Apostille before or after translation? The order Spain expects
Updated · Official sources checked
Short answer
Apostille first, then translate. The Edinburgh consulate says documents are “legalised first and then translated afterwards”, and Edinburgh, Ottawa, Boston and Miami all say the apostille does not need its own translation and the translation does not need its own apostille.
Order
Apostille on the original, then sworn translation
Does the apostille need translating?
Not at Edinburgh, Ottawa, Boston or Miami
Does the translation need an apostille?
No — sworn translations need no legalisation
FBI background check
Apostille from the US Department of State only
Why the order matters
A sworn translator certifies the document set they were given. Real Decreto 724/2020 requires a copy of the original, stamped and dated on every page, to be attached to the translation, and an electronically signed translation is signed over the original and the translation together.
If the apostille is added after the translation, it is not part of the set the translator certified. The office receiving it sees an apostilled original and a translation of a different, unapostilled version — which is the mismatch that gets files returned.
What the consulates say
| Consulate | Order | Translating the apostille | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh | “Legalised first and then translated afterwards” | “The Hague Apostille does not need to be translated, nor does the translation need to be legalised” | Official page |
| Ottawa | Not stated; the translation may include the apostille, so it comes after | “Can include the translation of the Apostille”, but the apostille “does not need a translation” | Official page |
| Boston | Not stated | Same wording as Ottawa | Official page |
| Miami | Not stated | Same wording as Ottawa | Official page |
Who issues the apostille for your document
- FBI background check: the US Department of State, because the FBI check is a federal document. The Washington DC consulate refuses apostilles on any signature other than the FBI’s, so a state or notary apostille will not do.
- US birth, marriage and other state records: the Secretary of State of the state that issued the record.
- UK ACRO certificate and other UK public documents: the UK’s Legalisation Office. The London and Edinburgh checklists ask for the ACRO certificate with a Hague apostille.
- Canadian RCMP check: Global Affairs Canada, on the RCMP signature. Canada has applied the Apostille Convention since 11 January 2024.
- Bank statements, employment letters and other private documents are not apostilled. They only need translating where the office asks for it.
Plan around the six-month window
US, UK and Canadian consulates ask for criminal record certificates issued no more than six months before you apply. The apostille and the translation both happen inside that window, so request the certificate, send it for the apostille as soon as it arrives, and order the translation once the apostille is attached.
Questions
Juranza is a translation service, not a law firm, and nothing here is legal advice. Requirements published by Spanish consulates and immigration offices change without notice — always check your own consulate before submitting.
Can I translate first and add the apostille later?
Avoid it. The translator certifies the document they were given, so a later apostille is not covered by the translation. Get the apostille on the original first, then send the apostilled document for translation.
Does the apostille itself need to be translated?
Not at the consulates that state a rule: Edinburgh, Ottawa, Boston and Miami all say the apostille does not need a translation. Ottawa notes that a translation can include it, and doing so avoids questions at offices that expect it.
Does a sworn translation need its own apostille?
No. A translation signed by a translator appointed by Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs no legalisation; the Miami consulate says so explicitly.
Can my FBI background check use a state apostille?
No. The FBI check is federal, so its apostille comes from the US Department of State. The Washington DC consulate states that the apostille must certify the FBI signature and not any other.
Official sources
- Consulate General, Edinburgh — non-lucrative visa checklist (PDF)
- Embassy in Ottawa — non-lucrative visa
- Consulate General, Boston — non-lucrative visa
- Consulate General, Miami — non-lucrative visa
- Consulate General, Washington DC — telework visa
- Consulate General, London — non-lucrative visa checklist (PDF)
- Real Decreto 724/2020, sworn translators and interpreters (BOE)
- Orden AUC/213/2025, electronic signature of sworn translations (BOE)
- Consulate General, Miami — note on sworn translators (PDF, Spanish)
- HCCH, Apostille Convention status table