Your route in three steps: 1. Order the RCMP check or provincial certificate → 2. Apostille from your province or Global Affairs Canada → 3. Sworn translation into Spanish
We are not affiliated with Global Affairs Canada, the RCMP or any Spanish embassy or consulate.
In Spanish this is a traducción jurada de documentos canadienses. Upload scans from Spain or Canada; originals are never needed. Retirees, remote workers, students and Québécois families all follow one rule: apostille first, translation second. More countries: documents from every country we cover.
Does Canada use the apostille now?
Yes. The Apostille Convention entered into force in Canada on 11 January 2024, according to Global Affairs Canada. Canadian public documents for Spain now carry an apostille instead of embassy legalisation. A MAEC-appointed sworn translator then translates the document and its apostille into Spanish.
The one fact that matters: for a Spanish visa, the criminal record must be an RCMP certificate based on fingerprints. Global Affairs Canada must apostille the RCMP signature itself, not a notary's.
| Step | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Get the document | RCMP, provincial vital statistics office or university | Federal and provincial documents take different apostille routes |
| 2. Apostille | Your province (AB, BC, ON, QC, SK) or Global Affairs Canada | In force for Canada since 11 January 2024 (HCCH status table) |
| 3. Sworn translation | Online, from scans | 24–48 hours for a certificate; PDF by email |
Older guides describe a two-step legalisation; follow the apostille route now. In Spain, when an office asks for an official or 'certified' translation, it means a sworn translation (traducción jurada) by a MAEC-appointed translator. It needs no further legalisation. Why the order matters: apostille before or after translation.
Canadians already in Spain: getting records apostilled from here
You can usually gather Canadian documents from Spain, but every apostille is issued in Canada. GAC works by mail only, with no in-person service. So plan for international post both ways, or ask someone in Canada to send and collect documents for you.
| Document | How to get it from Spain | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| RCMP certified criminal record check | Fingerprints are needed; see the RCMP's criminal record check pages for applicants outside Canada | How fingerprints taken in Spain are accepted |
| Provincial birth or marriage certificate | Order from your provincial vital statistics office | Delivery to a Spanish address |
| Apostille | Your province (AB, BC, ON, QC, SK) or GAC, by mail | Return postage to Spain |
| Translation | Scan of document and apostille to us | Nothing else; originals stay with you |
For help from the Embassy of Canada in Spain, check its own service list first. We do not order Canadian records; we translate them once the apostille is on. Then file with Extranjería for your TIE or renewal: see Extranjería sworn translation. Planning Spanish nationality later? See Spanish nationality sworn translation.
Who apostilles documents in my province?
Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan issue apostilles for documents from their own province. Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Ottawa handles federal documents, such as the RCMP certificate, and all other provinces and territories. The apostille authority depends on who signed your document.
| Where the document comes from | Who issues the apostille |
|---|---|
| Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan | That province's own apostille service |
| Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador | Global Affairs Canada |
| Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut | Global Affairs Canada |
| Federal bodies, including the RCMP | Global Affairs Canada |
We translate the apostille together with the document, as Spanish offices expect. One order for both steps: apostille and sworn translation.
How do I plan around the Global Affairs apostille wait?
Start with the federal documents. The Global Affairs Canada apostille wait is about 25 business days, plus mail time both ways. GAC offers no in-person service and no rush option. Allow at least six weeks door to door from Spain, then a day for the translation.
GAC publishes its current queue on its document authentication page. Plan back from your consulate date:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Fingerprints for the RCMP certified check (CAD 25; 3 business days or less if no match) |
| Weeks 1–2 | Post the RCMP certificate to GAC; order provincial certificates and their apostilles |
| Weeks 2–7 | GAC queue and return mail; send us scans of documents already apostilled |
| Day after the last apostille | Sworn translation of the RCMP certificate; 24–48 hours |
A possible match on your fingerprints can stretch the RCMP stage to 120 business days (RCMP processing times). Our translation step then takes 24–48 hours.
Which Canadian certificates do we translate into Spanish?
We translate the Canadian records that Spanish consulates and offices ask for most, with their apostilles. Most are in English and go through English to Spanish sworn translation. Quebec records in French go through French to Spanish sworn translation.
| Canadian document | Spanish name | Translation page |
|---|---|---|
| RCMP certified criminal record check | Certificado de antecedentes penales | Police clearance certificate sworn translation |
| Provincial birth certificate | Certificado de nacimiento | Birth certificate sworn translation |
| Provincial marriage certificate | Certificado de matrimonio | Marriage certificate sworn translation |
| University degree | Título universitario | Degree certificate sworn translation |
Canada RCMP certificate apostille for Spain
The Embassy of Spain in Ottawa accepts only the RCMP certificate with fingerprints, issued within 6 months. The GAC apostille must certify the RCMP signature. It also asks for an official Spanish translation (Ottawa non-lucrative visa page). Toronto refuses local police checks (Toronto page).
Last checked: 1 October 2026.
Canada birth certificate apostille for Spain
Birth certificates come from your provincial vital statistics office. The apostille follows the province table above. Where a file must prove a family link, choose a version that shows the parents' names. If unsure, ask the office receiving your file which version it wants.
Send your apostilled Canadian records for a fixed price
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Where do Canadian files for Spain get stuck?
Most delays start before the translation:
- Fingerprints. For an RCMP certificate for a Spain visa, Ottawa and Toronto accept only the fingerprint-based check.
- Notary's apostille. The GAC apostille must sit on the RCMP signature itself, not a notary's.
- Translating too early. A translation made before the apostille misses a page.
- Expired RCMP certificate. Validity is set by each office, commonly 3 to 6 months (Ottawa: 6 months). Order it last.
- Other countries of residence. Lived in the USA or the UK? Spanish files often want records from each country of the last 5 years.
- Visa stage: check your consulate's checklist. The Ottawa page also mentions the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO), so follow your own consulate's current list.
- In Spain: Hoja 61 applies. A translation certified outside Spain, for example by a Canadian translator, is not sworn, and most Spanish offices won't accept it. A MAEC sworn translation covers both stages, so you translate once.
How much is a sworn Spanish translation of Canadian documents in CAD?
We charge in euros, and your card or bank converts from Canadian dollars. Your price is one total, with the apostille page translated too. Sworn translators in Spain charge what they choose, so compare full totals. Each quote gives a delivery date.
As an indicative market range, sworn translations in Spain cost about €30–120 a page: roughly €30–80 for the first page and €15–40 for later pages (Cronoshare, January 2026). This is a market range, not our price.
| Item | Price (€) | Standard turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| RCMP certificate with apostille | From €29 | 24–48 hours |
| Birth or marriage certificate with apostille | From €29 | 24–48 hours |
| Degree certificate | From €29 | 24–48 hours |
| Couple or family set | From €29 per certificate | Confirmed in your quote |
For every document type, see our fixed prices. You can get a fixed quote for your RCMP certificate from a phone photo.
Payment methods: Visa, Mastercard or American Express card, PayPal, bank transfer (SEPA or international), Apple Pay and Google Pay. Prices include VAT where it applies.
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.
Need it sooner? 24-hour delivery adds 30% to the order price. Same-day delivery adds 60%, with a €25 minimum. A tracked paper copy costs €9 within Spain, or from €29 abroad.
What Canadians check before trusting a Spanish sworn translator
Sending an RCMP certificate to the Embassy in Ottawa, or a Quebec birth certificate to the Registro Civil in Valencia? Each English or French translator we use is appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their seal on your translation can be checked in the official MAEC search (Buscador-STIJ).
- Real translator: our guide shows how to verify a Spanish sworn translator.
- Rejection: free, prioritised re-issue if rejected on formal grounds; see how a free re-issue works.
- Data: files are deleted within 7 days of delivery, as our privacy policy sets out.
- Close deadline: if the GAC queue ate your margin before a consulate date, our urgent sworn translation service handles short notice.
What clients say
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Which Spanish visa are you applying for from Canada?
Canadians usually apply for the non-lucrative, digital nomad or student visa at a Spanish consulate in Canada. Each uses the apostilled RCMP certificate and civil records, sworn-translated into Spanish. Check which Spanish mission covers your province, then pick your visa below.
- Non-lucrative visa (retirees): €2,400 a month, plus €600 per family member, and no work allowed (Hoja 6). Non-lucrative visa sworn translation
- Digital nomad visa: €2,442 a month for the applicant in 2026, as listed by the Consulate in Houston. Criminal records cover your countries of residence. Digital nomad visa sworn translation
- Student visa: €600 a month; a criminal record is needed for adults staying over 6 months (Hoja on study stays). Spain student visa sworn translation
- Any other national visa: sworn translation for a Spain visa
Records from a previous country of residence follow that country's route: US documents sworn translation for Spain or UK documents sworn translation for Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a local police check instead of the RCMP certificate?
No. Ottawa and Toronto accept only the fingerprint-based RCMP certificate. Its GAC apostille must sit on the RCMP signature itself, and we translate both together.
Do French documents from Quebec need translating?
Yes. Quebec documents in French must be translated into Spanish, like any document not in Spanish. French sworn translators handle them, together with the Quebec apostille.
Can I get my Canadian documents translated online from Spain, Toronto or Vancouver?
Yes. Send scans of every page, including the apostille, from Spain or anywhere in Canada. The digitally signed PDF arrives by email; paper follows by courier if your consulate insists.
How do I start a sworn Spanish translation of my Canadian documents?
Upload scans or clear photos of every page, including the provincial or GAC apostille. Originals are never needed. Before you pay, you see a total in euros. English certificates usually take 24–48 hours.
Get your fixed euro quote today
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What happens next
- 1A fixed total in euros comes back first, with the delivery date.
- 2You confirm names, dates and places in a draft, including any French spellings from Quebec, before it is sealed.
- 3The signed PDF is emailed to you; a paper copy follows by courier when a consulate wants one.
WhatsApp: +44 7482 545337. We only translate. We never sell appointments.