What we do: we coordinate sworn translations into Spanish by MAEC-appointed translators, from €29 per certificate. A standard certificate takes 24–48 hours. These are starting prices. For your final price, send your details through the quote form. We email you a written quotation, and work starts only after you approve it. Send a photo of your documents to get a fixed quote for your sworn translation before you pay anything.
In this guide
- Do I need a sworn translation for my exact case?
- Do Spanish consulates need a sworn translation for a visa?
- Is a sworn translation required for Extranjería, the NIE or the TIE?
- What do citizenship, the Registro Civil and degree homologation accept?
- Can I use an ordinary translation with a notary or a court in Spain?
- Do documents already in Spanish need translating?
- When is a non-sworn translation enough?
- How do I check what my office requires?
- What should I tick off before I order?
Holding a checklist that just says "translated"? In Spain, that usually means a sworn translation (traducción jurada). Send us a photo of the checklist and your documents. We tell you which pages need translating before you pay.
Do I need a sworn translation for my exact case?
You need a sworn translation when a Spanish authority will rely on a foreign-language document. That covers Extranjería, nationality, the Registro Civil and most consulates. Courts and notaries may accept other translations, but a sworn translation is the safe choice there.
Is a sworn translation required in Spain for everything? No. So when do you need one (¿cuándo se necesita traducción jurada?)? See the table below, office by office.
Who signs it? A translator appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC). When a Spanish checklist says "certified translation", it means this sworn one. Article 17 of Real Decreto 724/2020 gives it official character.
Which Spanish offices need a sworn translation? A quick decision table
| Where you will file | Do you need a sworn translation? | What the office says |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish consulate or BLS centre (visa) | Usually yes; rules vary by consulate | Follow your consulate's own checklist |
| Extranjería (residence, NIE, TIE, arraigo) | Yes, or another Hoja 61 route | Hoja 61 lists three accepted routes |
| Spanish nationality | Sworn is the safe choice | Documents "debidamente traducidos y legalizados" |
| Registro Civil | Yes, an official translation | Ley 20/2011 art. 95 |
| Degree homologation | Yes, an official translation | MAEC sworn or another official translator |
| Courts (civil cases) | Not always; sworn reduces risk | LEC art. 144 allows private translations |
| Notaries and property registries | The notary or registrar decides | Sworn has official status |
| Internal reading only | No | No office receives it |
Two rows fit? Follow the stricter.
Do Spanish consulates need a sworn translation for a visa?
Usually yes, but each Spanish consulate writes its own checklist. Many ask for a sworn translation of every foreign-language document. Some exempt certain documents, and some accept other translations. A sworn translation is accepted by Spanish offices that require an official translation, and you need one anyway once you file in Spain.
- Mumbai: sworn translation for documents in a regional or foreign language, except passports and financial documents (for some visa types). Its digital nomad checklist wants all English documents sworn-translated.
- Philippines (BLS): "All documents presented in English must be translated to Spanish by a recognized Spanish translator (traductor jurado)".
- United States: a few US consulates list other translation options for the visa stage; read your consulate's checklist, because others ask for a traducción jurada.
- New Delhi: the embassy says "Official Sworn Translations cannot be done in India". For visa files only, it can seal an unofficial English–Spanish translation. Read the Spanish embassy translation seal in India.
- Senegal: for the visa stage, the consulate also accepts translations by Senegal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BLS family reunification checklist for the Spanish Consulate General in Dakar). For procedures inside Spain, a MAEC sworn translation is the safe route. See Senegalese documents for Spain.
Example: a student from Pune applying through Mumbai may skip translating bank statements. Her police clearance certificate is not exempt, so she plans to translate it. See Indian documents sworn translation for Spain. See our sworn translation for a Spain visa service and the Spain student visa sworn translation package.
British files follow the same logic; see UK documents sworn translation for Spain. For local certified translations, read sworn vs certified translation.
Is a sworn translation required for Extranjería, the NIE or the TIE?
Yes. Extranjería's Hoja informativa 61 accepts three routes. They are a MAEC-appointed sworn translator, a Spanish consulate abroad (then MAEC legalisation), or your country's consulate in Spain (then apostille or legalisation). Individual Hojas say "por un traductor jurado". For the NIE, the official ONE guidance says foreign documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
This covers residence permits, TIE renewals, family reunification and arraigo. Arraigo also needs a criminal record certificate from each country you lived in during the last 5 years.
Does Extranjería accept certified translations from your home country? Only if they fit one of the three Hoja 61 routes. A translator's own "certified" statement is not one of them.
Example: Imran lives in Barcelona and is applying for arraigo. He requests his police character certificate through the Embassy of Pakistan in Madrid. It is apostilled by MOFA, then sworn-translated with the apostille. See Pakistani documents for Spain.
If Extranjería finds a problem, it sends a correction notice (requerimiento de subsanación). You then have 10 working days (días hábiles) to fix the file, under Ley 39/2015, art. 68. See Extranjería sworn translation, arraigo sworn translation and family reunification sworn translation. Already received a notice? Use our correction notice sworn translation service.
Common mistake: translating before the apostille is added. Get the apostille first, then translate both together. Read apostille before or after translation.
What do citizenship, the Registro Civil and degree homologation accept?
Each office words it differently. The Registro Civil needs an official translation under Ley 20/2011. Degree homologation accepts a MAEC sworn translator or another official translator. For nationality, the Ministry of Justice asks for documents "debidamente traducidos y legalizados", so a sworn translation is the safe choice.
Spanish nationality. Your birth and criminal record certificates must be legalised and translated. The Ministry names no translator type, so sworn removes the doubt. See Spanish nationality sworn translation.
Registro Civil. Ley 20/2011, article 95, says documents not in an official Spanish language need a translation "efectuada por órgano o funcionario competentes". That means a competent official body or person. The registrar may waive it if they know the content. See Registro Civil sworn translation.
Degree homologation. The Ministry of Science accepts a MAEC sworn translator, an official translator in another EU country, or a non-EU official translator with a legalised signature. See degree homologation sworn translation.
Can I use an ordinary translation with a notary or a court in Spain?
Sometimes. In civil court cases, LEC article 144 allows a private translation, but another party can challenge it within 5 days. Notaries and property registrars decide what they accept. A sworn translation has official status before Spanish courts and authorities, so it is the safe route.
A challenge means an official translation and lost time, so many firms file sworn from the start. A notary who knows the language may translate (Reglamento Notarial art. 150). Registrars may skip or demand a translation.
Example: using a foreign power of attorney for a property deed? Ask the Spanish notary to review the draft before you sign it abroad. See power of attorney sworn translation.
Do documents already in Spanish need translating?
No. A document already in Spanish needs no translation, because there is nothing to translate. Examples: a Spanish admission letter or DELE and CCSE certificates. Documents written fully in two languages, or EU documents with a multilingual form, often need little or no translation.
Bilingual documents. For homologation, the Ministry of Science says that when a document is written entirely in two languages, only one needs a Spanish translation. Other offices may differ, so check with yours.
EU multilingual forms. Some EU certificates can travel with a multilingual form instead of a translation; see the EU multilingual standard form guide.
The apostille. The apostille is translated together with the document, as Spanish offices expect.
When is a non-sworn translation enough?
A non-sworn translation is enough when no Spanish office receives the document. Contracts read only by your team are an example. It can also be enough where a specific office says so in its checklist. For any procedure filed inside Spain, plan on a sworn translation.
- Reading only. Due-diligence files and contracts reviewed internally do not need one.
- Visa stage, where the consulate says so. A few US consulates list other translation options for the visa stage; read your consulate's checklist. Senegal's accepts its Ministry's translations.
Common mistake: reusing a visa-stage translation for a procedure inside Spain, where the Hoja 61 routes apply.
Can you translate your own documents for Spain? Not for visa, Extranjería or nationality files. A self-made translation is not one of their accepted routes.
Ordering for clients? Lawyers and gestorías can use our sworn translation service for law firms and gestorías.
How do I check what my office requires?
Find the official checklist for your exact procedure and office. Look for the words "traductor jurado", "traducción oficial" or "traducido". If it only says "translated", ask the office or choose a sworn translation. It has official status before Spanish courts and authorities.
Follow these five steps:
- Name your procedure, such as a student visa, a TIE renewal or nationality.
- Find the office: your consulate, your provincial Oficina de Extranjería or the Registro Civil.
- Open its checklist: a Hoja informativa for Extranjería, the consulate's page for visas.
- Read the translation line and note exempt documents, like passports.
- Check dates. Some documents must be recent. See does a sworn translation expire.
Example: an Indian nurse living in Madrid and filing for homologation orders a degree certificate sworn translation and transcript together.
Before paying anyone, use our two-minute check: how to verify a Spanish sworn translator.
Know which documents your office needs? Upload them and we confirm the page count. Every translation is signed and sealed by a MAEC-appointed sworn translator.
What should I tick off before I order?
Before you order, confirm five things. Know which office receives your file and read its translation line. Check each document carries its apostille. Compare your names with your passport. Check the dates on police and medical certificates, then look up the translator on the MAEC register.
Your tick-list:
- I know my procedure and the office that will receive the file.
- I have read the translation line on its official checklist.
- My documents carry their apostille or legalisation already.
- My names match my passport, or I have flagged the differences.
- My police and medical certificates are recent enough for the office.
- I have checked the translator in the MAEC register.
Need help with a common document? Start with a birth certificate sworn translation into Spanish, a marriage certificate sworn translation or a police clearance certificate sworn translation. See also English to Spanish sworn translation and, for Hindi or Punjabi, other languages to Spanish.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a sworn translation for a short tourist visa?
It depends on your consulate. Short-stay checklists vary, so read the translation line on yours. If it asks for translations, a sworn translation is the safe choice.
Does my passport need a sworn translation?
Usually no. Checklists rarely ask for one, and the Mumbai consulate exempts passports. A notary or registry may still ask in some cases, so check first.
Can the Spanish consulate translate my documents?
It depends. Hoja 61 accepts a translation made or reviewed by a Spanish consulate abroad, then legalised by MAEC. Many consulates do not offer this, so ask yours.
Do I need a sworn translation for Spanish citizenship?
Yes, in practice. The Ministry of Justice asks for documents duly translated and legalised. A sworn translation is the safe way to meet that.
Do all documents need translating for the digital nomad visa?
It depends on where you apply. Inside Spain, the UGE asks for a sworn translation of foreign public documents, though your CV may be a simple translation. Consulates set their own lists, and Mumbai's asks for all English documents to be sworn-translated.
How long does a sworn translation take?
A standard certificate takes 24–48 hours. A degree or good standing certificate also takes 24–48 hours. A full transcript takes 2–5 working days, depending on length; see urgent sworn translation for tight deadlines.
Sources: Hoja informativa 61, Ministry of Inclusion · Real Decreto 724/2020 · Ley 20/2011 del Registro Civil · LEC art. 144 · Ministry of Science: translations · Ministry of Justice nationality FAQ · EU e-Justice: public documents · MAEC sworn translator search. Last checked: 1 October 2026.
Ready to order a sworn translation for your Spanish office?
Photograph every page, apostille included, and name the office that will receive it. Before paying, you see one fixed total and the delivery date. Prices start from €29 per certificate. These are starting prices. For your final price, send your details through the quote form. We email you a written quotation, and work starts only after you approve it. As an indicative market range, sworn translations in Spain cost about €30–120 a page. That is roughly €30–80 for the first page and €15–40 for later pages (Cronoshare, January 2026). This is a market range, not our price. Our page on sworn translation prices covers each document type.
Common worries: translator, rejections, data and deadlines
- Is the translator real? Every translator we work with is MAEC-appointed and listed on the official register. Each page carries their seal and signature. Check them on the official MAEC list with our guide to verifying a sworn translator.
- What if the office rejects it? Free, prioritised re-issue if rejected on formal grounds. See our re-issue policy.
- Is my data safe? Files are deleted within 7 days of delivery. Read our privacy policy.
- Appointment or deadline soon? Use our urgent sworn translation service.
What clients say
4.9/5.0 from 18,000+ reviews
“We had to translate our marriage certificate for a family reunification procedure. I was worried about getting the paperwork wrong, so I had quite a few questions. The team was patient and explained the translation process clearly. That was genuinely helpful during an already stressful time.”
“My nationality application involved documents from my home country, and I wasn't sure how to arrange the translations. I reached out with my questions and received a clear explanation of the process. It saved me from spending more time guessing what to do next.”
“Muchas gracias por la ayuda 😊 I needed my marriage certificate translated for a family application here in Spain. Communication was good and the steps were easy to understand.”
“Mere citizenship paperwork ke liye documents Spanish mein translate karwane the. I had a few questions before placing the order, and the team explained the process properly. Kaafi help mili, especially because I was already managing a lot of paperwork.”
“My solicitor asked me to arrange a sworn translation of a court document. I contacted the team to clarify a few things, and they were helpful throughout. A straightforward experience, which is exactly what I needed at the time.”
“I needed my birth certificate translated for my Spanish nationality paperwork and wasn't really sure where to start. I sent an enquiry first, and the team explained the process without making it complicated. The communication was good, and I felt more confident about getting the documents ready.”
“We needed corporate documents translated into Spanish for a business procedure. The terminology and consistency mattered to us, so we wanted a service that understood the formal nature of the documents. Communication was professional, and the process was well organised.”
“Muy buen servicio. I needed an English-to-Spanish sworn translation for official paperwork and had a few doubts before ordering. They answered my questions clearly, and the whole process was easier than I expected.”
What happens next
- 1We compare your pages with your office's checklist, then quote one fixed price.
- 2You pay, then approve a draft showing names, dates and places.
- 3Your digitally signed PDF arrives by email; paper goes by courier if the office insists.
About this guide: Written by our editorial team and checked against official sources. Read about our sworn translators and their credentials. We coordinate translations by MAEC-appointed sworn translators and are not affiliated with any authority. We only translate. We never sell appointments. See our editorial policy and more guides on sworn translation in Spain.