Sworn translation in Spain, explained for expats

What a sworn translation is

A sworn translation (traducción jurada) is a translation certified by a sworn translator appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, known by its Spanish acronym MAEC. The translator signs and seals the translation with a standard certification formula set by the Ministry, stating that it is a faithful and complete translation of the original. A copy of the original document is attached to the translation, so the two travel together.

That certification is what gives the translation official value in Spain. Extranjería offices, the Civil Registry, the Ministry of Justice for nationality files, universities and the DGT (for driving licence exchanges) all rely on it. A good translation by a bilingual friend, or by a translation agency without a sworn translator behind it, has no official value, however accurate it is.

Who can do it: MAEC sworn translators

Sworn translators are appointed by the Ministry after passing an exam or having an equivalent EU qualification recognised. They are not civil servants, but they are listed in a public register. Anyone can check them with the Ministry's online search tool (Buscador STIJ), which filters by name, language, province and whether the translator is active.

The Ministry does not set prices or assign jobs: you can choose any sworn translator you like. At PapeleoYa, every translation is done by a named sworn translator registered with the MAEC for that language pair.

The electronically signed PDF

Since Orden AUC/213/2025 (BOE, 7 March 2025), sworn translators can sign translations with a qualified electronic signature under the EU eIDAS rules. In practice you receive a signed PDF containing the original and the translation. It keeps all the other requirements of a paper sworn translation (certification formula, copy of the original), so you do not need to wait for a courier.

That matters for expats because most immigration and nationality applications can now be filed online. An e-signed PDF can be uploaded as it is. If an office asks for paper, you can print it, but the electronic version is the original: keep the file.

Why a translation made in the UK or US is usually not enough

This is the most common surprise. A "certified translation" from a UK translation company, or a notarised translation in the US, is not a Spanish sworn translation. There is no general Ministry statement on translations made abroad, and in practice Spanish offices have historically accepted:

1. A translation by a Spanish MAEC sworn translator.
2. A translation made by a Spanish consulate abroad.
3. A translation made by your country's consulate in Spain.

A sworn translation made in another country usually has to be legalised or apostilled itself, and even then it is often refused in practice. Using a MAEC sworn translator removes that risk: it is accepted by any authority in Spain.

Apostille first, then translation

Most foreign public documents (birth and marriage certificates, criminal record checks, degrees) must first be apostilled under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, or legalised through the Spanish consulate if your country is not a party. The apostille is part of the document, so it must be translated too. A common reason for rejection is a translated certificate with an untranslated apostille on the back.

The order is always: get the document, apostille it in the issuing country, then have both translated. We explain the details (in Spanish) in our guide to the Hague apostille.

Prices in 2026

Prices include 21% Spanish VAT. Translating the apostille is included in the price. A one-page civil certificate (criminal record, birth, marriage, death, certificate of life or foreign residence certificate) has a flat price, even when the apostille is on a separate sheet; everything else is priced per page.

Degrees, transcripts, contracts, court rulings and certificates longer than one page follow the per-page price, and extra pages of the same document are 20% cheaper (€31.20 instead of €39 for English). A three-page English birth certificate, for example, costs €39 + 2 × €31.20 = €101.40. Standard delivery is 48 to 72 hours. For comparison, typical market prices for English are €30 to €55 per page, and many agencies charge the apostille separately.

Both directions: into Spanish and out of Spanish

Most expats need translations into Spanish: documents from home for a visa, residence card, marriage or nationality application in Spain. The guides for the most common documents are (in Spanish) criminal record certificates, birth certificates and university degrees.

Sworn translators also translate from Spanish into English, for example a Spanish marriage certificate, academic record or court document you need back home. Bear in mind that the authority abroad decides what it accepts: some UK or US bodies accept a Spanish sworn translation, others want a translation by a local certified translator. Check with the receiving authority before you order.

Which procedures need it

You will usually need sworn translations for the digital nomad visa, the non-lucrative visa, family reunification, Spanish nationality, degree recognition and some driving licence exchanges. Documents already in Spanish do not need translating, although they may still need an apostille.