Spain's official language is Castilian Spanish (castellano), and Spanish authorities, from the civil registry to the notary to government departments, work in Spanish. An apostilled document in English, while legally authenticated, still needs to be in a language the receiving authority can read and process.

This means that almost all apostilled UK documents will need to be accompanied by a certified Spanish translation before they can be used with Spanish authorities.

There is an important distinction, however, between different types of translations:

• Sworn translation (traducción jurada): A translation produced by a sworn/official translator someone who has been officially certified by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In Spain, only sworn translations are accepted for official use with government bodies, courts, and notaries.
• Certified translation: A more general term used in some contexts, but for Spain, what you really need is a sworn translation as defined above.
• Simple translation: An informal translation, not accepted for official Spanish purposes.

It is critical that you use only sworn translators for documents destined for Spanish official use.

In Spain, sworn translators (Traductores e Intérpretes Jurados) are individuals who have passed a rigorous examination administered by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and have been officially appointed and sworn in. They are authorised to produce certified translations that are legally equivalent to the original document in Spain.

Importantly, a UK-based translator, however qualified, cannot produce a sworn translation for Spanish official use unless they hold the specific Spanish sworn translator appointment. This is a common source of confusion. A translator who is an accredited member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists in the UK, or who has a degree in translation, does not automatically qualify as a jurado translator for Spanish purposes.

You have two main options for getting properly sworn translations for Spain:

• Use a Spanish-appointed sworn translator based in the UK: Some UK-based translators do hold the Spanish jurado appointment. These are less common but do exist, particularly in larger cities and among translation agencies specialising in UK-Spain matters.
• Have the translation done in Spain: Your Spanish lawyer can arrange for a sworn translator to translate the apostilled documents in Spain. This is often the most practical approach, particularly for complex documents.

The Official Sworn Translator List

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains a list of officially appointed sworn translators. This list is publicly accessible and can be found on the Ministry's website. When using a translation agency for Spain-bound documents, ask them to confirm that the translator holds the Spanish sworn translator appointment and ask for their registration number.

What Needs to Be Translated?

In general, all UK documents you submit to Spanish authorities should be accompanied by sworn Spanish translations. This includes:

•  Birth, marriage, death, and civil partnership certificate
• Criminal record certificate
• Degree and educational certificates
• Powers of attorney
• Company documents
• Court documents
• Medical documents

Some documents that are simple and follow a standard format (such as birth certificates) may occasionally be accepted without a separate translation if the Spanish authority is familiar with the format, but you should not rely on this. Always provide the translation unless specifically told it is not required.

The Apostille on the Translation

A common question is: does the Spanish translation itself need an apostille? The answer in most cases is no the apostille is on the original UK document, and the sworn translator's certification on the translation is sufficient authentication for the translation itself. The sworn translator's stamp and signature serve as the authentication of the translation.

However, if the translation has been produced by a notary (rather than a sworn translator), the notarised translation may need to be apostilled separately. This situation is less common but can arise in certain contexts.

Practical Translation Tips

• Get everything translated at once: If you have multiple documents to submit together, have them all translated together by the same translator this often reduces cost and ensures consistency.
• Keep the apostilled original and translation together: Spanish authorities expect to receive the apostilled original and its sworn translation as a package. Do not submit the translation without the apostilled original.
• Check if bilingual documents exist: Some countries issue bilingual documents (in two languages). UK civil registration documents are issued in English only, so translation is always needed.
• Factor translation time into your overall timeline: Do not leave translation to the last minute. A complex document can take a week or more to translate properly.