Yes. Spain is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so UK public documents legalised with the FCDO apostille are accepted by Spanish authorities. In most cases, the apostilled document also needs to be accompanied by a sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada) produced by a translator registered with the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Spain · Apostille · Traducción Jurada
UK Document Legalisation for Spain
Spanish authorities accept the FCDO apostille on UK documents — but for most procedures, they also require a traducción jurada (sworn translation) by a translator registered with Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Continental Visa manages both, plus homologación preparation for degree recognition.
- FCDO Apostille
- Homologación Document Prep
- MAEC-Registered Sworn Translators
Overview
Document Legalisation for Spain — What’s Required
Spain is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, which means UK public documents legalised with an FCDO apostille are accepted by Spanish authorities without further embassy legalisation. So far, so simple.
What trips most applicants up is the language requirement: Spanish authorities almost always require a traducción jurada — a sworn Spanish translation produced by a translator officially appointed by Spain’s Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación (MAEC). A regular translation, even a certified one, is not enough.
And for academic recognition, the further homologación or equivalencia process — run by the Spanish Ministry of Universities — brings its own paperwork requirements on top.
Our Process
Our 3-Step Process for Spain
We manage the full chain — from your UK document through to a sworn Spanish translation ready for submission in Spain.
1
Solicitor / Notary Certification
Where required (most personal and commercial documents), a UK solicitor or Notary Public certifies the document before it goes to the FCDO.
2
FCDO Apostille
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office issues the apostille — the single certificate that makes your document recognised in Spain under the Hague Convention.
3
Traducción Jurada
A MAEC-registered Traductor-Intérprete Jurado produces the sworn Spanish translation of the apostilled document, signed and stamped to Spanish official requirements.
Need it fast? Where the timeline is tight, our Next-Day Apostille Service can deliver the FCDO apostille within one working day. Sworn translation typically adds a further 3–5 working days.
Sworn Translation
Traducción Jurada — Sworn Spanish Translation
A traducción jurada is a sworn translation produced by a translator officially appointed by Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Only translations by a Traductor-Intérprete Jurado on the MAEC official list are accepted by Spanish authorities for legal, academic and administrative purposes.
What It Includes
A signed and officially stamped Spanish translation, bound with a copy of the apostilled original, certified by the sworn translator’s personal seal.
When It’s Required
For homologación, professional recognition, court submissions, marriage and residency registration, Spanish university enrolment, and most administrative procedures.
What We Arrange
End-to-end: identifying the right MAEC-registered translator for your document type, supplying the apostilled original, and returning the bound sworn translation to you.
Academic Recognition
Homologación & Equivalencia for UK Degrees
If you want your UK degree to be officially recognised in Spain, you may need homologación or the lighter equivalencia — both run by Spain’s Ministry of Universities (Ministerio de Universidades).
Homologación
Required for regulated professions (medicine, architecture, engineering, law, teaching and others) and for access to Spanish public-sector roles that require an officially recognised qualification. Homologación declares your foreign qualification equivalent to a specific Spanish official degree.
Equivalencia
The lighter route for non-regulated purposes — typically used when you need formal recognition of your qualification level (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate) without a specific Spanish-degree equivalence. Often sufficient for graduate-level work in the private sector.
What We Prepare
- FCDO apostille on your degree certificate and academic transcript
- Sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada) of both
- Where useful, supporting documents from the awarding university confirming programme content and credit values
We don’t submit the homologación application itself — that has to be done by you (or your Spanish lawyer) to the Ministry of Universities. But we make sure the UK-side document bundle is complete and correct before it leaves us.
Documents We Prepare
UK Documents We Legalise & Translate for Spain
We prepare the full range of UK documents typically required for use in Spain.
Academic Documents
Degree certificates, academic transcripts, school-leaving certificates — for homologación, equivalencia and Spanish university enrolment.
Personal Documents
Birth certificates, marriage certificates, ACRO police certificates — for marriage in Spain, residency applications and family registration.
Professional Qualifications
Regulated profession certificates — medicine, architecture, engineering, accountancy, teaching — with the supporting documentation Spanish authorities require.
Commercial Documents
Powers of attorney, certificates of incorporation, board resolutions and contracts for business setup or commercial filings in Spain.
Why Continental Visa
Why Choose Continental Visa for Spain
Spanish legalisation isn’t just an apostille — it’s an apostille plus a sworn translation, sometimes plus homologación paperwork. We handle every stage in-house.
Spain Specialism
We prepare documents specifically to MAEC and Ministry of Universities requirements — not generic apostille work.
MAEC-Registered Translators
Sworn translations by Traductor-Intérprete Jurado on the MAEC official list — accepted by Spanish authorities.
End-to-End Service
Apostille and sworn translation managed as a single bundle — one quote, one timeline, one point of contact.
Deadline-Aware
Tell us your Spanish deadline; we’ll be honest about whether it’s realistic and flag the Next-Day Apostille option if needed.
Fixed-Quote Pricing
Your full fee — apostille, translation, return delivery — confirmed before any work begins.
ICO Registered & Established
UK-registered consultancy (Companies House No. 16149984) and ICO Registered (ZC091062).
Common Questions
Spain Legalisation — FAQs
Common questions about preparing UK documents for use in Spain. For case-specific guidance, please contact us directly.
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Does Spain accept the FCDO apostille on UK documents?
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What is a traducción jurada (sworn translation)?
A traducción jurada is a sworn translation produced by a Traductor-Intérprete Jurado officially appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (MAEC). Only translations from a sworn translator on the MAEC official list are accepted by Spanish authorities for legal, academic and administrative purposes.
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What is homologación and do I need it?
Homologación is the Spanish process of officially recognising a foreign academic qualification as equivalent to a Spanish degree, run by the Ministry of Universities. It is required for regulated professions (medicine, architecture, engineering, law, teaching and others) and for access to Spanish public-sector roles. For non-regulated purposes, the lighter equivalencia process is usually sufficient.
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Do I need to apostille and translate every document?
For homologación and most Spanish administrative procedures, yes — you will need both the FCDO apostille and a sworn Spanish translation of your degree, transcript and any supporting documents. We arrange both as a single bundle so they arrive in Spain ready to submit.
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How long does the full process take?
Typical turnaround is 7–10 working days end-to-end: solicitor or notary certification (where required), FCDO apostille, and sworn translation by a MAEC-registered Traductor-Intérprete Jurado. Next-Day FCDO apostille is available where the timeline is tight.
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Can you handle commercial documents for use in Spain?
Yes. Powers of attorney, certificates of incorporation, board resolutions and contracts for use in Spain typically require notarisation, FCDO apostille and sworn Spanish translation. We manage the full chain on your behalf.
Get Your UK Documents Ready for Spain
Send us your UK degree, personal or commercial documents and we’ll prepare a fixed quote covering FCDO apostille, sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada), and where relevant the supporting bundle for homologación.
Request Your Fixed Quote