What an apostille is and why Spain requires it
An apostille is a standardized certificate, recognized under the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, that verifies a public document is authentic so it can be used in another member country without further legalization. Spain and both the US and UK are Hague Convention members, which means an apostille — rather than a more complex "chain legalization" process — is generally sufficient for US and UK documents used in Spain.
Spanish authorities, from the Civil Registry to the Extranjería office, routinely require an apostille on foreign civil documents (birth, marriage, and death certificates), criminal record checks, academic diplomas, and certain corporate or power-of-attorney documents before they'll accept them as valid.
Which documents typically need an apostille
- Birth, marriage, and divorce certificates — commonly required for family reunification, marriage in Spain, or certain visa categories
- Criminal record certificates (FBI background checks for US citizens; ACRO or DBS certificates for UK citizens) — required for most residence visa applications
- Academic diplomas and transcripts — for professional recognition or certain visa categories such as the student visa
- Corporate documents — certificates of incorporation, good standing certificates, and powers of attorney used in company registration
- Power of attorney documents — commonly used when someone applies for your NIE or handles a property purchase on your behalf
The US apostille route
In the US, apostille authority depends on which agency issued the underlying document:
- State-issued documents (birth, marriage, and divorce certificates from a state Vital Records office) are apostilled by the Secretary of State's office in the state that issued them — not by a federal agency.
- Federal documents, including FBI background checks, are apostilled by the US Department of State's Office of Authentications in Washington, DC.
As of 2026, the federal Office of Authentications charges around $20 per document for authentication of an FBI background check or similar federal record, though this is separate from any fee charged for obtaining the underlying FBI check itself. State-level apostille fees vary by state, typically in the $10–$25 range. Confirm current fees directly with travel.state.gov before submitting, since both figures and processing windows shift periodically.
US and UK apostilles almost never fail because of the document itself — they fail because someone requested the wrong certificate type the first time around. Confirm the exact category before you submit anything. US authentication requirements →
The UK apostille route
In the UK, all apostilles are issued centrally by the FCDO's Legalisation Office, regardless of which document type or which part of the UK issued the original. As of 2026, the standard postal apostille service costs around £45 per document, with a lower-cost electronic e-Apostille option available for roughly £35 per document, and an expedited same-day service available at a premium for time-sensitive cases. Criminal record checks for UK citizens (typically an ACRO Police Certificate) must be obtained first, then submitted separately for apostille.
US vs UK apostille process at a glance
| United States | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing authority | State Secretary of State (state documents) or US Dept. of State (federal documents) | FCDO Legalisation Office (all documents, centralized) |
| Typical fee (2026) | ~$10–25 (state) / ~$20 (federal) | ~£35 (e-Apostille) to ~£45 (postal) |
| Criminal record source | FBI Identity History Summary | ACRO Police Certificate or DBS check |
| Typical processing time | Varies by state; federal often several weeks unless expedited | Days to a few weeks depending on service tier |
Clients often apostille first and only think about the sworn Spanish translation afterward. Book both in parallel if your timeline is tight — a certified translator's queue can easily run longer than the apostille itself.
Translation: usually the next step
An apostille confirms authenticity, but it doesn't translate the document. Spanish authorities generally require a certified (sworn) Spanish translation — traducción jurada — done by a translator officially authorized by Spain's Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores. This is typically arranged after the apostille is affixed, since the translator needs the final, apostilled version of the document.
What we help with
We help identify exactly which route applies to each of your documents, whether they need a state or federal apostille (US) or the standard FCDO service (UK), and coordinate certified translation once the apostille is in hand. This typically supports a broader process such as an NIE application, family reunification case, or company registration in Spain.