Visa application and are not already in Spanish should be treated as needing sworn translation for submission. The main difference is that some documents also need an apostille or legalization, while others generally do not.
Quick Checklist
For most Non-Lucrative Visa applications, the documents most commonly needing sworn translation are:
- Criminal record certificate
- Apostille attached to the criminal record certificate, where applicable
- Medical certificate
- Private health insurance certificate or policy
- Bank statements
- Bank certificate
- Pension letters
- Passive income documents
- Investment income documents
- Other proof-of-funds documents
- Marriage certificate, if applying with a spouse
- Birth certificates, if children are included
- Divorce decree, death certificate, or other civil-status records, where relevant
See Pricing & Process →
A Note on Consulate Requirements
Spanish consulates around the world follow the same core Non-Lucrative Visa regulations, but individual consulates may ask for documents in slightly different formats, request additional supporting evidence, or have their own procedural preferences. If you have been given specific instructions by your consulate, those should take precedence over general checklists. Alba’s sworn translations meet the requirements of all Spanish consulates and administrative authorities — the format, signature, and stamp are standardised under Spanish law regardless of which consulate or office is reviewing the file.
The Documents People Most Often Need Translated
Criminal Record Certificate
This is one of the key documents in a Non-Lucrative Visa application. Spain requires a criminal record certificate covering the countries where the applicant has lived during the last five years. Because it is a foreign public document, it is also one of the documents most likely to need both apostille/legalization and sworn translation.
Apostille Page
If your criminal record certificate or another public record includes an apostille, the apostille page should be translated together with the main document. For Spain, the apostille forms part of the official document being submitted. See Do Apostilles Need Translation for Spain?
Medical Certificate
The Non-Lucrative Visa requires a medical certificate. If it is not already in Spanish, it should be submitted with a sworn translation.
Proof of Financial Means
Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa requires the applicant to prove sufficient financial means to live in Spain without working. This is why financial documents are such an important part of the file.
Bank Statements and Financial Documents
Bank statements, bank certificates, pension letters, passive-income records, investment-income records, and other proof-of-funds documents should be treated the same way from the translation side as the rest of the application: if they are not in Spanish, they should be submitted with sworn translation.
The key difference is not whether they need translation. The key difference is that these supporting financial documents are generally not apostilled, unlike criminal records and civil-status documents.
Health Insurance Documents
The applicant must show public or private health insurance arranged with an insurer authorized to operate in Spain. If the proof of coverage is not already in Spanish, it should be submitted with sworn translation.
If Family Members Are Applying Too
If a spouse or children are included, the checklist usually expands to include:
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificates
- Divorce decree, if relevant
- Death certificate, if relevant
- Other documents proving the family relationship or civil status
These family and civil-status documents are typically treated as public documents, so they usually need both sworn translation and, where applicable, apostille or legalization.
What Usually Needs an Apostille
The documents most commonly needing apostille or legalization are:
- criminal record certificates
- marriage certificates
- birth certificates
- divorce decrees
- death certificates
- other foreign public or civil documents in the application file
What Also Needs Sworn Translation, but Not Usually an Apostille
These documents also need sworn translation if they are not in Spanish, but they are not usually apostilled:
- medical certificate
- health insurance certificate or policy
- bank statements
- bank certificate
- pension letters
- passive-income records
- investment-income records
- other proof-of-funds documents
The easiest way to think about it
- Public and civil documents usually need apostille/legalization and sworn translation
- Supporting financial, medical, and insurance documents also need sworn translation
- The main difference is that supporting documents are not usually apostilled
How It Works
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Upload Your Documents
Send clear scans or PDFs of the documents you plan to use for your Non-Lucrative Visa application.
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Confirm What Needs Translation
If you are not sure which pages need sworn translation, those can be checked first.
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Receive Your Sworn Translation
Your translations are prepared for official use in Spain and delivered as a digitally signed and stamped PDF.
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Pay After Delivery
You only pay once your translation has been delivered.
