What an apostille does and why Spain accepts it
An apostille is a simplified way of certifying an official document for use in another country, introduced by the 1961 Hague Convention. It replaces a long chain of consular legalisation (notary → foreign ministry → consulate of the destination country) with a single certificate from the competent authority in the country where the document was issued. Spain is a party to the Convention, so if your country is too, an apostille is enough and no consular legalisation is needed. An important caveat — the apostille itself certifies the document's origin (that the seal and signature are genuine), not what's written inside it.
If your country isn't a party to the Hague Convention
In that case the apostille isn't available, and the document goes through consular legalisation instead: as a rule, it's certified by the relevant authorities and the foreign ministry of the issuing country, and then by the Spanish embassy or consulate there. This route usually takes longer, so if your country is outside the Convention, build in extra time. The current list of parties to the Convention is published by the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH).
There are also exceptions in the other direction: some bilateral agreements and EU rules exempt certain documents from any legalisation at all. These exemptions are narrow, so don't rely on them without direct confirmation from the Spanish consulate or the body where you're submitting the document.
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Take the quizWho adds the apostille — it depends on the country and the document
This is where people get confused most often. In some countries a single authority (often the foreign ministry or a designated court) adds the apostille to all documents. In others, it depends on who issued the document: for example, police or interior ministry certificates, court and notarial documents, diplomas and civil registry certificates may each have their own competent authority. Find out which authority is competent for your particular document before you start collecting papers — many countries publish this on the foreign ministry's or justice ministry's website, and some now issue electronic apostilles.
Original or notarised copy
Not every document can be apostilled in the original — in many countries passports, identity cards and some other personal documents can only be apostilled via a notarised copy. With diplomas the choice often exists, but the timescales may differ. Whether a particular Spanish institution (a consulate, a university) will accept an apostilled copy instead of an apostilled original is a question best checked with the place where you're submitting the document, rather than treating it as a universal rule.
The order: legalisation usually comes before the translation
The standard order for documents going to Spain is legalisation first, then sworn translation — the translator also translates the apostille itself, and if you do it the other way round, the translation will have to be redone. The translation must be done by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or legalised by the Spanish consulate. Documents issued in Spanish, or bilingual ones, may not need a translation at all.
An apostille doesn't expire — but a document may
The apostille itself is permanent: if an apostille is added to a diploma today, it will be just as valid in five years' time. What's limited in time isn't the apostille but the content of the document — for example, a criminal record certificate has a practical freshness window (consular practice often cites three months), and once it has passed, you'll need to get a new certificate and apostille it again, rather than "extending" the old apostille. A diploma usually has no such problem — an apostilled document stays valid indefinitely.
Quick checklist
- Checked whether the issuing country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
- Identified the competent authority for your particular type of document.
- Checked whether the apostille is needed on the original or a notarised copy will do.
- Legalisation done before the translation, not after.
- Any claimed "exemption" from legalisation confirmed directly with the Spanish consulate rather than taken on trust.
Different countries and types of documents mean different authorities, timescales and nuances. — we'll help you work out where to take a particular document and in what order.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the country. In some countries one authority apostilles everything; in others, police certificates, court and notarial documents, diplomas and civil registry certificates each go to a different authority.
The apostille itself is permanent. Any time limit applies to the content of the document — for example, how recent a criminal record certificate is — not to the apostille itself.
Then you need consular legalisation: the document is certified by your country's authorities and foreign ministry, and then by the Spanish embassy or consulate. It usually takes longer, so start early.
For some documents — yes, and it can even be faster. But whether a particular Spanish institution will accept a copy instead of the original needs to be checked with the place where you're submitting the document.