Many foreigners living in Spain assume they can get their home-country documents apostilled here. They can’t: a Hague apostille is always issued by the country that issued the document. A Colombian birth certificate gets its apostille in Colombia; a US birth certificate, in the US; a degree from a Spanish university, in Spain.
The second mistake costs even more time: translating a document before it’s apostilled. The apostille ends up untranslated, and you have to order a new translation, sometimes after the document has already crossed an ocean.
In this guide, you’ll learn what an apostille is and who issues it in Spain. You’ll also see how to request one step by step, what to do with documents from the US or elsewhere, and the mistakes that sink immigration files.
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In 30 Seconds
- What it is: a Hague apostille certifies the signature and seal on a public document so it’s valid in any other country that belongs to the Convention.
- Who issues it: the country that issued the document. In Spain, the Ministry of Justice, the High Courts of Justice or the Notarial Associations; in the US, the state or the Department of State.
- If your country isn’t in the Convention: you’ll need diplomatic legalization, which takes two steps.
- Order matters: apostille first, then the sworn translation, which must include the apostille.
What Is a Hague Apostille (and What It Isn’t)
A Hague apostille is a certificate that a country’s competent authority attaches to a public document to confirm that the signature, the signer’s capacity and the seal are authentic. With it, the document is valid in every other country that’s party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, with no further legalization.
What it isn’t: an apostille says nothing about the content. It doesn’t prove the document is accurate, and it doesn’t translate it. Nor does it force the receiving country to accept the document for a specific procedure; it only spares that country from checking the signature. That’s how the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961 works, in force in Spain since September 25, 1978, and in the US since October 15, 1981.
In Spain, it’s also called legalización única (single legalization). Whether it’s a paper Hague apostille stamp, attached to the document, or an electronic one, the legal effect is the same.
What an Apostille Is For and When You Don’t Need One
An apostille lets a public document be accepted in another Convention country without going through that country’s consulate.
Three kinds of public documents can be apostilled: administrative (a civil registry or criminal record certificate), judicial (a court ruling) and notarial (a deed or a power of attorney). Private documents, such as a contract, can’t be apostilled as they are: they’re first signed before a notary. That’s Article 6 of Royal Decree 1497/2011. It comes up often, for example, with powers of attorney signed abroad for company incorporation in Spain.
When you don’t need one. Between European Union countries, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 has removed the apostille since February 16, 2019. It covers documents on birth, marriage, parenthood, death, name, residence or nationality, among others. It also covers the criminal record certificate of an EU citizen issued by their own country.
One detail worth knowing early: the Regulation only works between member states. A UK certificate needs an apostille again since Brexit, and a US document always does. Documents issued by consulates and embassies aren’t apostilled either: Article 1 of the Convention excludes them, and they go through legalization instead.
Legalization and Apostille: What You Need Depending on the Country
If the country that issued the document belongs to the Convention, the apostille is enough; if not, you’ll need diplomatic legalization.
| Apostille | Diplomatic legalization | |
|---|---|---|
| Who’s involved | A single authority in the country that issued the document | That country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the Spanish consulate there |
| For which documents | Documents from Convention countries | Documents from non-Convention countries and consular documents |
| Extra step in Madrid | No | Only in special cases |
Once the Spanish consulate has legalized the document, it’s valid in Spain, according to Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you’re unsure which office does what, see our guide on the difference between an embassy and a consulate.
Which Countries Accept the Hague Apostille?
The Hague Apostille Convention countries accept it: there are 130, according to the official status table of the Hague Conference dated June 30, 2026.
The list keeps growing. Algeria has applied the Convention since July 9, 2026, and Vietnam since September 11, 2026. Thailand will join on February 28, 2027. Here’s where a selection of Hague apostille countries stands:
| Country | Apostille valid in Spain since |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Feb. 18, 1988 |
| Bolivia | May 7, 2018 |
| Brazil | Aug. 14, 2016 |
| China | Nov. 7, 2023 |
| Colombia | Jan. 30, 2001 |
| Dominican Republic | Aug. 30, 2009 |
| Ecuador | Apr. 2, 2005 |
| Mexico | Aug. 14, 1995 |
| Morocco | Aug. 14, 2016 |
| Paraguay | Aug. 30, 2014 |
| Peru | Sept. 30, 2010 |
| Philippines | May 14, 2019 |
| Ukraine | Dec. 22, 2003 |
| United Kingdom | Jan. 24, 1965 |
| United States | Oct. 15, 1981 |
| Venezuela | Mar. 16, 1999 |
| Cuba, Egypt, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates | Not parties: diplomatic legalization |
Who Issues the Hague Apostille in Spain
It depends on the document: the Ministry of Justice, the High Courts of Justice or the Notarial Associations, under Royal Decree 1497/2011.
| Document | Who issues the apostille |
|---|---|
| Administrative (civil registry, criminal record, municipal registration, official degrees) | The Ministry of Justice and its regional offices, the High Courts of Justice and the Notarial Associations |
| Judicial (judgments, court orders) | The Ministry of Justice and its regional offices, and the High Courts of Justice |
| Notarial (deeds, powers of attorney, notarial certificates) | The Notarial Associations |
| From the Supreme Court or the National High Court | Only their own court administration offices |
| Private (contracts, letters) | Can’t be apostilled: it must first be signed before a notary |
A tip that saves you a trip: it doesn’t matter which city issued the document. A certificate from a civil registry in Seville can be apostilled in Madrid or Barcelona.
Where Can You Get a Hague Apostille in Madrid and Barcelona?
In Madrid, at the Ministry of Justice (Calle de la Bolsa, 8). In Barcelona, at the Ministry of Justice regional office (Calle Caballero, 52-56), by appointment only.
- Madrid: the Ministry office offers appointments. For deeds and powers of attorney, the Madrid Notarial Association (Calle Ruiz de Alarcón, 3) takes walk-ins.
- Barcelona: for notarial documents, the Catalan Notarial Association (Calle Notariat, 2) takes walk-ins and can also handle the apostille remotely, by email.
Opening hours change in the summer, so check each office’s website before you go.
How to Get Hague Apostille Certification in Spain, Step by Step
To get a Spanish document apostilled, you need the original and the right authority and channel: in person, by mail or online.
- Check that it can be apostilled. It must be a public document, and the destination country must belong to the Convention.
- Complete the prior step for academic degrees. A degree needs a signature recognition before the apostille; we explain it in the FAQ.
- Choose the issuing authority using the table above.
- Submit the original. In person or by mail: the Ministry of Justice takes the application form with the original and returns it to an address in Spain.
- Review the apostille when you get it. Check the details and make sure it’s on the document or attached to it.
Steps at a Glance
- Check that the document is public and the destination country is in the Convention.
- Get the signature recognition if it’s an academic degree.
- Choose the authority based on the type of document.
- Submit the original in person, by mail or online.
- Review the apostille details when you receive it.
Can You Apostille a Document Online?
Yes, but only certain certificates issued by the Ministry of Justice itself, such as the criminal record certificate or electronically signed civil registry certificates.
You apply through the Ministry’s official e-portal, logging in with Cl@ve, Spain’s digital ID system. You receive an electronic apostille with the document embedded, which you can download for one year. An electronic apostille is just as valid as a paper one (Article 7 of Royal Decree 1497/2011). Before you apply, though, confirm that the receiving office accepts electronic documents.
How Much Does an Apostille Cost, and How Long Does It Take?
At the Ministry of Justice, no fee is set and it takes up to two business days in person. At the Notarial Associations, the standard service costs €25 per document.
| Where | Cost | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Justice (Madrid) | No fee set | Up to 2 business days in person; up to 5 by mail |
| Madrid Notarial Association | €25, €50 or €65 per document (standard, urgent or very urgent) | 3 business days, next day or same day |
| Catalan Notarial Association | €25 or €50 per document (standard or urgent) | 3 business days for the standard service |
The Ministry’s timing comes from its 2025-2028 Service Charter, and the notarial fees from the associations’ websites as of September 2026 (VAT included). Check them before you go, since they can change.
How to Apostille US and Other Foreign Documents for Use in Spain
A foreign document is apostilled in the country that issued it, by that country’s chosen authority. It can’t be apostilled in Spain.
Neither the Spanish Ministry of Justice nor Spanish notaries can apostille a US, Venezuelan or Moroccan certificate. Each country’s list of competent authorities is on the Hague Conference website, and some countries let you apply from abroad. Colombia, for example, handles apostilles online from anywhere in the world, and Venezuela has its own electronic system. We cover the usual documents in our guides on how to emigrate to Spain from Venezuela and emigrate to Spain from Colombia.
For a US document, the right Hague apostille for Spain depends on who issued it, according to the US Department of State. State documents, such as birth and marriage certificates or notarized documents, get their apostille from the issuing state’s Secretary of State or equivalent office. Federal documents, such as the FBI background check, get it from the Department of State.
For Spanish immigration procedures, every foreign public document must be legalized or apostilled, unless a treaty exempts it, and translated into Spanish or a co-official language. That’s set out in information sheet 61 of Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion. A document already in Spanish, like a Mexican or Peruvian one, doesn’t need a translation.
The Criminal Record Certificate: The Trickiest Document
An apostilled criminal record certificate is standard for arraigo (residence based on ties to Spain), many visas and Spanish citizenship. It comes with two traps: how many countries, and how recent.
For employment-based arraigo, for example, you need a certificate from every country you’ve lived in over the last five years, each apostilled in its own country. We cover this in our guide on the types of arraigo residency. The certificate must also be valid when you submit it. For Spanish citizenship, the Ministry of Justice treats it as valid for six months unless it states otherwise. That’s why it should be the last document you request.
Here’s an example with numbers. A Madrid company hires a US executive who’s moving with her husband and son. Among other paperwork, it gathers three US documents: her FBI background check, the marriage certificate and her son’s birth certificate. The FBI check is federal, so the Department of State apostilles it, for $20 per document and up to five weeks by mail. The other two get their apostille from the state that issued them.
The result: three documents, two authorities and three sworn translations. The Spanish Consulate in Miami, for instance, wants an FBI check less than six months old for the highly qualified professional visa. So you plan backward: start with what takes longest and end with what expires first. That’s how we organize employee relocation to Spain, and the same logic applies to family reunification.
Do you want a expert consultation? Contact us and we will help you.
Hague Apostille and Translation: The Order That Saves You a Second Round
The document is apostilled first and translated afterward, because the sworn translation must also cover the text of the apostille.
Watch the order: if you translate first, the apostille stays untranslated and the office may ask for a new translation. For Spanish immigration purposes, a translation is accepted from a sworn translator appointed by Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or by a Spanish region. One done or reviewed at a Spanish diplomatic mission also works (information sheet 61). For visas, requirements vary by consulate: some ask for a sworn translation and others for an “official” one, so check your consulate’s page.
A tip that saves money: ask for the apostille and any stamps or margin notes to be included in the same translation. And if the document comes from another EU country, ask about the multilingual form under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, which may spare you the translation.
Mistakes That Sink Immigration Files
You can avoid all of them by checking the document before you send it. Each one can cost weeks if the paper has to go back home.
- Apostilling a copy or the translation: the apostille goes on the original or on a notarized certified copy.
- Apostilling the wrong certificate: check first which version you’re asked for (a long-form birth certificate, for example), because an apostille doesn’t transfer from one document to another.
- Going to the wrong authority: several Spanish consulates in the US require the FBI check to carry the federal apostille from the Department of State, not a state one.
- Separating the apostille from the document: if it’s on a separate page, it must stay attached to the document to keep its value.
Knowing what an apostille is is the easy part. The hard part is gathering documents from several countries, each with its own authority, timeline and translation, and getting them all to the same appointment on time.
At ILLAY Legal, we review your paperwork before you request it: what needs an apostille or legalization, where to get it and when to order the translation. We do it as immigration lawyers in Spain, 100% online and in your language. Tell us which procedure you’re starting in Spain and which country your documents come from, and we’ll tell you which ones need an apostille, where and in what order.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Hague Apostille
Does an Apostille Expire?
No: the Convention sets no expiration date. The Hague Conference’s official handbook says an apostille stays valid as long as it’s attached to the document and can be identified. It can’t be rejected just for being old. What can go stale is the underlying document, because many procedures require recent certificates. In practice, an old apostille on a deed still works, but one on a year-old criminal record certificate probably won’t, because the certificate itself is out of date.
Apostille vs. Notary: What’s the Difference?
A notary certifies a signature on a document; an apostille certifies the signature of the public official, including a notary, so the document is valid in another country. They often go together. In the US, a document signed before a notary gets its apostille from the Secretary of State of the state where it was notarized. In Spain, a private document is first signed before a notary, and the Notarial Association then apostilles the notarial document. A notarization alone isn’t enough to use a document abroad.
Is a Hague Apostille the Same as an Apostille?
Yes: “apostille” is the short name, and “Hague apostille” refers to the 1961 Hague Convention that created it. In Spain, it’s also called legalización única. What does change is the format: it can be on paper or electronic, and both are equally valid. The Spanish model lists its fields in Spanish, English and French, and the title always appears in French, as the Convention requires. The document it’s attached to, however, stays in its original language.
How Do I Apostille a Spanish University Degree?
In two steps: first, get the signature recognition from Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which is free. You can do it in Madrid or at a regional Government Delegation, ideally by appointment, or by certified mail. Then get the apostille at the Ministry of Justice or a High Court of Justice. This only works for official degrees; a university’s own non-official degrees go through a notary. Non-university diplomas, such as a high school diploma, first need the signature recognition of the regional education authority.
How Do I Verify the Authenticity of a Hague Apostille?
If it’s Spanish, use the Ministry of Justice’s Electronic Apostille Registry, reached through its official e-portal. All you need is the secure verification code, the number and the date of the apostille. Every Spanish apostille, paper or electronic, is recorded in that registry (Article 8 of Royal Decree 1497/2011) and can be checked for 25 years. If it’s foreign, look for the e-Register of the country that issued it, if there is one. If not, contact its competent authority, listed on the Hague Conference website.
What Are the Requirements for an Apostille on a Power of Attorney?
It must be a notarized document, apostilled where it was signed. A power of attorney signed before a US notary gets its apostille from the Secretary of State of the state where it was notarized. One signed before a Spanish notary gets it from the Notarial Association. To use a US power of attorney in Spain, for example to set up a company or buy property, you’ll also need a translation into Spanish. Ask the Spanish notary or registry that will receive it which type of translation they accept.
Is an Apostille From a Hague Apostille Service Valid?
Yes, as long as the competent authority issued it, since only that authority can: a Hague apostille service just submits the document for you. In Spain, apostilles are signed by the Ministry of Justice, the High Courts of Justice or the Notarial Associations and recorded in the official registry. In the US, by the states or the Department of State. The difference is price and convenience, because the service charges its own fee. If you receive a Spanish apostille, check it in the registry using its code, number and date.
