Spain Apostille Service

Certify documents issued in Spain for official use in Canada and abroad.

Certify documents issued in Spain for international use

Apostilles in Spain can be obtained to authenticate official Spanish documents such as birth, death and Marriage certificates, Criminal Record Certificates (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales), Spanish university diplomas, and documents certified by a Spanish notary.

Spanish Apostille stamps are issued by the Ministry of Justice. Documents needed for submission in non-apostille countries require legalization by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and attestation by the embassy of the recipient country in Madrid.

  • Isarey offers expedited Apostille services in Spain.
  • We work with all major embassies in Madrid for the attestation of Spanish university degree and other documents, including the embassies of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Vietnam and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

Right arrowFAQs - Spain Apostille Services

Right arrowGet a Quotation to Apostille Spanish Documents

Right arrowCertify international documents for use in Spain

Spanish Documents that can be authenticated with Apostille Stamps

  • Apostille Spanish birth, death and marriage certificates

    Birth, death and Marriage Certificates

    Apostille Spanish birth, death and marriage certificates. Original paper or certified digital certificates are required, issued by a civil registry office of the Ministry of Justice. Apostilles can be obtained for long-form certificates (Certificado literal), extracts and multilingual certificates.
    Isarey can obtain certificates in Spain for clients based abroad for authentication by Apostille or consular legalization.
    Right arrowSpanish birth, death and marriage certificates
  • Apostille Spanish Criminal Record Certificates

    Criminal Record Certificates

    Apostille Spanish Criminal Record Certificates (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales) issued by the Ministry of Justice. We can also obtain Criminal Record Certificates for clients based outside Spain for authentication.
    Right arrowSpanish Criminal Record Certificates
  • Apostille Spanish university diplomas and school certificates

    University degrees

    Apostille Spanish university diplomas and school certificates.
    Official university certificates (Títulos universitarios de carácter oficial) are certified by the Ministry of Universities, then authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Ministry of Justice. Original diplomas are required (Spanish or bilingual) with a handwritten or digital signature (CSV -Secure Verification Code). Other university documents can be certified by a notary.
    Academic certificates issued by non-university institutions are authenticated with an Apostille after being certified by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport.
    Academic certificates under the jurisdiction of Autonomous Communities are authenticated with an Apostille after being certified by the Ministry of Education of the respective Autonomous Community.
    Right arrowApostille Spanish university degrees
  • Apostille Spanish powers of attorney, affidavits and other documents notarized in Spain.

    Notarized documents

    Apostille Spanish powers of attorney, affidavits and other documents certified in Spain by a notary. Apostilles are obtained through the regional Notary Association (Colegio Notarial) where the notary is registered.

  • Divorce Certificates

    Apostille Spanish Divorce Judgements. Spain does not issue divorce certificates, but separation or divorce can be confirmed by obtaining a full form marriage certificate (Certificado literal). Copies of divorce agreements (convenio de divorcio) and judgements can be obtained from the court and then certified by the High Court of Justice of the corresponding Regional Government before being authenticated with an Apostille Stamp for submission abroad.
  • Apostille Certificates of Registration and Good Standing, Articles of Association for Spanish companies

    Company Documents

    Apostille company documents in Spain, including Articles of Association (Escritura), Registration Certificate (Nota simple Mercantil), Notice of Incorporation in the Official Gazette, Annual Accounts.
    A Registration Certificate serves as a Certificate of Good Standing. The Registration Certificate (Nota Simple) confirms basic information on the company and certifies the registration status of the company.
    Isarey can obtain certified company documents and company search reports from Commercial Registry in Spain for authentication with an Apostille Stamp or legalization. Please Contact us for details.

  • Trade documents

    Commercial Spanish documents relating to exports, including certificates of origin and free sale, require certification by the Provincial chamber of commerce.

  • Certificates of Single Status

    Certificates of Status in Spain can be obtained from Civil Registry Offices, confirming the civil status of the applicant as single, divorce or widowed, and then authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Ministry of Justice.
  • Apostille Spanish Last Will and Testament

    Probate Documents

    Apostille Spanish Last Will and Testament. To obtain a copy of last will and testament in Spain, a Last Will and Testament Certificate (Certificado de Actos de Última Voluntad) can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice (copy of death certificate required). This certificate will indicate the notary office from where the will is registered and from where a certified copy can be obtained for authentication by Apostille.
  • Certified Spanish Translations

    Certified Translations

    Spain does not issue Apostilles to authenticate translations. If a certified translation of a Spanish document is required for submission abroad, it is generally advisable to carry out a certified translation in the destination country. If a Spanish document is being submitted for attestation by a foreign embassy in Madrid (e.g. embassy of the United Arab Emirates or Qatar), a sworn translation can be authenticated by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
    Isarey offers certified translations from Spanish in most major destination countries, including Italy, Turkey, Brazil, the UK and United States.
    Right arrowSworn translations in Spain
  • Bank documents: Documents issued by Spanish banks can be authenticated with an Apostille after being certified by the Bank of Spain. The document must be signed by an authorised representative of the issuing bank with a registered signature.
    Medical Certificates: Apostilles can be obtained for Spanish medical certificates issued using the official form, with the signature and stamp of the registered doctor. Prior certification is required from the College of Physicians of the Province where the doctor is registered.

Examples of Spain Apostille Stamps

Obtaining Apostilles and legalizing documents in Spain

Isarey can obtain Apostille Stamps for your Spanish documents. Our expert local team in Spain will ensure that your documents are attested securely and successfully in the shortest time. We will take care of the entire procedure, dealing with local notaries, embassies, translators and government agencies.

Isarey provides document attestation services in Spain to private, corporate and institutional clients worldwide. To find out about certifying Spanish documents for use in Canada and abroad, use our online quotation form or email us a scan or description of the documents you need to certify. We will get back to you directly with a quotation and details of how to proceed:

6 steps to certify document issued in Spain

  1. Upload the documents you need attested or send them to us by email.
  2. Our experts will pre-check your documents to ensure that they are eligible for Apostille certification or consular legalization in the country where they are issued, and we’ll assist you locally in preparing them if required.
  3. We’ll send you a quotation with the total cost of the process (final price including all fees, certified translation when required and courier costs) and an estimation of how long the process will take to complete.
  4. We’ll arrange a secure courier to collect your original documents (where electronic versions are not sufficient).
  5. As soon as we receive your documents, we will confirm your order and proceed with the attestation process. Where appropriate, we will arrange certified copies for the attestation process so that we can return your originals directly.
  6. We return the attested documents to you by secure international courier.

Legalize Spanish Documents

Spanish documents can be legalized for cross-border use by means of Apostille Certification or Consular Legalization

Apostille Certification

An Apostille Stamp is a simplified procedure of international attestation. When affixed to documents, Apostilles are directly recognised by the authorities of over 120 countries (Signatories of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents Hague Apostille ConventionExternal link (opens in new tab)) as certifying the document’s validity, without requiring additional certification.

Since Spain is a signatory to the convention, Isarey can assist by obtaining Apostille Certification for Spanish documents so that they are valid for official use in other signatory countries, including: CA CanadaCanada - IT ItalyItaly - PT PortugalPortugal - GR GreeceGreece - CY CyprusCyprus - FR FranceFrance - SA Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia - DE GermanyGermany - CN ChinaChina

See additional notes below

Consular Legalization
Consular Legalization is required when a document from Spain is to be used in a non-signatory country. In this case, following authentication by authorities in Spain, the document must be certified a second time in Spain by the embassy representing the country where the document is to be used.

Countries which do not recognise Apostille certification and require consular legalization include: AE United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates - QA QatarQatar - TH ThailandThailand - TW TaiwanTaiwan - VN VietnamVietnam

European Union

Submission within the European Union
Certain Spanish documents do not require Apostilles when they are presented to authorities of other European Union countries (the receiving authority should accept the original or a certified copy).

When applying for certain public documents, a multilingual standard form may be requested to accompany the original. A multilingual standard form must always be issued and signed by a Spanish authority, providing a translation aid designed to help the receiving authority to understand a public document which is in a language not accepted by the receiving EU country.
See: A multilingual standard form is a translation aid designed to help the receiving authority to understand a public document which is in a language not accepted by the receiving EU country. EU Multilingual standard formsExternal link (opens in new tab)

Spanish documents not requiring Apostilles include birth, death, marriage certificates, absence of a criminal record (a clean criminal record of a Spanish citizen), certificates of nationality and residence:
See: Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 on promoting the free movement of citizens by simplifying the requirements for presenting certain public documents in the EU Regulation (EU) 2016/1191External link (opens in new tab)

Other Spanish documents, including academic certificates, still require Apostille certification and certified translation to be valid in other EU countries.

Civil status certificates (multilingual extracts from the civil status registers)
Spanish birth, marriage and death certificates) issued in accordance with the conventions of the International Commission on Civil and Civil Status should not require Apostille Stamps when being submitted to one of the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cape Verde, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey.

Multilingual certificates of no impediment to marriage
Spanish certificates of no impediment to marriage are exempt from any formality for submission to the following countries (Munich CIEC Convention):
Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Switzerland, Turkey

Certified Translation

Where Spanish documents are to be used abroad and where the receiving country has a different official language, a sworn or certified may also be required. Isarey takes care of any certified translations required as part of the document attestation process, ensuring that translations are carried out and certified in accordance with local regulations.

Right arrowSworn translations in Spain

A certified translation on its own only provides assurance that the translation itself is accurate and true; it does not confirm the authenticity of the original document. The original document must be legalized for a certified translation to carry equivalent legal weight.

Spain Document Resources

External resources and news about Spanish documents, apostilles and certification procedures.

ES
Spain Document Resources
Birth, Death, Marriage Certificates
Birth Certificates
Right arrowwww.mjusticia.gob.es

Apply online: Official copies of Spanish birth certificates (Certificado de Nacimiento) may be requested online. A full birth certificate (Certificado Literal) can be downloaded immediately with Cl@ve is a system aimed at unifying and simplifying electronic access by citizens to public services. Cl@ve Digital IDExternal link (opens in new tab) or eID is a set of services provided by the European Commission to enable the mutual recognition of national electronic identification schemes (eID) across borders. European Digitial IDExternal link (opens in new tab) or sent to your address by mail. Multilingual certificates, or certificates required for a specific purpose (first request for Spanish ID or passport) will be delivered by post.

Apply by post or in-person: It is also possible to apply for birth certificates through the Civil Registry OfficeExternal link (opens in new tab) where the birth was registered by post or in person (Go to the Civil Register appointments page to consult the procedures listed in the dropdown menu in the application form appointmentExternal link (opens in new tab) (in Spanish) required), including through a Spanish ConsulateExternal link (opens in new tab) when the birth was registered at the consulate and the applicant is registered as a resident in the area of the consulate's jurisdiction.

Spain: documents (UK Knowledge Base)
Spain: documents (UK Knowledge Base)
Right arrowwww.gov.uk

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents from Spain

Marriage Certificates
Right arrowwww.mjusticia.gob.es

Apply online:Official copies of Spanish marriage certificates (Certificado de Matrimonio) may be requested online. If available, the marriage certificate can be downloaded immediately with Cl@ve is a system aimed at unifying and simplifying electronic access by citizens to public services. Cl@ve Digital IDExternal link (opens in new tab) or eID is a set of services provided by the European Commission to enable the mutual recognition of national electronic identification schemes (eID) across borders. European Digitial IDExternal link (opens in new tab) or sent to your address by mail.

Apply by post or in-person: It is also possible to apply for marriage certificates through the Civil Registry OfficeExternal link (opens in new tab) where the marriage was registered by post or in person (Go to the Civil Register appointments page to consult the procedures listed in the dropdown menu in the application form appointmentExternal link (opens in new tab) (in Spanish) required), including through a Spanish ConsulateExternal link (opens in new tab) when the marriage was registered at the consulate and the applicant is registered as a resident in the area of the consulate's jurisdiction.

Death Certificates
Right arrowwww.mjusticia.gob.es

Apply online:Official copies of Spanish death certificates (Certificado de Defunción) may be requested online. If available, the death certificate can be downloaded immediately with Cl@ve is a system aimed at unifying and simplifying electronic access by citizens to public services. Cl@ve Digital IDExternal link (opens in new tab) or eID is a set of services provided by the European Commission to enable the mutual recognition of national electronic identification schemes (eID) across borders. European Digitial IDExternal link (opens in new tab) or sent to your address by mail.

Apply by post or in-person: It is also possible to apply for a death certificate through the Civil Registry OfficeExternal link (opens in new tab) where the death was registered by post or in person (Go to the Civil Register appointments page to consult the procedures listed in the dropdown menu in the application form appointmentExternal link (opens in new tab) (in Spanish) required), including through a Spanish ConsulateExternal link (opens in new tab) when the death was registered at the consulate.

Guidance: When someone dies in Spain
Guidance: When someone dies in Spain
Right arrowwww.gov.uk

The process when a British national dies in Spain including registering the death, funerals and cremations, and bringing the person’s body to the UK.

Criminal Record Certificates
Criminal Record Certificates - apply online
Criminal Record Certificates - apply online
Right arrowsede.mjusticia.gob.es

Spanish Criminal Record Certificates (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales) can be obtained online (Cl@ve is a system aimed at unifying and simplifying electronic access by citizens to public services. Cl@ve Digital IDExternal link (opens in new tab) required).

Criminal Record Certificates - postal and in-person applications
Right arrowwww.mjusticia.gob.es

Requests for a Spanish criminal record certificate can be submitted by post or made in person to a Regional OfficeExternal link (opens in new tab) of the Ministry of Justice or to the Central OfficeExternal link (opens in new tab) (in Spanish) in Madrid. From abroad, applications can also be submitted in person at a Spanish ConsulateExternal link (opens in new tab)

Notary Services
Last Will and Testament Certificates
Last Will and Testament Certificates
Right arrowsede.mjusticia.gob.es

A Last Will and Testament Certificate (Certificado de Actos de Última Voluntad) can be obtained online with Cl@ve is a system aimed at unifying and simplifying electronic access by citizens to public services. Cl@ve Digital IDExternal link (opens in new tab) or by applying to the Central OfficeExternal link (opens in new tab) (in Spanish) (in-person and by post) or a Regional OfficeExternal link (opens in new tab) (in-person) of the Ministry of Justice. The Last Will and Testament Certificate confirms whether a deceased person has made a will and indicates the notary where any will is registered so that a copy of the will may be obtained.

A Death Insurance CertificateExternal link (opens in new tab) (in Spanish) can also be obtained to confirm whether a deceased person has life insurance coverage.

Document verification
Verify Apostille issued in Spain
Right arroweregister.justicia.es
ES
Spain Document News
31
Notaries to certify contracts by video-conference
Right arrowwww.lavanguardia.com
Los notarios podrán tramitar contratos por videoconferencia a partir del 9 de noviembre.
China y América Latina, hacia un futuro con mayores oportunidades
Right arrowspanish.peopledaily.com.cn
China y América Latina han fortalecido el aprendizaje mutuo y la cooperación en los campos de la economía, la salud y la cultura.

The above links are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; Isarey bears no responsibility for the accuracy, content or policies of external websites.

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