Finding an official sworn translator (traductor jurado)

Key rules

• Who signs: A sworn translation is valid only when the individual translator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signs and seals it; an agency stamp alone is not enough.
• Language check: Make sure the translator's appointment covers the language of your document, not just that the name is on the list.
• Current list: Always search the current version of the ministry's list.

Use the official list, and check the person

Only a translator appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs can make a sworn translation. The ministry publishes the list of appointed translators on its website. Use the current version, because the list is updated from time to time.

Search it by language and by name or province. Then confirm two things: the translator's name is on the list, and the appointment covers the language of your document. A translator may be appointed for some languages and not others, so check the exact language before you order.

Agencies: the person must sign

Agencies can supply sworn translations by hiring sworn translators. That is fine. But the sworn status belongs to the individual translator, not to the agency. When you order, ask which named translator will sign and seal the work, then look that person up on the list.

What a valid sworn translation looks like

Check the finished translation for these points:

• The translator's name, the title "Traductor/a-Intérprete Jurado/a" for your language, and the appointment number.
• A statement that it is a faithful and complete translation of the original.
• The place and date.
• A signature and seal on each page, or on the last page if the pages are joined together.
• The original identified, or a copy of it attached or bound in with the translation.
• Descriptions in brackets for anything illegible in the original, and for seals and signatures.

If anything is missing, ask the translator to correct it before you pay or submit. The exact wording is set by the translator, so ask the office that will receive the document if it has specific requirements.

The documents list, checklist and questions below go through these steps again in short form.

Documents you need

• The original document you need translated, or a copy of it attached or bound to the translation, so the translator can identify it.

• A sworn translation signed and sealed by the individual appointed translator, with their name, sworn translator title for the language, appointment number, a statement that it is faithful and complete, and the place and date.

Checklist

• Search the current Ministry of Foreign Affairs list of appointed sworn translators by language and by name or province.

• Ask the translator, or the agency, for the individual translator to sign and seal the translation.

• Check the finished translation for the translator's name, title, appointment number, faithful-translation statement, place and date.

• Check that the translation is signed and sealed on each page, or on the last page with the pages joined.

• Check that the original is identified, or a copy is attached, and that illegible parts, seals and signatures are described in brackets.

Frequently asked questions

Can I check a translator's language before I order?

Yes, you can check the translator's language before ordering, because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs list can be searched by language and by name or province. Look for the translator's name and make sure the appointment covers the language pair of your document.

Does a translation agency's stamp make a translation sworn?

No, an agency stamp alone does not make a translation sworn, because the sworn status belongs to the person. An agency can supply sworn translations, but only if an appointed translator signs and seals the document.

What should a sworn translation include besides the translated text?

A sworn translation should carry the translator's name, the title of sworn translator-interpreter for the language, and the appointment number. It also needs a statement that it is faithful and complete, plus the place and date.