Which documents need a sworn translation for a NIE or TIE in Spain?
A sworn translation for your NIE, TIE or residency application is a translation into Spanish signed and stamped by a sworn translator appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC), and it is what Spanish offices expect for any foreign document in another language.
The NIE number itself rarely involves foreign certificates, but residency files do: birth and marriage certificates, police certificates, and proof of income or insurance that is not in Spanish.
Public documents from the UK, the US, Canada and Australia normally need a Hague apostille first, then the sworn translation. Irish civil-status certificates (birth, marriage and similar) and criminal record certificates issued by Ireland to its own citizens are exempt from the apostille in Spain under EU Regulation 2016/1191.
NIE, TIE or EU registration: which one you are applying for
It depends on which of the three things you are applying for, because they are often confused.
- The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is a tax and identification number. The Policía Nacional assigns it to foreigners who have economic, professional or social dealings with Spain, using form EX-15. According to the Policía Nacional's procedure page, you can apply in Spain or from abroad through a Spanish consulate. Apart from your passport and a document explaining why you need the number, you rarely file foreign certificates.
- The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is the physical residence card for non-EU nationals. Under article 209 of the Reglamento de Extranjería (Real Decreto 1155/2024), anyone granted a visa or authorisation for more than six months must apply for it in person within one month of entering Spain.
- The EU registration certificate (certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión) is what EU and EEA citizens, including the Irish, receive when they register as residents, using form EX-18, as the police registration page explains.
At the counter you will hear both acronyms said as words, the Spanish way: NIE sounds like ènié and TIE like tié. Knowing this saves a moment of confusion at your first appointment.
Translation comes in wherever a document in English, or any other language, lands on an official's desk. The consulates' own visa pages say it plainly: the Spanish Consulate General in London asks for foreign documents to be apostilled and, where applicable, submitted with an official translation into Spanish, and it asks for a sworn translation of police and medical certificates.
Documents you'll be asked for, by situation
Every file is different and offices publish their own lists, so treat this table as a starting point and check with the office that will receive your application.
| Your situation | Foreign documents often requested | What they usually need |
|---|---|---|
| EU or EEA citizen registering as a resident | Proof of work or self-employment, or health insurance and proof of sufficient resources, or proof of enrolment | A Spanish translation of documents not in Spanish if the office asks for it; check before you go |
| Non-EU spouse or registered partner of an EU citizen | Marriage certificate or registered partnership certificate, children's birth certificates | Apostille (not needed for certificates issued in an EU country), then a sworn translation of the certificate and the apostille |
| Visa holder from the UK, the US, Canada or Australia | Police certificate, medical certificate, bank statements, pension letters, marriage certificate for family members | Translated for the consulate before the visa; the residence card appointment in Spain then mostly needs the visa, passport, form and fee |
| Non-resident who only needs a number | Passport and a document showing why you need it, such as a property reservation or a job offer | Usually no foreign certificates |
British nationals who arrived after Brexit are treated as non-EU nationals, so they follow the visa route. Those who were already resident under the Withdrawal Agreement have their own rules, which we cover in our post on post-Brexit red tape. For a wider view of the paperwork expats bring with them, see our article on document translations for expats in Valencia.
The certificates that come up most often are UK birth certificates, which we translate for residency and family files (see UK birth certificate translation to Spanish), and police certificates, covered on our page on ACRO criminal record translation.
Apostille first, translation second
An apostille is a certificate attached by an authority in the country that issued your document. It confirms that the signature, stamp or seal on the document is genuine, so that Spain accepts it without further legalisation.
The UK, Ireland, the US, Canada and Australia are all parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, according to the HCCH status table: the United Kingdom since 1965, the United States since 1981, Australia since 1995, Ireland since 1999 and Canada since 11 January 2024.
Who issues it depends on the country. In the UK, the Legalisation Office checks the signature, stamp or seal against its records and attaches the apostille, as GOV.UK explains; ACRO police certificates cannot get the electronic version and go through the paper route.
For US federal documents such as FBI background checks, the Spanish Consulate in Chicago asks for the federal apostille from the Department of State in Washington DC.
The order matters for two reasons:
- The apostille is part of what gets translated. A sworn translator translates the document and its apostille together. If you translate first and apostille afterwards, the apostille is missing from the translation and you pay twice. The London consulate notes one exception: an apostille does not need translating if Spanish is one of the languages it is issued in.
- Certificates expire for administrative purposes. Offices often want documents issued within the last three or six months. The London consulate, for example, does not accept a criminal record certificate older than six months unless the certificate states a longer validity. Order the certificate, get the apostille, then translate straight away.
- Order the official certificate in the issuing country
- Get the Hague apostille from that country
- Sworn translation of the document and its apostille by a MAEC translator
- File it at your extranjería or police appointment
Certified vs. sworn translation
A "certified translation" in the UK or the US is a translation with a signed statement from the translator or agency that it is accurate, sometimes notarised. It is useful at home, but the translator holds no appointment from the Spanish state.
A Spanish sworn translation (traducción jurada) is different. The translator has passed the ministry's exam, or had an equivalent qualification recognised, and appears on the official list published by the Oficina de Interpretación de Lenguas.
The ministry's page on sworn translators and interpreters states that their translations have official character and can be submitted to courts and administrative bodies, under Real Decreto 724/2020. Each page carries the translator's signature and seal, and the ministry accepts electronic signatures, which is why a digital sworn translation is now common.
Consulates abroad set their own rules on who may translate, and some accept other translators, so read your consulate's page. When the document is filed with an office in Spain, a translation by a MAEC-appointed sworn translator is the format Spanish authorities are used to, and you can reuse it for renewals.
- Statement of accuracy by the translator or agency
- Sometimes notarised
- No appointment by the Spanish state
- Accepted by some consulates abroad: check first
- Translator appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Signature and seal on every page
- Official character before Spanish courts and administrative bodies
- Can be signed electronically
How to order online
You do not need to come to an office. A clear scan or phone photo of the whole document, apostille included, is enough for us to quote and translate.
- Send the documents. Use the quote form, email hello@betranslated.es or WhatsApp +34 651 309 024. Tell us which office will receive them.
- Get the price and deadline. We reply within 8 working hours. A sworn translation costs about 70 € per page (60–70 € per page), with a discount on additional pages.
- Translate only what is needed. Partial translations are possible: confirm with the receiving office which pages it needs and whether it requires paper. In most cases the digital version is enough.
- Receive it. The certified digital version takes 2–3 working days. Paper adds about 2 days, collected at our Valencia office by appointment or sent by post. Delivery within 24 hours or the next day is only possible exceptionally, at a premium, once we confirm it.
If your Spanish is not yet up to an extranjería or police appointment, an interpreter can come with you in person; accompanying an individual usually costs 60–100 € per hour (see interpreting services).
BeTranslated has been translating since 2002, in more than 50 language combinations, and holds 101 Google reviews with a 5.0 rating. The full range is on our sworn translation services page.
Frequently asked questions
Does the NIE application itself need a sworn translation?
Usually not. The EX-15 form, your passport and a document showing why you need the number are typically enough. If that supporting document is in English, for example a job offer from a foreign company, the office may ask for a Spanish translation, so check beforehand.
Can I use the certified translation I already have from the UK or the US?
A Spanish office may not accept it, because the translator is not appointed by the Spanish ministry. Some consulates abroad accept other translators, so check the rules of the office that will receive it before you order a new translation.
Does the apostille need translating too?
Yes, in most cases. A sworn translator translates the document and the apostille together. The London consulate notes that an apostille does not need translating if Spanish is one of the languages it is issued in.
How recent must my documents be?
It depends on the procedure. Police certificates are often accepted only if issued within the last six months, and medical certificates within the last three. Ask the receiving office, and order the translation once the apostille is attached.
Is a digital sworn translation accepted?
Sworn translators may sign electronically, and most offices accept the digital version. Some still ask for paper, so confirm with the office; we can send paper by post or have it ready at our Valencia office by appointment.
Can you send an interpreter to my extranjería appointment?
Yes. An interpreter can accompany you to extranjería, the police station, a notary, a doctor or a dentist. Accompanying an individual usually costs 60–100 € per hour; send us the date, place and languages for a quote.
