Apostille services for Spain.
Heading to Spain for a visa, residency, study, or marriage? We apostille your U.S. documents and coordinate the sworn Spanish translation Spain requires — so your packet is accepted by the consulate the first time.
- Spain accepts U.S. apostilles — no consulate legalization
- Sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada) coordinated
- FBI checks channeled + apostilled for Spanish visas
- One complete packet, ready for the consulate
Get your apostille quote
Tell us about your document — we'll confirm the process, price, and estimated completion time.
Apostille, then a sworn translation
Spain is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a U.S. apostille is all the authentication you need — there's no consulate legalization step.
The catch most people miss: Spanish authorities almost always require a sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada) of both the document and its apostille. Submitting an English-only apostille is the most common reason packets are turned away.
We handle both halves in the right order — the apostille on your original, then the certified Spanish translation — so it's one clean packet for the consulate.
At a glance — Spain
- Legalization type
- Apostille (Hague member)
- Translation
- Sworn Spanish (traducción jurada)
- Most-requested
- FBI background check
- Also common
- Birth, marriage, single-status
- Order
- Apostille first, then translate
- Coverage
- Nationwide + two SD offices
For Spain
Documents Spain asks for most
The FBI background check leads the list for Spanish visas — but most people need a small stack. We apostille and translate each one.
FBI background check
Antecedentes penales — required for student, work & non-lucrative (residency) visas.
Birth certificate
For residency, family reunification, and registering life events in Spain.
Marriage certificate
For spouse/partner visas and registering a marriage held in the U.S.
Single-status affidavit
To marry in Spain — sworn proof that you are free to marry.
Diplomas & transcripts
For university enrolment, study visas, and professional recognition.
Power of attorney
To act on your behalf in Spain — property, banking, and legal matters.
From your document to the Spanish consulate
- 1
Send us the document
Tell us the document and which Spanish visa or process it's for. We confirm whether it's a state or federal apostille and quote a flat price.
- 2
Apostille
State documents go to the Secretary of State; your FBI check goes to the U.S. Department of State. The apostille attaches to the original.
- 3
Sworn Spanish translation
We coordinate the traducción jurada that Spanish authorities expect — covering the document and its apostille, in the correct order.
- 4
Ready for the consulate
Your complete, apostilled and translated packet ships back tracked, ready to submit to the Spanish consulate or authority.
For Spain, your apostille often needs a sworn Traductor-Intérprete Jurado translation
For Spanish visa categories that require an FBI background check, the FBI certificate and its federal apostille must be accompanied by an official Spanish translation when required by BLS or the applicable Spanish consulate. That translation must be completed by a qualified Traductor-Intérprete Jurado — a standard or non-compliant translation can cause the application to be delayed, considered incomplete, or rejected.
Apostille Near Me has a MAEC-appointed Traductor-Intérprete Jurado on our international team — so you can coordinate your FBI background check, federal apostille, and official Spanish translation through one trusted service.
Learn about sworn Spanish translation (Traductor-Intérprete Jurado) →
Apostille for Spain, answered
The questions our Spain-bound clients ask most. Don't see yours? We're one call away.
Does Spain accept a U.S. apostille?+
Yes. Spain is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a U.S. apostille is accepted — you do not need embassy or consular legalization. The document is apostilled by the U.S. authority that issued it (a Secretary of State for state documents, the U.S. Department of State for federal ones like an FBI check).
Do I need a Spanish translation as well?+
Almost always. Spanish authorities generally require a sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada) of both the document and its apostille. We coordinate the certified translation your receiving office requires, in the correct order, so it isn't rejected.
Which documents do people apostille for Spain?+
The most common is an FBI background check (certificado de antecedentes penales) for student, work, and non-lucrative residency visas. Others include birth certificates, marriage certificates, single-status affidavits (to marry in Spain), and diplomas or transcripts for study.
Does my FBI background check need an apostille for a Spanish visa?+
Yes. Spanish consulates require an FBI Identity History Summary that is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, usually with a sworn Spanish translation. Spain also expects it to be recent, so don't use an old copy — we can channel a fresh check and apostille it fast.
Do I apostille the document or the translation?+
For Spain the apostille goes on the original U.S. document first; the sworn translation then covers the document and the apostille together. We handle the sequence so the whole packet is accepted the first time.
Can you do the FBI check, apostille, and Spanish translation together?+
Yes — that's the most common request from clients heading to Spain, and we handle all three in one coordinated process, returned tracked and ready to submit to the consulate.
Still have a question? Call us at 1-800-889-7850
Getting documents ready for Spain?
Tell us the document and the Spanish visa or process — a specialist replies within one business day with a flat quote for the apostille and translation together.