Spanish consulate in London: translation requirements
Updated · Official sources checked
Short answer
For a non-lucrative visa, London asks for the criminal record certificate, the medical certificate and, for a spouse, the marriage certificate to be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator registered in Spain and legalised with a Hague apostille, unless they are official documents from an EU country.
Who may translate
A sworn translator registered in Spain
Criminal records
Every country lived in for 5 years; ACRO for the UK; no older than 6 months
Medical certificate
No older than 3 months; issued in the UK or Spain only
Apostille
On each of those documents, except official EU documents
What the London checklist asks for
| Document | What London asks | Translation | Apostille | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal record certificate | Over 18s only. From every country you lived in during the five years before applying; the ACRO certificate for the UK; no older than six months unless it states a longer validity | Sworn, registered in Spain | Yes, except official EU documents | Checklist |
| Medical certificate | From a registered medical practitioner, no more than three months before applying, in the wording the checklist sets; issued in the UK or Spain only | Sworn, if not in Spanish | Yes, except official EU documents | Checklist |
| Marriage or civil partnership certificate | For a spouse or civil partner applying with you | Sworn, registered in Spain | Yes, except official EU documents | Checklist |
| Authorisation for a minor | For a child travelling without both parents: notarised authorisation from the parent who does not travel, or the official document proving sole custody | Sworn, registered in Spain | Yes, except official EU documents | Checklist |
Financial means are proved with original, stamped documents. The checklist does not say whether they need translating.
Who counts as “registered in Spain”
The checklist links to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ list of sworn translators and interpreters. What matters is the appointment on that list, not where the translator lives: the consulate’s own page links to the list of sworn translators registered in Spain who live in the UK. A UK certified or notarised translation is not one of them.
The consulate does not translate documents itself. Its page says that when a document is to be used in Spain, you should use a sworn translator duly registered in Spain.
Timing
- Request the ACRO certificate first: it may be no older than six months when you apply, and it needs a UK apostille before it is translated.
- Get the medical certificate last: it must be issued no more than three months before you apply.
- Apostille first, then the sworn translation, so the translation covers the apostilled document.
- The checklist says the consulate should resolve applications within three months, and applications go through BLS.
- After the visa, you have one month from entering Spain to apply for the TIE.
Edinburgh and Manchester
You apply at the consulate for the district where you live, and London asks for proof of residence in its district. Edinburgh accepts only the ACRO certificate for the UK, not Disclosure Scotland, and asks for every translation to be done by a registered sworn translator. Its checklist adds that the apostille itself does not need translating.
Manchester’s checklist asks for the criminal record certificate, the medical certificate, the marriage or civil partnership certificate and a minor’s travel authorisation to be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator and apostilled, and its page links to the Spanish register of sworn translators. It wants the ACRO certificate in full, including any pages marked “No Live Trace”, with a letter explaining them. Like London, it takes medical certificates issued only in the UK or Spain, no more than three months old, and applications go through BLS in Manchester.
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 use a UK certified translation for the Spanish consulate in London?
No. London asks for these documents to be translated by a sworn translator registered in Spain, which means a translator on the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ register.
How old can my ACRO certificate be?
No older than six months when you apply, unless the certificate itself states a longer validity. You also need a certificate from every other country you lived in during the last five years.
Does the medical certificate need a translation?
Yes, if it is not in Spanish: London asks for a sworn translation and an apostille, and only accepts certificates issued in the UK or Spain, no more than three months before you apply.
Does a document from an EU country need an apostille for London?
The checklist exempts official documents issued by an EU member state from legalisation. It still asks for them to be translated by a sworn translator.
Official sources
- Consulate General, London — non-lucrative visa checklist (PDF)
- Consulate General, London — sworn translators and interpreters
- Consulate General, Edinburgh — non-lucrative visa
- Consulate General, Edinburgh — non-lucrative visa checklist (PDF)
- Consulate General, Manchester — non-lucrative visa
- Consulate General, Manchester — non-lucrative visa checklist (PDF)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sworn translator register search