Apostille a Document in Spain

lucia lagunas reyes - Our Apostille a Document in Spain lawyer expert

For any Spain resident who intends to set up residence, be married, study, look for employment or have ambitions of creating a company outside Spain, you will be asked for documents that determine whether your document is locally and legally registered.
You’re probably wondering, is Spain an apostille country? it is an apostille country because it belongs to the hague apostille and therefore original documents meant for this country needs an apostille stamp. Unless you have a legal instrument that excuses you from this requirement, all your foreign public documents should be legalized for them to be valid in Spain and all documents from Spain should be legalized for them to be valid outside the European Union.

apostille spain for visa

2. Getting an Apostille Spain.

In Spain, there are different procedures used in legalization and these procedures depend mainly on the countries in which the documents will be used. These procedures include:

  1. Using documents on other member states of the European Union. Spain reached an agreement with some members of the EU which liberates the urge for the legalization of most of the multi-language documents issued by one member state. This simply means that at any time you ever need either a marriage certificate, birth certificate or death certificates in Italy or Germany, you don’t necessarily need any legalization. You having the original certificate makes you eligible. Most Spain migrants tend to ask, “Can I get a UK document apostille in Spain?” people in the UK public can get their apostille document issued in Spain as long as they have their UK documents in hand even though the UK is not part of the European Union but it is a participant of the hague convention
  2. Using documents outside the European Union. Spain is among the many member countries participating in the convection of documents on mutual recognition. A legalization procedure is simplified in place for the two countries involved in the convention. This can only be done with the use of an apostille.
  3. Using documents in a non-Hague country.
  4. For a non-European Union country that is not involved in the convention, another legalization process is necessary. This mostly depends on the requirements issued by the foreign country. The legalization of documents for Spain is a standard procedure that can be used whenever necessary. This procedure is then administered and separated by another administrative authority different from the ones issuing apostilles.

3. Apostille Spain.

apostille spain

apostille spain is a very basic method of legalization that affirms that the seal or signature on a particular document from Spain is genuine. Keep in mind that the apostille Spain is a confirmation of the legitimacy of the signature on the document and not the content of the document.
Due to the language barrier, documents from Spain will have to be translated by a sworn translator that translates any language depending on the country in which those documents are needed especially if the foreign country does not speak Spanish. In case you decided to also legalize the original document alongside the translation, a notary is involved, it will authenticate the signature of the sworn translator.

Do you want to live in Spain?

Our law firm has more than 15 years of experience.

Contact Us Now!

When do you need an apostille?

Whenever an agency of the government or employer wants to examine a legal document or a foreign official, he or she needs an apostille to carry out the procedure. It is important for your document to get an easy verification and in that case, most official bodies or governments now want the apostille to be attached to the legal or official documents issued and requested by the foreign country and their foreign documents. Apostilles can never be forged because those entrusted with issuing apostilles are trusted to check each and every approved document, seal, signature, and even watermark to ensure that they are genuine. This reduces problems faced by government agencies and foreign governments in deciding if a document is fake or legit. Apostille stamp Spain is also an example of the many forms apostilling might appear. These other forms include a seal or a certificate attached to the original document.

How do I get documents Apostilled in Spain?

Keep in mind that you do not require an apostille Barcelona if you have been required to give out your legal or official document for an agency or someone within Spain for most of the required documents. It also applies to any other member of the European Union. Formally, apostilles are applied to countries that belong to the hague convention. The number of countries participating in the convention is approximately 110 as the number keeps increasing regularly. Countries that are not participating in the hague apostille may also need an apostille but they should follow up with further legalization of their own terms. The legalization process can be done by a qualified Spanish authority of Spanish documents. You can also visit the embassy or Spanish consulate in the country and ask them to help you with the legalizing procedures which they will gladly do for you.
In recent days, there have been many people wanting to retire, get jobs, marry, or travel to other foreign countries and for this reason, there has been a massive request for apostilles. Luckily, this issue has resulted in an increase of trusted services aimed at getting you an apostille quickly, anytime you need it. keep in mind that you will have to translate the Spain apostilles in a country that does not understand the Spanish language and nothing can do it better and quicker than a sworn translator.

Who provides the apostille?

Apostilles are provided in Spain at no cost by a relevant agency depending on the document’s issuing authority. There are various agencies that work in issuing apostilles and you only have to pick one that suits your requirements. They include:

  1. For judicial documents and public administration of documents select any of the three agencies to use;
    1. The central service office of the Ministry of justice.
    2. Delegated offices of both Melilla and Ceuta and territorial management of the ministry of justice.
  2. For public documents in judicial service issued by the supreme court and the national courts, use the government secretaries of the particular courts.
  3. For private documents and notary documents with signatures authenticated through a notary, use the notary delegated in giving out apostilles or notarial associations.
    It is very important to familiarize yourself with the agency you need to send all your documents to get your signatures acknowledged and issuing of apostilles because the process is a very complicated one. Check out the Spanish website and discover a full list of agencies in Spain language.

How long is an Apostille valid in Spain?

Apostille does not have an expiry date. However, if the issued document comes with a limited duration, the carried legalization will also have the same limitation. In addition, there is no time limit in applying for the legalization of a document, do it in your free time while relaxed.

4. Requirements needed to get an apostille Spain.

You are probably wondering, “how do I legalize documents in Spain?” The best way to acquire your apostille is by going there in person to your suitable agency with your required document meant to be apostilled. If necessary, bring along the acknowledged signatures obtained. You can also send your documents by post to the suitable agencies listed above. Keep in mind that this process takes time and as a result, you should come well prepared for you to get a valid apostille required in a different country.

5. Apostille for Spanish visa

Only documents issued by the government can get an apostille. For purposes of visa application(non lucrative visa spain, self-employment visa…), the following documents will be required:

Do you want to live in Spain?

Our law firm has more than 15 years of experience.

Contact Us Now!
  • Apostille birth certificate.
  • Criminal background checks.
  • Marriage certificate.
  • Medical certificate.

Applying for a visa is not that hard but it surely contains many procedures that might get you lost. It is always helpful to seek help in these situations but only from a qualified person who offers legal advice.

Final thoughts.

Due to the high growth of exchange between different countries worldwide, many governments and states like Spain reached an agreement aimed at simplifying any immigration procedure for all its citizens. The current and valid agreement is the hague convention which abolished the need of legalizing foreign public documents also known as the apostille convention. Many countries are collaborating on this treaty which works in making work easier for both the recipient and the issuer. The text simply states that members of the state will not require any legalization procedure although an apostille or a stamp is highly required.

In addition, there are also a few agreements that exclude some documents from legalization and in all cases, especially those not included in the previous agreements or convections, legalization is required. Get your apostille today at a cheaper price with a trusted agency but first ask yourself, “do I need an apostille for Spain?” then proceed with the procedures.

4 thoughts on “Apostille a Document in Spain

  1. JONAS ROLYN |

    I need an apostille for my USA FBI Background Check. What is the cost and how long does it take?

  2. Stephen |

    I am looking for an apostille service to process my Spanish visa, can you help me?

    I am American and I am applying for a non-lucrative visa. Can you help with the apostille?

    1. Anna |

      Stephen,

      One of our lawyers will contact you to answer your questions about apostille.

      Regards,

Write a Reply or Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *