Before ordering, know what does NOT need translating
Sworn translation and Hague apostille
Half of what you were told to translate is not needed
Every procedure asks for its papers, and almost nobody tells you which of them need a sworn translation, which only need an apostille, and which are accepted as they are. People over-translate just in case, and 'just in case' is billed by the page.
What you get
- The written opinion: document by document, whether it needs sworn translation, apostille, both or neither.
- Exactly which body will ask for it, and in what format: paper, signed PDF or plain copy.
- A firm quote from a sworn translator appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Handling the Hague apostille on your documents, when the issuing country requires it.
- The right order: apostille first, translate second — the other way round means paying twice.
Why this matters now
In Spain only a translation made by a sworn translator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has official validity, and the list of those translators is public and free. The apostille, in turn, comes from the 1961 Hague Convention and can only be affixed in the country that issued the document — it cannot be done here. Those two rules explain almost every file that comes back: translated by the wrong person, or translated before being apostilled.
What this service is NOT
We are not sworn translators and we translate nothing ourselves: we could not sign it, and a document signed by someone off the Ministry's list is worthless. What we sell is the opinion — what is needed and what is not — and the handling. The translation is invoiced by the translator at their rate, and we show it to you before ordering anything. If it turns out you need no translation at all, we will say so and the spending stops there.
Questions about this service
Isn't it cheaper to just translate everything?
No. A page of sworn translation ran between €40 and €70 plus VAT on the market we measured on 06/09/2026, with a €45 to €65 minimum on a short document. Four documents you did not need is two hundred euros. The opinion costs €39.
Can I get an English document apostilled here?
No, and it is the commonest mistake. The apostille is affixed by the authority of the country that issued the document. A British birth certificate is apostilled in the UK, not in Alicante. We tell you which office and which form.
My document comes from a country outside the Hague Convention.
Then there is no apostille: there is consular legalisation, which is longer and goes through the Spanish consulate in that country and through Foreign Affairs. We map the route for you, but we warn you about the timescale before starting, not after.
The other services
The other areas
This page was last checked on 4 September 2026
Responsible for this content Sullivan Benedetto · Torrevieja (Alicante), España
Tell us your case in five lines
We answer the same working day, in your language. And if your case is not for us, we say so and tell you who to go to.