Documents for Spain: Apostille, Legalization & Sworn Translation

To use foreign documents in Spain, you usually need two things: authentication (an apostille if your country is in the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, otherwise full diplomatic legalization) and an official Spanish translation. Universities need this at enrolment, the Ministry of Education needs it for homologation, and consulates need it for the student visa.

This guide explains each step with the official rules, the difference between homologation, equivalence and convalidation, and the special situation for applicants from Afghanistan.

Step 1: Apostille or legalization?

Unless an international agreement exempts them, foreign public documents must be legalized for use in Spain. Check your country on the HCCH Apostille Convention status table:

The diplomatic legalization chain

1. 1

   Issuing ministry

   For education documents, the education ministry of the issuing country authenticates the document.

2. 2

   Ministry of Foreign Affairs

   The issuing country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalizes the ministry's signature.

3. 3

   Spanish mission

   The Spanish embassy or consulate with jurisdiction legalizes the Foreign Ministry's signature.

Step 2: Official Spanish translation

For education procedures such as homologation, the Ministry of Education accepts official Spanish translations made by:

• A sworn translator authorised or registered in Spain.
• Any Spanish diplomatic or consular mission abroad.
• The diplomatic or consular mission in Spain of your country (or of the country that issued the document).
• An official translator abroad whose signature is legalized.

For immigration procedures, including the study visa, the Ministry of Inclusion requires a sworn translator into Spanish (or a co-official language). You can find one with the Foreign Ministry's official search of sworn translators.

Bachelor's: homologation of your school certificate

To enter a Spanish bachelor's from a non-EU school system, you usually homologate your school certificate to the Spanish Bachiller. You submit verified copies of your official diploma and your transcripts covering at least the last 3 years, legalized and officially translated, plus proof of paying fee 790 code 079. Apply online through the Ministry of Education's electronic office or at any official Spanish registry office, including Spanish missions abroad.

Submit the volante de inscripción condicional with your application so you can enrol or sit exams while the file is pending. Separately, for the 2026 cycle UNEDasiss accepted a homologation credential or pending legalized documents up to 31 October to update the admission grade.

Master's and degree recognition: three different procedures

People often confuse these. Under Royal Decree 889/2022:

You cannot request convalidation and homologation at the same time. For master's admission, you usually need none of them: Royal Decree 822/2021 lets non-EU degree holders access a master's without homologation, after the university checks the degree. That access does not recognise your degree for any other purpose.

One useful free tool: the ministry's declaration of equivalence of your average grade converts your foreign university average to the Spanish scale. It is used where your grade matters, such as master's ranking and scholarships.

Documents for Afghan applicants

Afghanistan is not listed as a party to the Apostille Convention, so Afghan diplomas, transcripts and civil documents need the full chain: Afghan Ministry of Education (for education documents), then the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the competent Spanish mission.

• The Spanish Embassy in Kabul is closed and has moved temporarily to Doha. Visa competence went to the Embassy in Islamabad.
• No official page we found says which Spanish mission now does the final legalization of Afghan-issued documents. Email the Islamabad consular section ([email protected]) before you start and keep proof of your request.
• Islamabad reports a legalization backlog. For study visas with a deadline, email the same address with your tracking number and proof of urgency to ask for priority.
• Documents from Pakistan are different. Since 17 May 2024, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues apostilles, so a Pakistani police certificate can be apostilled and presented directly in Spain.
• Allow several months. Start legalization before you even apply to universities.

Sending documents to UNEDasiss

UNEDasiss needs your academic documents legalized and translated to evaluate your file. Documents sent through electronic registries arrive in about 3 working days; post from abroad takes more than 15 working days. If legalization is still in progress, send your latest transcript and the legalized grades of the previous year, then the rest as soon as possible.

Master document checklist

Document-related fees to budget for

Legalization and translation costs depend on your country and translator, so we cannot give one figure. Spanish fees we could verify on official pages include:

If you pay the homologation fee from abroad, you can transfer it to the Ministry's Treasury account. Bank charges are paid by you and cannot reduce the amount the Ministry receives.

A realistic document timeline

1. 1.12 months before classes: request official diplomas and transcripts; check whether your country uses the apostille.
2. 2.10–12 months before: start the apostille or legalization chain for academic documents.
3. 3.8–10 months before: order sworn or official translations of the legalized documents; submit homologation (bachelor's) or upload documents to master's applications.
4. 4.4–5 months before: request police certificates for every country of residence in the last 5 years and a medical certificate, then legalize and translate them for the visa.
5. 5.At least 2 months before: submit the visa application with the complete, translated file.

Police and medical certificates often have limited validity, so check with your consulate before requesting them too early. If you live in Pakistan, the Islamabad embassy notes delays in legalization, which is another reason to start early.

Mistakes to avoid

• Translating before legalizing. Legalize the original first, so the stamps are part of what is translated.
• Sending photocopies or e-signed documents for legalization.
• Assuming an attested document from your country is enough. Spain needs the apostille or the Spanish mission's legalization.
• Waiting for an admission letter before starting. Legalization chains can take months.

Once your documents are ready, continue with the Spain student visa guide and the application guide. Track deadlines for free on FindUniPath so legalization time is part of your plan.