The right order to get, legalise and translate documents

Key rules

• Apostille: Documents from another EU country do not need an apostille.
• Translation: The sworn translation must cover the apostille text as well as the document.
• Criminal record: Order it last so it is still valid on your filing day.

Lead times vary by country, authority and province, so confirm current waits with the issuing office, your translator and the filing office.

The order to follow

Get the original first, then the apostille, then the sworn translation. Order anything with a validity limit, such as a criminal record certificate, last. Each step depends on the one before, so doing them out of order usually means paying twice.

Why the order matters

The apostille is attached to the original document. The translator must translate the document together with the apostille, including its text. A translation made before the apostille is therefore incomplete and will not work.

Documents issued in another EU country skip the apostille step. They go straight from original to translation.

Realistic lead times

Plan each stage separately and add them up.

1. Original documents. Waiting times depend on the country. Online requests can be done the same day. Requests by post or through a consulate can take several weeks. Birth and marriage certificates usually take days to a few weeks. Order early.
2. Apostille. This is done in the country that issued the document. Online or in person, it can take from the same day to a few days. Postal requests to a ministry or state office often take one to several weeks, and busy periods are slower. Some countries offer an express service.
3. Sworn translation. Short civil documents usually take two to five working days. Bulky files or rare languages take longer. A 24 to 48 hour express service is common, for a surcharge. Pricing is usually per page or per word.
4. Filing. If you need a cita previa, the wait varies a lot. In big provinces such as Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante and Málaga, fingerprint and foreigner ID appointments can take several weeks to a few months. Smaller provinces are quicker. Registry and padrón appointments are usually faster, from days to a few weeks. Slots are released irregularly, so check often.

Order time-limited documents last

A criminal record certificate only counts if it is still valid on the day you file. Request it after everything else is in hand, then apostille and translate it straight away. If your filing date slips, the certificate may be too old and you will need a new one.

Build in a buffer

Work backwards from your filing date. Add a safety margin at every stage, especially for postal requests and for the appointment. Check the current availability on the website of the office where you will file. The timeline, documents list, checklist and questions below cover the detail.

Document timeline planner from first order to filing day

Back-plan your documents from the filing date

• Fix your filing date and work backwards from it: before you order anything; the age limit is counted to the day you file, not the appointment or decision date

• Book your filing appointment (cita previa) if you need one: as early as you can, since waits run from days for registry appointments to several weeks or a few months for immigration procedures in big provinces (earliest 120 days before application date; latest 30 days before application date)

• Order birth, marriage and other civil certificates: first, several weeks before filing, because issue can take from days to a few weeks and longer by post or through a consulate (earliest 120 days before application date; recommended 90 days before application date)

• Get the apostille for each original: right after issue; same day to a few days online or in person, one to several weeks by post (earliest 100 days before application date; recommended 70 days before application date)

• Order the sworn translations: after the apostille; usually 2 to 5 working days, or 24 to 48 hours with an express surcharge (earliest 60 days before application date; recommended 35 days before application date)

• Order your criminal record certificate last: so it is no more than 3 months old on the filing day, unless it states its own validity or your consulate sets a different limit; allow time for issue, apostille and translation after ordering (earliest 80 days before application date; recommended 45 days before application date)

• If the certificate will be too old, order a new one: as soon as your filing date slips past the age limit; the apostille and translation have no expiry of their own, but the age counts from the original's issue date

• Add a safety buffer and check everything is in hand: at least 1 week before filing, with all originals, apostilles and translations together (latest 7 days before application date)

Documents you need

• The original document from the issuing authority in the home country, such as a birth or marriage certificate

• The apostille on each original, obtained in the issuing country (not needed for documents issued in another EU country)

• A sworn translation of each document that is not in Spanish, covering the apostille text too

• A criminal record certificate, ordered last so it is still valid on the day you file

Checklist

• Order the original documents from the issuing authority early, since issue times range from the same day to several weeks, and longer by post or through a consulate

• Get the apostille in the issuing country once you hold each original, and allow from the same day to several weeks depending on the authority

• Book a sworn translator after the apostille, and allow two to five working days for short documents

• Ask the translator to translate the apostille together with the document

• Order any criminal record certificate last, so it is still valid when you file

• Check the current wait for your cita previa, which can run from days to a few months depending on province and procedure, and book before your documents are ready

Frequently asked questions

Can I translate my document before getting the apostille?

No, translate only after the apostille, because the sworn translator must translate the apostille together with the document. The apostille is attached to the original, and its text is part of what Spanish offices expect to see translated.

Do EU documents need an apostille before translation?

No, documents issued in another EU country skip the apostille step, so you go from the original straight to the sworn translation. You still need the translation if the document is not in Spanish.

How long does a sworn translation usually take?

A sworn translation of a short civil document usually takes two to five working days. Express service in 24 to 48 hours is common for an extra fee, and bulky files or rare languages take longer.

How long is the wait for a cita previa in big provinces?

In large provinces such as Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante and Málaga, immigration appointments often take several weeks to a few months. Registry and padrón appointments are usually faster, in days to a few weeks, so book early and check the appointment site often because slots appear irregularly.