Sworn Translation for Spain: US Applicants

For Spanish visa and residency procedures, the correct official translation is a sworn translation into Spanish — a traducción jurada.

In the United States, people often search for “certified translation for Spain” because that is the term they know. But Spanish consulates and Spanish immigration offices generally require a sworn translation prepared by a translator officially appointed by Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This commonly applies to FBI background checks, apostilles, medical certificates, birth certificates, marriage certificates, bank statements, tax documents, employment letters, and other supporting documents for Spanish visa applications.

Alba Fernández Carrasco is a MAEC-appointed sworn translator-interpreter for English and Spanish. Her official MAEC Commission Number is 8981.

For U.S. applicants, this matters because Spanish consulates and immigration offices require official translations into Spanish. Alba personally handles sworn translations for U.S. citizens applying for the Digital Nomad Visa, Non-Lucrative Visa, student visa, NALCAP, Spanish nationality, pareja de hecho, and other official procedures in Spain. You work directly with Alba from start to finish, with clear pricing, digital delivery, and practical guidance on what usually needs to be translated.

MAEC Commission Number 8981 is Alba’s official sworn translator registration number with Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. You can verify Alba in the official MAEC sworn translator registry by searching for Alba Fernández Carrasco or Commission Number 8981. This is the safest way to confirm that your translation is being prepared by a sworn translator officially appointed in Spain.

In many cases, yes. If both documents are part of the application you are submitting in Spain, both usually need to be translated. See the dedicated FBI background check and apostille translations pages for more detail.

Not exactly. American applicants often use the term certified translation, but for official use in Spain, the relevant requirement is usually a sworn translation into Spanish prepared by a sworn translator registered in Spain.

Yes. In most cases, scanned copies or digital PDFs are enough to get started. Physical originals are not usually required.

Usually not. A clear scan is sufficient for both the quote and the translation. The finished translation is delivered as a digitally signed PDF.

Typical turnaround is 24–72 hours. A 12-hour rush service is also available at €55 per page. See Pricing & Process for full details.

The most common are FBI background checks, apostilles, birth certificates, marriage certificates, medical certificates, financial documents, and employment records. Many applicants need more than one document translated for the same application.

Yes. Bank statements or proof-of-funds documents that are not already in Spanish and form part of your visa file should be submitted with sworn translation. The main distinction is that bank statements are generally translated but not apostilled — apostille is usually for public official documents like the FBI background check.

If your consulate checklist says “official translation”, it is almost certainly referring to a sworn translation prepared by a sworn translator officially appointed in Spain. That is the format consulates accept as the official Spanish translation of a foreign document. A general certified translation from a US language company is a different thing and is not equivalent.

U.S. applicants for the Spanish Digital Nomad Visa often need sworn translations for:

FBI background check, federal apostille, employment contract, remote work authorization letter, employer letter, payslips, bank statements, tax returns, business registration documents, health insurance policy, marriage certificate, birth certificates for dependents, and other supporting records requested by the consulate or immigration office.

Not every applicant needs the same documents. Alba can help you identify which documents in your packet normally need translation before you submit your application. See the dedicated Digital Nomad Visa translations page for more detail.

Yes. Alba delivers digitally signed and certified sworn translation PDFs for official use in Spain. These PDFs are prepared for submission to Spanish consulates, immigration offices, universities, civil registries, and Spanish administrations.

This is especially useful for U.S. applicants because scanned copies are usually enough to begin the translation process, and you do not normally need to mail original documents to Spain.

The standard price is €37 per page. Rush delivery is available for €55 per page when you need your translation in 12 hours or less.

Most U.S. visa document translations are delivered within 24–72 hours. You can upload your documents online, receive the digitally signed PDF by email, and pay after delivery. See Pricing & Process for full details.