Documents to Translate and Apostille Before You Move
Spain asks for a lot of paper before it grants a residence visa. Most of it comes from US authorities, so each document has to be apostilled and translated into Spanish before the consulate will accept it.
Below we list the documents Americans usually need, explain the apostille and show how the Spanish translation works. Requirements change and vary between consulates, so always check the current checklist of the Spanish consulate that covers your state.
Which Documents Usually Need a Translation
The exact list depends on your visa: non-lucrative, digital nomad, student or family. These documents come up in most files:
- An FBI background check (Identity History Summary) for every applicant aged 18 and older.
- Birth certificates, for you and any children moving with you. We cover these on our birth certificate translation page.
- A marriage certificate, if your spouse is moving with you (see marriage certificate translation).
- Bank certificates and other proof of income or savings.
- Diplomas and academic transcripts translated for a student visa or to have a degree recognized.
Not everything needs translating. For the non-lucrative visa, the Embassy of Spain in Washington says bank statements and tax returns can stay in English.
Step One: The Apostille
Spain and the United States both belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. An apostille certifies the signature on a public document, so Spain accepts it without any further legalization.
Who issues it depends on the document. Birth and marriage certificates are state records, so the apostille comes from the state where they were issued. The FBI background check is a federal document, so its apostille comes from the US Department of State.
Consulates are strict about this step. The Washington embassy accepts only an FBI check issued within six months of your application, never a state or local police check, and it rejects apostilles that certify a local notary's signature instead of the signature on the check itself.
Step Two: The Spanish Translation
Every document in English needs an official translation into Spanish. In Spain, the standard is a translation by a traductor jurado, a translator appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs who signs and stamps every page.
Some Spanish consulates in the US also accept a certified translation by a qualified translator. The Washington embassy, for example, accepts a translation by a sworn or certified translator and adds that the translation needs no apostille and the apostille needs no translation.
Get the Order Right
- Order recent certified copies of your birth and marriage certificates from the issuing state or county, and request your FBI background check.
- Get the apostilles: from the issuing state for state records, from the US Department of State for the FBI check.
- Have the documents translated into Spanish, in the form your consulate accepts.
- Check the dates. Consulates often want certificates and background checks issued within the last three to six months, so plan backward from your appointment.
How BeTranslated Can Help
Our Spanish translation team translates US documents for visa and residence files: birth and marriage certificates, FBI background checks, bank letters, diplomas and transcripts. We can also arrange the apostille, so the document, its apostille and its translation come back to you as one file.
When a Spanish authority asks for a traductor jurado, we work with translators appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Tell us which consulate or office will receive your file, and we will match the translation to what it accepts.
Send us your documents for a free translation quote. We reply with a price and delivery date within 12 hours.
Moving to Valencia?
If Valencia is where you are headed, our relocation partner ValenciaMove helps Americans with the rest of the move: visas, the NIE, finding a home and the paperwork after you arrive. Read their guide to moving to Valencia from the USA.
FAQs
Does Spain Accept a US Certified Translation?
It depends on the office. Some Spanish consulates in the US accept a certified translation by a qualified translator, while authorities in Spain usually expect a traductor jurado. Check with the office that will receive the document before you order the translation.
Does the Apostille Need to Be Translated?
Not always. The Embassy of Spain in Washington says the apostille needs no translation. If your consulate's checklist says otherwise, follow the checklist.
Can a State Police Check Replace the FBI Check?
Not at the consulates we checked. Washington, Chicago and San Francisco ask for an FBI background check and do not accept state or local police checks.
How Recent Must My Documents Be?
Each consulate sets its own limit, usually between three and six months. The Washington embassy wants the FBI check issued within six months of your visa application.
