Sworn translation in Madrid

What sworn translation means in Spain

A Spanish sworn translation is certified by a professional authorised by the competent authority under the applicable Spanish system. For foreign languages, authorisation by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs plays a role where relevant. Catalan, Galician and Basque also involve the powers and registers of the competent autonomous communities. The professional's authorisation must be checked for the language combination concerned.

Universities, registries, courts and administrative bodies may ask for this form of translation, but their requirements differ. Birth and marriage certificates, academic transcripts, criminal record certificates, company documents and powers of attorney are common enquiries. Please provide the recipient's written instructions if you have them. A translation with a commercial agency stamp is not automatically a Spanish sworn translation.

A document may instead need specialist legal translation without sworn certification. For instance, parties discussing a contract may want precise terminology while no authority has requested a certified filing. Knowing the purpose prevents an unnecessary service or an unsuitable document from being commissioned.

Language direction and the complete document

Please specify whether your document is being translated into Spanish or from Spanish into another language. The direction matters when confirming the applicable authorisation and availability. The pages for English, French and German can help you navigate the options, but no page should be taken as a promise that every direction is immediately available.

Include all pages, annexes, stamps and handwritten additions. A bilingual certificate or a seal in another language may affect the scope. A cropped photograph can hide information that the finished translation needs to reflect. If you are uncertain whether one of several documents needs formal certification, list them separately and identify the requirement for each one. Ordinary business material can be assessed under our translation services.

Signing and delivery

Spanish rules provide for the certification of sworn translations and, subject to the applicable conditions, electronic signatures. The existence of a signed PDF does not mean that every receiving body will accept it in every procedure. Ask whether it requires an electronic document, a paper copy or both, and tell us whether a physical shipment must reach a particular address by a fixed date.

The authority may also specify whether it needs to see the original document, a copy or another form of reproduction. Those are instructions about the underlying document as well as the translation. If you need the translation for use outside Spain, ask the foreign recipient what form of certified translation it accepts. A Spanish sworn translation is not automatically interchangeable with the certification procedures of another country.

Apostilles and legalisation

An apostille or legalisation concerns the formal authentication of a public document for use abroad. Sworn translation concerns the translation and its professional certification. Depending on the country and the receiving institution, you may need both, and the order can matter. We cannot establish the sequence merely from the language printed on the document.

If you have been told to apostille the source document first, include the apostilled version when requesting the translation. If the instructions are unclear, obtain clarification from the receiving body before paying for a translation that may need to be repeated. We can assess which visible parts of the file form part of the translation once we have seen the complete material.

Asking for a quotation

You can send an enquiry from Madrid or elsewhere in the Community of Madrid. Give us the document, language direction, recipient, requested delivery format and deadline. The price and timing depend on the actual file and the professional's availability. Physical delivery may add shipping time and cost. Use the quote form to start the enquiry; if your text does not need sworn certification, browse the general languages instead.