Planning your documents for Spain

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. By the end, you will know which documents to collect and how to time the work so nothing expires before filing day.

Start with "Which documents to gather before you leave for Spain". It helps you build a full personal and family list. Then work through the other pages in this topic: issue-date limits, the apostille and translation decision, and the right order to do the work.

Key rules

• Police certificate age: A criminal record certificate should be no more than 3 months old on the day you file, unless the certificate states its own validity or your consulate sets a different limit.
• Apostille and translation: An apostille or sworn translation has no expiry of its own; the age limit counts from the issue date of the original document.
• Order of steps: Get the original document first, then the apostille in the issuing country, then the sworn translation, and order time-limited documents such as criminal records last.
• Criminal record: Adults need a certificate from their country of origin and every country they lived in during the previous 5 years.
• Medical certificate: You need one for long-stay visas for stays over 6 months, not for most residence procedures inside Spain.

Planning your documents for Spain: the whole process, step by step

• Find the exact document list for your procedure and office (How to find the exact document list for your procedure): before you order anything

• Build your personal and family document list, and check passport validity and photos (Which documents to gather before you leave for Spain): as early as possible, well before you leave

• Order the original birth, marriage and other civil certificates from the issuing country (Documents you need for your partner and children): first, because issue times run from days to several weeks, longer by post or through consulates

• Get the apostille in the country that issued each document (Does this document need an apostille, a translation, or both?): right after the original is issued; the same day to a few days online or in person, one to several weeks by post

• Get the sworn translation of each apostilled document (The right order to get, legalise and translate documents): after the apostille; usually 2 to 5 working days, or 24 to 48 hours with an express surcharge

• Order time-limited documents last: criminal record certificate and, for long-stay visas, the medical certificate (How old can your paperwork be for Spanish offices?): so the criminal record certificate is no more than 3 months old on the day you file; the medical certificate usually within about 3 months of the visa application

• Pay the fee (tasa) and keep the receipt (Why Spanish paperwork asks for so many documents): before filing; for the TIE card, within one month of approval and before fingerprinting

• Book your appointment (cita previa) and file your application (Originals, photocopies and scans: what Spanish offices want): book early: waits run from days for registry appointments to several weeks or months in big provinces; documents are checked against the filing date

• Bring originals plus photocopies to the appointment and keep every receipt and filing acknowledgement: on the day of the appointment and afterwards

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Valid passport
• Medical certificate for a long-stay visa — How old can your paperwork be for Spanish offices?

Translations and legal papers

• Sworn translation — How old can your paperwork be for Spanish offices?, Why Spanish paperwork asks for so many documents
• Sworn translation into Spanish of each foreign public document not in Spanish — Does this document need an apostille, a translation, or both?
• The apostille on each original — The right order to get, legalise and translate documents
• A sworn translation of each document that is not in Spanish — The right order to get, legalise and translate documents

Other documents

• Marriage certificate
• A criminal record certificate
• Criminal record certificate from your home country — How old can your paperwork be for Spanish offices?, Does this document need an apostille, a translation, or both?
• Birth certificate for each family member — Which documents to gather before you leave for Spain
• Birth certificate from the issuing country's civil registry — Does this document need an apostille, a translation, or both?
• The original document from the issuing authority in the home country — The right order to get, legalise and translate documents

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Planning your documents for Spain: questions that cross several articles

Which documents do I need to get legalised and translated for my family?

Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates are the ones most often requested, depending on your procedure. They normally need an apostille and a sworn translation unless an exemption applies. Read "Documents you need for your partner and children" and "Does this document need an apostille, a translation, or both?".

Does an apostille or translation make my document expire sooner?

No, an apostille or sworn translation has no expiry of its own, because the age limit counts from the issue date of the original document. Get both soon after issue, as some consulates also look at the apostille date. Read "How old can your paperwork be for Spanish offices?" and "The right order to get, legalise and translate documents".

Which date counts when my criminal record certificate is checked for age?

The date you file your application is the one that counts, not the appointment or decision date. See How old can your paperwork be for Spanish offices?.

Do I need police certificates from countries other than my own?

Yes, you usually need one from your country of origin and from every country where you lived during the previous 5 years, for most adult residence and long-stay procedures. Read "Which documents to gather before you leave for Spain" and "How to find the exact document list for your procedure" to confirm the countries for your case.

Do I need a valid passport before I start collecting documents?

Yes, a valid passport is needed for every procedure, and for long-stay visas it generally must be valid for at least the length of the visa. Many consulates ask for at least one year. Read "Which documents to gather before you leave for Spain" for the full personal list.