TIE HoySworn translation, apostille and legalization in Spain
Three separate steps for presenting a foreign document in a Spanish immigration procedure. Unless a treaty exempts it, the issuing country decides: covered EU document → exempt; Hague country → apostille; any other → consular legalization. If it is not in Spanish, add a sworn translation.
The issuing country decides: apostille, legalization or exemption
If that country is party to the Hague Convention, its authority's apostille is enough; if not, get it legalized at the Spanish consulate there.
Unless a treaty exempts the document.
Documents from another EU country are exempt only if Regulation 2016/1191 covers them (section 3).
The sworn translation is a separate step and is not apostilled
If the document is not in Spanish, use a sworn translator from the MAEC directory: the translation is valid before Spanish authorities without legalization.
If a Spanish consulate abroad or your country's consulate in Spain translates it, it must then be legalized by Spain's MAEC.
1. Apostille and legalization certify the signature; the sworn translation carries the content
Apostille: a certificate issued by the authority of the issuing country; it confirms the signature, the signer's capacity and the document's seal.
It works between countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention.
Consular legalization: the same function for non-party countries. The Spanish consulate in the issuing country does it, with signature and security label.
Sworn translation: an official translation into Spanish, signed by a translator appointed by Spain's Foreign Ministry (MAEC).
In common: none certifies that the content is correct; they only make the document usable in the procedure.
Key difference: a given document gets an apostille or legalization, not both; the translation is added to whichever applies.
2. Most of these countries now use the apostille — find yours
Routes verified with the HCCH. "Where" links each country's official authority.
China, Pakistan, Senegal and Algeria moved to the apostille: their documents no longer need consular legalization.
Each issuing authority sets its own fee and timing: check them at its link.
- Morocco: Apostille — Courts (Justice) — Translate? Yes
- Algeria: Apostille (since 9 Jul 2026) — Ministry by document type — Translate? Yes
- Egypt: Consular legalization — Spanish consulate in Egypt — Translate? Yes
- Senegal: Apostille (since 2023) — Foreign Ministry — Translate? Yes
- France and other EU: Exempt if covered by Reg. 2016/1191 — Translate? Multilingual form or sworn
- United Kingdom: Apostille — FCDO — Translate? Yes
- United States: Apostille — State Dept. or issuing state — Translate? Yes
- India: Apostille — MEA — Translate? Yes
- Pakistan: Apostille (since 2023) — Foreign Ministry — Translate? Yes
- Nigeria: Consular legalization — Spanish consulate in Nigeria — Translate? Yes
- China: Apostille (since 7 Nov 2023) — Foreign Ministry and provincial offices — Translate? Yes
- Russia: Apostille — Authority by document type — Translate? Yes
- Ukraine: Apostille — Ministry by document type — Translate? Yes
- Colombia: Apostille — Foreign Ministry — Translate? No
- Venezuela: Apostille — Foreign Ministry (MPPRE) — Translate? No
3. EU documents covered by the Regulation: no apostille and, sometimes, no translation
Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 exempts from apostille and legalization public documents from another EU country about:
birth, being alive, death, name, marriage (incl. capacity and marital status), divorce or annulment, registered partnership, parenthood, adoption, residence, nationality or no criminal record.
Criminal record: only if issued by your own EU country of nationality.
Ask for the multilingual standard form with the document: if the Spanish authority finds it sufficient, no translation is needed.
4. Sworn translator: free pricing, electronic signature accepted
There is no official fee: each sworn translator sets their own price (RD 724/2020, art. 16). Get quotes from several in the STIJ directory.
The translation is valid wherever the translator lives (art. 12.2) and can carry an electronic signature.
If the office sits in a region with a co-official language, a translation into that language is also valid.
Practical tip: give the translator the document already apostilled or legalized, so the translation covers those pages.
What to do
Before paying anyone, decide the route for each document.
Steps
- Is it a document from another EU country covered by Regulation 2016/1191? Then it needs no apostille: ask for the multilingual form.
- If not, find the issuing country in the table: apostille from its authority, or legalization at the Spanish consulate there.
- Ask the issuing authority whether it apostilles the original, a certified copy or the electronic version.
- If it is not in Spanish, order the sworn translation from the STIJ directory, apostille included.
- Ask the office handling your file how recent each document must be.
Basis
Hoja 61 (Migraciones, May 2025): unless a convention exempts it, apostille if the issuing country is party to the 1961 Hague Convention, legalization by the Spanish consulate if not; translation into Spanish by a MAEC sworn interpreter or by consulates, in which case the translation is legalized too. RD 724/2020: art. 12.2, sworn translations need no legalization before Spanish authorities; art. 16, fees are set freely. Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, arts. 2, 4 and 6: listed EU civil documents are exempt from legalization and apostille; the multilingual form can avoid translation.
More questions
Does an apostille expire?
No, but it does not extend the validity of the document it accompanies.
The procedure sets the maximum age: check it before ordering a new certificate.
My document is already translated. Can I apostille or legalize it in Spain?
No. It is done in the issuing country (or at the Spanish consulate there).
If the translation came first, it may not cover the apostille: check with the translator.
My document is from China: do I still need double legalization?
No. Since 7 Nov 2023 China applies the Hague Convention.
An apostille from its Foreign Ministry or an authorized provincial office is enough.