We arrange sworn translations into Spanish (traducción jurada) by MAEC-appointed translators, with every name checked against your passport first. Extranjería, the Registro Civil and the Ministry of Justice accept them. A certificate takes 24–48 hours, 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. Upload your passport page and documents for a fixed quote.
In this guide
- What does "single-name passport" mean?
- What happens in Spain if my passport has only one name?
- How will my NIE or TIE show my name?
- Is Singh or Kaur my surname?
- How does the translator write a name with no surname?
- How do I keep my name the same everywhere?
- Should I add a surname to my passport first?
- Will I get two surnames as a Spanish citizen?
- Checklist before you apply
Worried your names don't match across documents? Before any seal goes on, we check every name against your passport. Where two documents differ, the sworn translator adds a translator's note. See our Indian documents sworn translation for Spain service.
Upload your passport page and certificates for a name check and quote We translate documents. We do not give legal advice, and we cannot decide how any office records your name.
What is a single-name passport?
A single-name passport shows only one name. For a single name Indian passport, the advice site NRI Direct reports the name goes in the given-name field, with the surname blank. It appears in passports from India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Myanmar. Singh or Kaur may appear as a surname, inside the given name, or not at all.
A "surname" is the family name (apellido in Spanish). A "given name" is your first name (nombre). Spanish forms expect both, so a passport with no surname does not fit the pattern.
Example: Gurpreet's passport shows "GURPREET KAUR" as a given name and no surname. Her degree says "Gurpreet Kaur", and her birth certificate says "Gurpreet". Each office in Spain may read these differently.
Check how your own passport prints your name before you do anything else.
What happens in Spain if my passport has only one name? (¿Qué pasa si mi pasaporte no tiene apellido en España?)
Your visa or residence file can go ahead, but Spanish offices have no single rule for a name without a surname. A Spanish immigration lawyer's guide reports that offices record it in different ways (reported by one Spanish immigration law firm; not an official rule). That can create small differences between your visa, NIE, TIE, bank account and later documents.
In the lawyer's words, "No existe un criterio único perfectamente aplicado por todas las oficinas". There is no single rule that every office applies perfectly.
Where differences tend to appear:
- The visa sticker. Forms ask for a surname, and the field may be filled in different ways.
- The NIE and TIE. Your foreigner number and residence card, issued in Spain.
- Bank and employer records. These usually copy your NIE or TIE.
- Degree homologation. Your degree and passport are read side by side.
Common mistake: waiting until the NIE is printed to think about your name. By then, most later documents copy it.
How might my NIE or TIE show a name with no surname? (pasaporte sin apellido)
It depends on the office. The same lawyer's guide reports several formats. Offices have duplicated the single name or used part of it as a surname. Others wrote "S/A", "Sin Apellido", "NC" or "No Consta". These are reported examples from one firm, not official formats. Nobody can promise in advance how your NIE or TIE will show it, so ask your Extranjería office or police station at the appointment.
What these labels mean:
| Label on a Spanish document | Meaning in English |
|---|---|
| Sin Apellido | No surname |
| S/A | Short for "sin apellido", no surname |
| No Consta | Not recorded |
| NC | Short for "no consta" |
So a TIE may show your name "sin apellido". You cannot choose the format, but you can make your documents consistent. Then the link between them stays clear, whatever the office prints.
Example: Harjit has lived in Barcelona for three years. At her TIE renewal, her old card showed "S/A" while her new degree translation showed "Kaur" as a surname. Her translator's note explained that both forms appear in her documents.
Tip: when you get your NIE or TIE, check it the same day. Compare it with your passport letter by letter. If an office makes a typing error, ask that office how to correct it. For applications, see Extranjería sworn translation.
Is Singh or Kaur treated as a surname?
It depends on your passport. If Singh or Kaur is printed in the surname field, the translator keeps it as the surname. If it sits inside the given name, the translator keeps it there. How an office then records it is that office's decision, not the translator's.
Passports print Singh and Kaur in different ways: as a surname, inside the given name, or beside another family name.
A sworn translation does not move names between fields. Under Orden AEC/2125/2014, the translator certifies a "traducción fiel y completa", a faithful and complete translation. So the translation shows your name exactly as each document does.
How does a sworn translator handle a name with no surname?
A sworn translator copies each name exactly as written in the source document, in the same field and spelling. Where your passport and another document differ, the translator adds a translator's note. The note records the difference; it does not change either document or decide which form is correct.
A translator's note (nota del traductor) is a short line inside the translation. It might say the surname field is blank in the original. Or it might record that the birth certificate shows a shorter form of the name than the passport.
How we work on every order:
- You send a scan of your passport identity page with the other documents.
- We compare every name, letter by letter, against your passport.
- We tell you about any difference before the translation is sealed.
- The translator reproduces each document exactly and adds a note where needed.
- You sign off the draft names, dates and places; only then does the translator seal it.
This applies to every document: birth certificate sworn translation into Spanish, marriage certificate sworn translation, degree certificate sworn translation and police clearance certificate sworn translation.
Common mistake: asking the translator to "fix" a name. A sworn translation must match its source. If a source document is wrong, it must be corrected by whoever issued it.
How do I keep my name the same on every Spanish document?
Use the exact spelling from your passport everywhere: forms, bank, school and employer. Spot differences before you apply, and fix them at source where you can. Then order the whole set together. One sworn translator per language pair works on it, and we coordinate them into one delivery, so every name matches.
Practical steps:
- Choose your reference. Your passport is the document every office checks first.
- Copy it exactly. Same letters, same order, same spaces, on every form.
- List your documents. Passport, birth certificate, degree, police certificate, marriage certificate.
- Fix at source. Where a certificate has an error, ask the issuing office for a correction.
- Order translations together. Every name in the set is checked against the matching passport before delivery.
This matters for every procedure. A sworn translation for a Spain visa starts the chain. For Indian students, see Spain student visa from India. Pakistani applicants often have NADRA documents (FRC, MRC, B-form) to match; see Pakistani documents sworn translation for Spain.
Most Indian and Pakistani certificates are in English: see English to Spanish sworn translation. For Indonesian, Afghan or Myanmar documents, see sworn translation into Spanish from other languages.
Have a full family file to translate? Send every document in one order, and we check each name against its passport across the set. That avoids a name mismatch between documents in Spain, and between translations.
Get a fixed quote for your family's documents, names checked
Should I add a surname to my Indian passport before moving to Spain?
It depends on your situation, and we cannot advise you. NRI Direct reports that adding a surname means a passport reissue for a change in personal particulars. That changes your identity record, so think about your other documents first. Check current rules with your passport office.
Points to weigh:
- Timing. A new passport before a visa application may need new copies of other documents.
- Consistency. Your degree, birth certificate and police certificate will still show the old form.
- Advice. For legal questions, ask a lawyer.
Spanish consulates in India publish no instruction to add a surname. Follow the checklist your mission gives you.
Do I get two surnames if I become a Spanish citizen?
Spanish citizens normally carry two surnames, but there is an exception. Under Ley 20/2011, art. 56, a new Spaniard can keep the surnames they already hold in their own form. They must declare this on acquiring nationality or within two months, unless it is contrary to international public order.
The law says: "El que adquiere la nacionalidad española conservará los apellidos que ostente en forma distinta de la legal".
The same lawyer's guide reports how two surnames are filled in practice. For example, the mother's surname may be added, or the surname duplicated. Ask the Registro Civil or a lawyer about your own case.
The nationality file itself needs your birth certificate and criminal record certificate, apostilled (India, Pakistan) or legalised, then translated. See Spanish nationality sworn translation.
What should I check before I apply?
Start with your passport: note exactly how each field prints your name. Compare every other document with it, and fix real errors at the issuing office. Then order all translations together and approve the draft names carefully. On every new Spanish document, check your name the same day.
- I know exactly how my passport prints my name, field by field.
- I have compared my birth certificate, degree and police certificate with it.
- I have asked issuing offices to correct real errors.
- I use my passport spelling on every form.
- I will order all sworn translations together.
- I will approve names in the draft before the seal.
- I will check my NIE and TIE against my passport on the day I receive them.
Applying from India? Read about the Spanish embassy translation seal in India. Unsure whether a local certified translation is enough? See sworn vs certified translation. You can also browse more guides on sworn translation in Spain. Immigration lawyers and gestorías can send whole client files through our sworn translation service for law firms and gestorías.
Will a sworn translation protect me if names don't match?
It records each name faithfully and explains differences, and you can check our work before paying. Four checks before you order:
- 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. You can verify a Spanish sworn translator on the official MAEC list.
- What if the office rejects it? Free, prioritised re-issue if rejected on formal grounds. Read our re-issue terms.
- Is my data safe? Files are deleted within 7 days of delivery. See our privacy policy.
- Is your TIE cita or deadline close? Use our urgent sworn translation service.
What clients say
4.9/5.0 from 18,000+ reviews
“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 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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“Hola, thank you for the translation. I needed a French document translated into Spanish for an administrative procedure. Everything was explained clearly, and communication was easy from the start.”
“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.”
Frequently asked questions
Should I get a consular certificate of my name?
It depends. Some people ask their own authorities for a document confirming that two forms of a name belong to one person. No official Spanish rule covers this. Ask the office that will receive your file before you pay for one.
Can a translation fix a name mismatch?
No. A sworn translation must be faithful to its source, so it shows each name as written. The translator can add a note explaining a difference, but the fix must come from the office that issued the document.
Will my NIE show my name twice?
It depends on the office. The lawyer's guide reports that some offices duplicate a single name, while others use a label such as "Sin Apellido". Nobody can promise the format in advance.
What does "No Consta" or "S/A" mean on a Spanish document?
"No Consta" means "not recorded". "S/A" is short for "sin apellido", meaning "no surname". Both are reported ways of recording a name without a surname.
What if my name is different on my passport and birth certificate?
Then fix it at source if you can. If not, the translator reproduces each document as written and adds a translator's note. If an office then sends a correction notice, see correction notice sworn translation.
What goes in the surname field of the visa form?
It depends on your consulate. For a no surname passport and a Spain visa, follow your consulate's or BLS centre's instructions. We do not fill in visa forms or advise on them. We make sure your translations match your passport.
How can I check that my translator is a real sworn translator?
Use the official MAEC search. Match the name, language pair and number on the seal. See the MAEC search, step by step in how to verify a sworn translator.
Sources: Ley 20/2011 del Registro Civil (BOE) · Orden AEC/2125/2014 (BOE) · Real Decreto 724/2020 · MAEC sworn translator search · NRI Direct: single name in an Indian passport · Spanish lawyer on passports without a surname. Last checked: 1 October 2026.
How do I get my documents translated with my name checked first?
Upload your passport identity page with every document you will file, and get a fixed quote with a name check. Our team compares the names first. Then the quote shows one total and the delivery date, before payment. Most certificates take 24–48 hours; see how much a sworn translation costs.
What happens next
- 1We list every name difference against your passport and explain the translator's note.
- 2You pay, then approve the draft letter by letter.
- 3Your signed PDF arrives by email, with paper by courier for any office that requires it.
About this guide: Written by our editorial team and checked against official sources. 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 our re-issue policy.