Sworn Spanish-English translation for clients in any country

Enquiries from New Zealand mostly come for three reasons: the digital nomad visa, studies at Spanish universities, and marriage or residency as a partner. In the other direction, Spaniards moving to New Zealand who need their degrees, criminal record certificates or civil certificates in English for Immigration New Zealand, an employer or a university.

New Zealand documents are issued in English, so I translate them straight into Spanish. New Zealand is party to the Hague Convention: apostilles are issued by the Authentication Unit of the Department of Internal Affairs, which applies an e-Apostille to birth, marriage and death certificates, to the Ministry of Justice criminal record check and to qualifications. The apostille is translated with the document. I cannot guarantee from here which translation format a New Zealand body will accept for a Spanish document: check with the receiving body, and I will prepare the translation with my signed statement and contact details.

From South Africa I hear from families settling in Spain with school-age children, professionals with a contract and retirees buying property. The usual documents are the unabridged birth certificate, the marriage certificate, the SAPS police clearance certificate, degrees and bank statements. In the other direction, Spaniards with procedures in South Africa who need their certificates in English.

Department of Home Affairs certificates and SAPS documents are issued in English, so I work on them with no intermediate step. South Africa is party to the Hague Convention and has two competent authorities for apostilles: the Legalisation Section of DIRCO (Department of International Relations and Cooperation) and the registrar of the High Court, which apostilles documents signed before a notary. Which one applies depends on the document: confirm it with them before sending me the full scan, apostille included.

Gibraltar is a step away from La Línea de la Concepción, and many residents live on both sides of the border: buying property in the Campo de Gibraltar, marrying Spanish citizens, schooling, inheritances and companies active in both jurisdictions. The documents I translate most are birth and marriage certificates, notarial deeds and powers of attorney, companies registry certificates and wills.

Everything is issued in English, so the sworn translation into Spanish is direct. The Hague Convention applies in Gibraltar and the apostille is obtained on the Rock itself, without sending anything to London: the only competent authority is the Civil Status and Registration Office of the Government of Gibraltar. For Spanish documents to be presented in Gibraltar, I translate them into English with my signature and seal; if the Gibraltar body also requires the Spanish apostille on the original, it is obtained before translating.

From Pakistan I mostly receive student, work and family reunification files for the Spanish Consulate in Islamabad: NADRA or union council birth and marriage certificates, degrees and transcripts, the police character certificate and employer letters. I also translate Spanish documents into English for Pakistani authorities and universities.

Pakistan has been party to the Hague Convention since 9 March 2023: its public documents no longer go through consular legalisation but receive an apostille issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. NADRA certificates and most degrees are issued in English or in a bilingual Urdu-English version, and that is the version I work on. If your document is only in Urdu, it first needs an official English version (from the issuing body or a translator recognised in Pakistan) that is apostilled together with the original. Confirm with the consulate which documents it requires apostilled for your visa.

Nigerian clients usually write to me about student and work visas, family reunification and marriages with residents of Spain. The usual documents are the birth certificate (or declaration of age), the marriage certificate, the police character certificate, degrees and the statement of result, plus employer letters and bank statements. All of them are issued in English, so the sworn translation into Spanish is direct.

Nigeria does not appear in the table of States party to the Hague Convention as of this guide, so its documents are not apostilled: they are legalised through consular channels, first at Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then at the Spanish representation in Nigeria. Check the exact circuit and Nigeria's current status under the Convention with the consulate before you start, because the list of countries changes. I translate the document with all its legalisation stamps, which are part of it.

From the Philippines I translate files for the student visa, for family reunification and for Spanish nationality by residence, as well as documents of healthcare workers with a contract in Spain. The usual ones are Philippine Statistics Authority certificates (birth, marriage, CENOMAR), the NBI clearance, degrees and the transcript of records, and employer letters. In the other direction, Spanish documents for Philippine authorities or universities, translated into English.

The Philippines has been party to the Hague Convention since 14 May 2019. Apostilles are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs through its Office of Consular Affairs (Authentication Division), in Manila or at its regional consular offices, and since 2026 also in electronic form for PSA certificates. Those certificates and the NBI clearance are issued in English, so I work on them directly; if a document is only in Filipino, it needs an official English version before the apostille. Confirm with the consulate which documents in your file it requires apostilled.