Spanish citizenship by residence: which documents need a sworn translation
Updated · Official sources checked
Short answer
Your birth certificate from your country of origin and, if you are an adult, its criminal record certificate, both legalised — with a Hague apostille where the country is a party — and translated into Spanish; if you are married, the marriage certificate from the country where you married as well. The Basque Country’s justice administration names a sworn translator for them. A criminal record certificate that states no validity counts for six months from issue.
Birth certificate
From the country of origin, legalised and translated
Criminal record (adults)
Legalised and translated; 6 months if it states no validity
Federal countries, including the US and Australia
A certificate for the whole country, not one state
Juranza, birth certificate
€59, VAT included
Documents that need translating
| Document | Who needs it | What the rules ask | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate from your country of origin | Every applicant born abroad | Legalised and translated “en su caso”, under international conventions | Orden JUS/1625/2016 |
| Criminal record certificate from your country of origin | Adults | Legalised and translated; or a consular certificate of conduct, translated and legalised, issued after consulting the country of origin | Orden JUS/1625/2016 |
| Criminal record certificate, EU nationals | Citizens of an EU country | Can be replaced by the Spanish Central Criminal Register certificate, if it states that the country of origin was consulted | RD 1004/2015, art. 5 |
| Marriage certificate from the country where you married | Married applicants | Translated and legalised “en su caso” | Orden JUS/1625/2016 |
| Birth certificates of your minor children | Applicants with children under 18 | Legalised and translated by a sworn translator | Justicia Euskadi |
If you were born in Spain, the order asks instead for your birth certificate as registered in the Spanish Civil Registry.
Who translates them
Real Decreto 1004/2015 and Orden JUS/1625/2016 say “traducido” without naming the translator. The guide published by the Basque Country’s justice administration is specific: the birth certificate, the criminal record certificate and your children’s birth certificates are “traducido por traductor o traductora jurado” — by a sworn translator.
Under Real Decreto 724/2020, art. 17, a translation by a sworn translator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an official translation.
Apostille and validity
- Documents issued abroad are legalised under international conventions. For a country party to the Apostille Convention, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada or Australia, that is a Hague apostille from the issuing country.
- Every document must be in force when you apply. A criminal record certificate that states no validity counts for six months from issue.
- In federal countries — the order names Germany, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the United States, India, Mexico, Russia and Venezuela — the criminal record certificate must cover the whole country, not one state. Where the country issues no single certificate, you need one for each state you lived in during the five years before applying.
- If your country of origin cannot issue one for reasons of force majeure, the order asks for a certificate from each country you lived in during the five years before applying.
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.
Does my birth certificate need a sworn translation for Spanish citizenship?
If it is not in Spanish, yes: the rules ask for it legalised and translated, and the Basque Country’s justice administration names a sworn translator. A sworn translator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes an official translation under Spanish law.
How long is a criminal record certificate valid for Spanish citizenship?
For the validity it states. If it states none, six months from issue, and every document must be in force when you apply.
Which criminal record certificate does an American need for Spanish citizenship?
One covering the whole country, not a single state: the order names the United States among the federal countries where a state certificate is not enough. It is legalised with an apostille and translated.
Do EU citizens need a criminal record certificate from their own country?
They can replace it with the Spanish Central Criminal Register certificate, as long as it states that the country of origin was consulted.
Official sources
- Real Decreto 1004/2015, nationality by residence, art. 5 (BOE)
- Orden JUS/1625/2016, nationality by residence, annex on documents (BOE)
- Administración de Justicia en Euskadi — nacionalidad por residencia
- Real Decreto 724/2020, sworn translators and interpreters (BOE)
- HCCH, Apostille Convention status table
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sworn translator register search