Ordering official Spanish certificates

Key rules

• Certificate fee: Civil registry certificates are free of charge; only sworn translations and similar extras are paid separately.
• Appointment: In-person requests need a prior appointment at the Oficina del Registro Civil.
• Apostille: Ask for the apostille after you hold the certificate, and only if the destination country is in the Hague Convention.
• Recent issue: Many foreign authorities want a certificate issued within the last 3 to 6 months.

The short answer

You can order a Spanish civil registry certificate online, in person, by post or through a consulate. The certificate itself is free of charge. You only pay for extras such as a sworn translation. If you need to use it abroad, ask for an apostille once you hold the certificate.

Choose how to order

Online. This is the fastest route. Use the Ministry of Justice's electronic office with a digital certificate, Cl@ve or an electronic ID. For some certificates you can fill in an online form without a digital ID and receive the certificate by post.

In person. Go to the Oficina del Registro Civil. You need an appointment (cita previa) first. Bring your ID.

By post. Send a signed application with a copy of your ID.

Through a consulate. Use this if you live abroad, or if the event was registered at a consulate.

Who can ask

You can request a full copy if it is your own record, or if you are a relative with an interest in the record. Online requests need the details and identity of the person named.

What it costs

Certificates are free of charge. Budget separately for a sworn translation, if the authority abroad asks for one, and for courier costs. Check with the office whether any fee applies to the apostille.

How long it takes

Times vary by office and workload.

• Online, issued electronically: minutes to a few days.
• Online, when the registry must find the record: often one to two weeks.
• In person with an appointment: the same day or within a few days.
• By post: often one to four weeks, sometimes longer.
• Through a consulate: often several weeks.

Confirm current times with the Ministry of Justice or the office you use.

Apostille for use abroad

If the country that wants the certificate is in the Hague Convention, an apostille is enough. The Ministry of Justice adds it. In some regions the Secretaría de Gobierno of the regional high court does it instead. You normally send the certificate with an application, or use the Ministry's electronic process.

If the country is not in the Convention, you need diplomatic legalisation through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then that country's consulate.

Many authorities want a recent certificate, often issued within the last 3 to 6 months. Ask the receiving authority, then order the certificate so it is still valid when you submit it. Order early if you need an apostille.

The timeline, documents list and checklist below set out the steps. The table of certificates shows which one fits your purpose.

Timeline and deadlines

• Order online when the certificate is issued electronically: within minutes to a few days

• Order by post: often one to four weeks, longer at some offices

• Order through a consulate: often several weeks

• Ask for the apostille once you hold the certificate; order the certificate so it is issued within the window the receiving authority sets: within 3 to 6 months of issue

Waiting times vary by office and workload; check the current time with the Ministry of Justice or the office concerned.

Documents you need

• A copy of your ID, needed for requests by post or in person, and your digital ID details for online requests.

• The Registro Civil certificate (birth, marriage or death), issued free of charge by the Registro Civil. It is often needed recent, issued within the last 3 to 6 months, if the receiving authority asks.

• An apostille on the certificate, added by the Ministry of Justice or, in some regions, the Secretaría de Gobierno of the regional high court, when the certificate is used in a Hague Convention country.

• A sworn translation of the certificate, paid privately, if the receiving authority abroad requires one.

Checklist

• Choose a channel: online, in person with an appointment, by post or through a consulate.

• Check that you are the person named or a relative with an interest in the record.

• Get your digital certificate, Cl@ve or electronic ID ready for an online request.

• Book an appointment (cita previa) at the Oficina del Registro Civil for an in-person request.

• Sign the application and attach a copy of your ID for a postal request.

• Confirm that you pay nothing for the certificate itself, and budget separately for any sworn translation or courier.

• Allow time for delivery based on the channel you chose, and order early if you need an apostille.

Which Spanish certificate for which purpose

• Ministry of Justice (Registro Civil): Order a literal certificate, a full copy of the entry with all marginal notes, for nationality, inheritance and some legal procedures.

• Ministry of Justice (Registro Civil): Order an extracto certificate, a summary of the main data, for ordinary procedures.

• Ministry of Justice (Registro Civil): Order a plurilingüe (multilingual) certificate for a birth, marriage or death when you need to use it in another country party to the 1976 Vienna Convention without translation or legalisation.

• Ministry of Justice (Registro Civil): Order a negative certificate (certificación negativa) to prove that no birth or marriage entry is registered for you.

• Ministry of Justice (Registro Central de Penados): Request a criminal record certificate (antecedentes penales) for visas, jobs, nationality and immigration procedures.

• Ministry of Justice (Registro General de Actos de Última Voluntad): Request a last wills certificate (últimas voluntades) at least 15 working days after a death, with the death certificate, to find out whether a will exists.

• Ministry of Justice: Request a certificate of life insurance coverage (seguros de cobertura de fallecimiento) to find out whether a person had death cover.

• Your town hall (ayuntamiento): Ask for an empadronamiento certificate to prove where you are registered as living.

• Agencia Tributaria (Spain's tax agency): Request a certificate of tax residency or of being up to date with your taxes.

• Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social: Request your vida laboral (work history) or a social security affiliation certificate.

• Registro de la Propiedad (property registry): Request a nota simple or a certificación to see the details and owner of a property.

• Registro Civil or a notary: Ask for proof of your marital property regime.

• Dirección General de Tráfico: Request your driving record.

Frequently asked questions

Can I order a Spanish certificate if I live abroad?

Yes, you can order a Spanish Registro Civil certificate from abroad through the Ministry of Justice website or through a Spanish consulate. Online needs a digital certificate, Cl@ve or electronic ID, while some certificates can be sent by post using an online form. Consular requests often take several weeks.

Do I need to be the person named on the certificate?

No, you can also ask for a full copy if you are a relative, but you must show an interest in the record. Bring or send a copy of your ID with the request.

How recent must a certificate be for use abroad?

The certificate often needs to be issued within the last 3 to 6 months, depending on the receiving authority. Ask that authority for its limit before you order, so you do not have to repeat the request.

What if the country that needs my certificate is not in the Hague Convention?

A certificate for a country outside the Hague Convention needs diplomatic legalisation instead of an apostille.