We coordinate sworn translations into Spanish (traducción jurada) by MAEC-appointed translators, for BLS Nigeria and Extranjería. Certificates usually take 24–48 hours once both stamps are on, from €29. That is a starting price: you approve our written quotation before work starts. Upload scans for a fixed quote.
In this guide
- How does a family member in Nigeria join a resident in Spain?
- Which Spain visa do Nigerians need?
- What documents are on the Nigeria checklist?
- How do I legalise Nigerian documents for Spain?
- Do English documents need translating?
- How long and how much?
- What do Nigerians in Spain need later?
- Quick checklist
Bringing your spouse or children from Nigeria to Spain? We translate legalised marriage, birth and police certificates, with both stamps, in one delivery. See our family reunification sworn translation service.
Upload your family's legalised Nigerian certificates for a fixed quote We are not affiliated with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Spanish Embassy in Abuja, the Consulate General in Lagos or BLS.
How can a Nigerian family member join a resident in Spain?
A legal resident in Spain first files form EX-02 for family reunification (reagrupación familiar) at Extranjería. Once it is granted, the family member has 2 months from notification to apply in person for the visa. The BLS Nigeria checklist sends these applications to the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos.
- In Spain. The resident files the EX-02, under Hoja informativa 8.
- In Nigeria. Within 2 months of notification, the family member applies for the visa in person.
| Family member | Condition under Hoja 8 |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner | Aged 18 or over; only one |
| Children | Under 18, or adults with a disability who cannot support themselves |
| Parents | Dependent and over 65; under 65 only for humanitarian reasons |
The BLS Nigeria checklist also asks the resident for the residence authorisation, a notarised copy of the residence card and proof of financial support.
Example: Chidi, a resident in Barcelona, files the EX-02 for his wife in Enugu. Meanwhile she legalises her certificates.
Tip: married to a Spanish or EU citizen? That is a different route. BLS Nigeria has a separate checklist for family of EU citizens.
Which Spain visa should a Nigerian applicant choose?
Nigerian passport holders need a visa for Spain. A Schengen short-stay visa covers visits of up to 90 days. National (long-stay) visas cover family reunification, study, work, research, investors and non-working residence. BLS Nigeria lists both types at its Lagos centre. Translation rules matter most for long-stay files.
| Visa | Who it suits | Translation page |
|---|---|---|
| Family reunion | Spouse, child or parent of a resident | Family reunification |
| Student (SSU, SLU) | Courses and degrees | Spain student visa |
| Employee | Job offer with an employer's authorisation | Spain work visa |
| Non-working residence | Enough income without working | Sworn translation for a Spain visa |
| Short stay (Schengen) | Visits up to 90 days | Check the BLS short-stay checklist |
Work visa: the employer applies in Spain first. Once notified, the worker has one month to apply at the consulate.
Student visa: adults staying over 6 months need a criminal record certificate. Spain's student rules set funds at €600 a month (the IPREM).
What documents does BLS Nigeria ask for?
For family reunification, BLS Nigeria asks for a passport, birth and marriage certificates, a police character certificate and a medical certificate. Nigerian documents must be legalised by the MFA in Abuja and then the Spanish mission. The checklist also states: "Translations must be done by an authorized translator."
Core items on the BLS Nigeria family reunion checklist:
| Document | Rule on the checklist | Translation page |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Valid for at least 4 months; two copies of the data page | Not needed |
| Applicant's birth certificate | Or a sworn declaration of age; legalised | Birth certificate |
| Nigerian marriage certificate | Translated and legalised | Marriage certificate |
| Police character certificate | With fingerprints; every country of the last 5 years | Police certificate |
| Medical certificate | International Health Regulations 2005; translated into Spanish | Medical certificate |
| Proof previous marriages ended | Where the resident married before | Divorce decree |
| Family or wedding photographs | Originals and copies | Not needed |
Studying instead? Degrees and transcripts usually go through Federal Ministry of Education verification first. See degree certificate sworn translation.
How is each Nigerian document legalised for a Spain visa?
Nigeria is not a party to the Apostille Convention. Each document is legalised in two steps. The route is MFA Abuja, then the Spanish Embassy in Abuja or the Consulate General in Lagos, depending on your state. Only then is the document translated, together with both stamps.
| Spanish mission | States covered |
|---|---|
| Embassy in Abuja | FCT and the northern states, including Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, Benue and Kogi |
| Consulate General in Lagos | Lagos and the southern states, including Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Rivers, Anambra and Enugu |
The full state list is on the Spanish Embassy in Abuja jurisdiction page. Questions about legalisation at Lagos go to cog.lagos.leg@maec.es, as the BLS checklist says.
Before the MFA, some documents need a first step:
- Birth certificate: a BLS Nigeria checklist mentions the National Population Commission endorsement.
- Degrees and school results: usually verified by the Federal Ministry of Education, with WAEC or NECO results confirmed.
- Police character certificate: issued by the Nigeria Police Force; check the current application route.
Example: Amaka's documents are from Rivers State. She legalises them at the MFA in Abuja, then at the Consulate General in Lagos. Abuja would not handle them.
Our guide on legalisation and sworn translation: how the two steps fit explains the order. Nigerian routes are also set out on our Nigerian documents sworn translation for Spain page.
Do Nigerian documents in English need a Spanish translation?
Yes, usually. English is not accepted in Spanish procedures. BLS Nigeria checklists say translations "must be done by an authorized translator". For Spain, the safe choice is a sworn translation (traducción jurada) by a MAEC-appointed translator. It covers the document and both legalisation stamps.
In Spain, when an office asks for an official or "certified" translation, it means a sworn translation by a MAEC-appointed translator. A translation certified in Nigeria is not a sworn translation, and most Spanish offices won't accept it. Our guide on sworn vs certified translation explains why.
Your documents are in English, so they go through English to Spanish sworn translation. The order is fixed:
- Get the document and any first-step verification.
- MFA Abuja legalisation.
- Spanish mission legalisation (Abuja or Lagos).
- Scan every page, both stamps included.
- Order the sworn translation.
Common mistake: translating before the Spanish stamp goes on. The new stamp then has no translation, and you pay twice.
Both legalisation stamps already on? A MAEC-appointed translator translates your certificate and its stamps, usually within 24–48 hours. See our Nigerian documents for Spain page.
Send your legalised police character certificate for a fast quote
How long and how much does a Spain visa take from Nigeria?
A Schengen short-stay visa is normally decided within 15 days, and up to 45 in some cases. BLS Nigeria says a family reunion visa may take up to 2 months from the day all documents are presented. The Schengen fee is €90 for adults, under BLS Nigeria's fee notice.
| Item | What BLS Nigeria states |
|---|---|
| Schengen fee, age 12 and over | €90 |
| Schengen fee, ages 6 to 11 | €45 |
| Under 6 | Free |
| Family reunion processing | Up to 2 months from full submission |
National visa fees, legalisation fees and translations are separate costs. 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 own prices start from €29 per certificate; see the sworn translation prices page. 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.
Validity is set by each office, commonly 3 to 6 months for police certificates. Two legalisation steps eat into that window, so request the police certificate last. Deadline close? Use our urgent sworn translation service.
Common mistake: paying someone for a BLS slot. BLS says to book only on its website, and staff never ask for cash to speed up an appointment.
What do Nigerians living in Spain need for renewals and nationality?
Nigerians in Spain reuse legalised documents for residence renewals, arraigo, family reunification and nationality. Arraigo asks for a criminal record certificate from each country you lived in during the last 5 years. Spanish nationality by residence usually needs 10 years of legal residence for Nigerian nationals.
- Arraigo: police certificates, legalised and translated. See arraigo sworn translation.
- 2026 regularisation: permits last one year, so renewals fall due from 2027. See regularisation and renewal translations.
- Nationality: birth certificate and police certificate, legalised and translated (Código Civil article 22). See Spanish nationality sworn translation and our guide to Spanish citizenship requirements.
- Correction notices: a requerimiento from Extranjería gives 10 working days (días hábiles) to reply, under Ley 39/2015, art. 68. See Extranjería sworn translation. Nationality requerimientos allow three months (RD 1004/2015, art. 10).
Ghana uses a similar legalisation route: see Ghanaian documents for Spain.
What should Nigerian applicants check before the BLS Lagos appointment?
Check that each document went through the MFA and the right Spanish mission for its state. Then check that every page and stamp is translated, and that police and medical certificates are still valid. Names must match the passport. Finally, bring originals plus one photocopy of each item.
- I know my visa type and the 2-month window after the EX-02.
- Each document has the MFA Abuja stamp.
- Each has the Spanish stamp from Abuja or Lagos, matching the state.
- My police character certificate has fingerprints and covers the last 5 years.
- My medical certificate is recent and translated.
- Every document and stamp has a sworn Spanish translation.
- Names and dates match my passport.
How can a Nigerian family check our translation is genuine?
Look at the seal. Every translator we work with is a sworn translator-interpreter (Traductor-Intérprete Jurado) appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Each is listed on the official MAEC register. They work with their own official seal, and every page carries it with their signature.
- Is the translator real? Each holds every authorisation Spain requires. A "translator" offered by a Lagos agent can be checked too: how to verify a Spanish sworn translator.
- What if BLS Nigeria or Extranjería rejects it? Free, prioritised re-issue if rejected on formal grounds, such as a missed legalisation stamp. See our re-issue policy.
- Is my data safe? Your files are deleted within 7 days of delivery, as our privacy policy explains.
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.”
“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.”
“Good service and clear communication. I needed my police clearance certificate translated for a residence application. They explained what they needed from me and answered my questions promptly.”
“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.”
“Hi, thanks for helping with my birth certificate translation. I was a little lost with all the documents for my nationality application, but your team explained things clearly. Really appreciate it!”
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an apostille on Nigerian documents for Spain?
No. Nigeria is not a party to the Apostille Convention. Documents are legalised by the MFA in Abuja, then by the Spanish Embassy in Abuja or the Consulate General in Lagos.
Can my wife in Nigeria join me in Spain?
Yes, if your residence permit allows family reunification. You file the EX-02 first. Once it is granted, she has 2 months to apply through BLS Nigeria.
Do I go to Abuja or Lagos for the Spanish stamp?
It depends on your state. Abuja covers the FCT and the north; Lagos covers Lagos and the south. Check the Embassy's jurisdiction page.
Can a translation made in Nigeria be used in Spain?
Usually not. Offices in Spain ask for a sworn translation, and a translation certified in Nigeria is not one. A MAEC-appointed translator works from your scans.
How long is a Nigerian police certificate valid for Spain?
It depends on the office. Validity is commonly 3 to 6 months. Request it last, because two legalisation steps take time.
Do I need my passport translated?
Usually not. The checklist asks for passport copies only. Check your own checklist.
Sources: BLS Nigeria family reunion checklist · BLS Nigeria family of EU citizens checklist · BLS Nigeria · Spanish Embassy in Abuja, consular jurisdiction · Hoja informativa 8, family reunification · EU Home Affairs, applying for a Schengen visa · Código Civil, article 22 · WAEC verification portal. Last checked: 12 October 2026.
Ready to translate your legalised Nigerian documents?
Upload scans of every page, both stamps included, with your visa type and deadline. Then get a fixed quote for your Nigerian certificates before you pay. More guides are on the sworn translation blog, including Spain family reunification visa requirements.
What happens next
- 1We confirm both legalisation stamps are readable and send one fixed total with a date.
- 2You compare the draft's names and dates with your passport.
- 3The signed PDF arrives by email for BLS Nigeria or Extranjería; paper by courier only if required.
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.