Sworn translations for Spanish nationality
To apply for Spanish nationality by residence, the documents from your country must be legalised or apostilled and translated into Spanish. We explain which ones and how.
Documents usually required
- Birth certificate from your country, legalised or apostilled and translated.
- Criminal record certificate from your country of origin, legalised or apostilled and translated (and recent).
- If you are married to a Spanish citizen, the marriage certificate.
- Passport, residence card and certificate of registration with the local council (empadronamiento).
- The DELE A2 and CCSE diplomas from the Instituto Cervantes (nationals of Spanish-speaking countries do not take the DELE).
Who can translate them
The translation into Spanish must be official. The safest option is a sworn translation by a translator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC), which is what we deliver. A translation done in your country would normally need to be legalised itself.
The right order
- 1. Request the certificates in your country (check how recent they need to be).
- 2. Have them apostilled or legalised in the issuing country.
- 3. Order the sworn translation of everything from us, including the apostille.
- 4. Submit your application with the e-signed PDF translation.
Residence periods
The general rule is ten years of legal residence. It is two years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and one year for people born in Spain or who have been married to a Spanish citizen for a year, among other cases. Check your situation on the Ministry of Justice website.
How much does it cost?
Price per language for a one-page document (for example, a certificate with its apostille), translated into or from Spanish, VAT not included:
| Language | One page, from | Per word |
|---|---|---|
| English | €25 | €0.10 |
| French | €25 | €0.10 |
| German | €60 | €0.10 |
| Italian | €70 | €0.10 |
| Portuguese | €70 | €0.10 |
| Romanian | €60 | €0.13 |
| Arabic | €60 | €0.13 |
| Russian | €90 | €0.13 |
Longer documents are priced per word: €0.10 for the most common languages (English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese), €0.13 for most others (Romanian, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Polish…) and €0.18 for languages with few sworn translators, always subject to the minimum shown in the table. For example, a 750-word document from English into Spanish costs €75 + VAT.
Guide prices excluding VAT. The final price is the one in your quote, which you can calculate instantly. All rates →
Frequently asked questions
Is the e-signed PDF translation valid?
Yes. The application is submitted online, and a sworn translation with the translator’s electronic signature is fully valid. If you need it on paper, we can send that too.
Could my criminal record certificate expire while you translate it?
We deliver in one or two working days, or the next day with urgent delivery. Order the translation as soon as you have the apostilled certificate.
Does my passport need to be translated?
Normally not. If the authority specifically asks for it, we translate that too.
Do you translate certificates from any country?
Yes, from any language into Spanish: Arabic, Russian, Ukrainian, Chinese, Romanian, Urdu, English, French and many more.