Sworn translation and apostille for a Spanish inheritance

For a foreign document to be valid in a Spanish inheritance —or for a Spanish document to take effect abroad— you usually need two things: the Hague apostille and a sworn translation. We handle both from start to finish.

What the Hague apostille is

It is the simplified legalisation set out in the 1961 Hague Convention. It certifies the authenticity of the signature and seal of a public document so it is recognised in another signatory country, with no further consular steps.

What a sworn translation is

It is the official translation made by a sworn translator-interpreter authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has legal validity before Spanish notaries, registries and courts.

Documents that usually need it in an estate

• Foreign death certificate.
• Will or grant of probate from the country of origin.
• Birth or marriage certificates proving the family relationship.
• Powers of attorney to act in Spain.
• Affidavits (of law, of heirship) and other sworn statements.

How we do it

We tell you which documents need an apostille and a translation, coordinate trusted sworn translators, and make sure each document meets the format the Spanish authority requires. It is part of our affidavit service for Spanish inheritances.

Does every foreign document need an apostille?

Public documents from countries that signed the Hague Convention do, with one important exception: civil-status certificates (death, birth, marriage) issued in another EU member state are exempt from the apostille and can be issued with a multilingual standard form (Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, applicable since 16 February 2019). For non-signatory countries, consular legalisation is used instead.

Can any translator do it?

As a rule, yes: a sworn translator authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For the Land Registry, the Mortgage Regulations also accept translations by the Office of Language Interpretation, by officials authorised under international conventions or by the notary, who answers for their accuracy (art. 37), and a notary who knows the language can translate a document for the deed (art. 150 of the Notarial Regulations). In practice, a sworn translation is the safest route for every authority.

Apostille first or translation first?

As a rule the original document is apostilled first and then everything is translated, including the apostille. We coordinate the correct order.