Apostille on diplomas and certificates for Spain: how to get one

Does a diploma need an apostille for Spain?

If you submit your diploma as proof of qualification, yes: the UGE guidance note says that public documents issued by a foreign authority must be submitted “debidamente legalizados o apostillados” [1]. The Ministry of Inclusion confirms the rule: a document from a country that is party to the 1961 Hague Convention is certified with an apostille, otherwise by consular legalisation, and a translation is always required [2].

But not every DNV applicant needs a diploma. The law allows you to prove your qualification with a graduado or postgraduado degree from a university “de reconocido prestigio”, vocational training, a business school, or at least three years of professional experience [5]. If you go the experience route, you do not need a diploma, but you do need proof of experience (more in the article do you need a diploma for the DNV). If you do attach a diploma, it must be prepared as a public document.

Each of the bodies that read your file phrases the requirement slightly differently. The consulate in Moscow asks in its list for a “copia de la titulación” and a translation of any documents not in Spanish [6]. The consulate in Istanbul adds that official documents from foreign authorities must be legalised or apostilled [7]. Whether your consulate needs an apostille on a copy of the diploma at the visa stage, check on its page: the standard wording differs from consulate to consulate.

Diploma in a regulated profession: what is added

If your profession is regulated in Spain, the UGE guidance note requires either homologation of your diploma to the corresponding Spanish qualification or a declaración responsable before a notary stating that you will not practise that profession in Spain [1]. On homologation: diploma homologation in Spain.

Do marriage and birth certificates need an apostille?

Certificates are needed when family members (spouse, children, dependent parents) apply together with you. The UGE note for familiares lists the “acreditación del vínculo familiar”: a marriage certificate, a cohabitation certificate, a birth certificate. The document must be an original or a copy, “debidamente legalizada o apostillada y traducida” [8]. This document is an older version, so check that it is current on the UGE page.

For Russia, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs names an exception: the “canje de notas URSS 1984” exempts certificaciones del Registro Civil of Spain and Russia from legalisation [4]. According to the text of the page this is a bilateral agreement, but we found no confirmation that the UGE or a consulate accepts Russian ZAGS certificates without an apostille in an immigration case. The safe route: unless you have written confirmation from the authority, get the apostille.

For documents from EU countries, Reglamento (UE) 2016/1191 applies: some public documents are exempt from legalisation and the apostille, and multilingual standard forms are allowed instead of a translation [4]. It does not apply to documents from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan or Ukraine.

Who apostilles a diploma and certificates in Russia

The name of the specific authority in your region (education department, ZAGS directorate, regional ministry of education) depends on the Russian region: the Ministry of Justice list gives categories, not names by region [3]. The apostille is affixed to the original document; on notarised copies it is affixed by the Ministry of Justice [3]. For documents from other countries the apostille is issued by an authority of the issuing country; the list of party countries is on the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs page [4].

Documents from other CIS countries

If your diploma or certificate was not issued in Russia, the rule is the same: the apostille is affixed by an authority of the issuing country, but only if that country is party to the Hague Convention. The Spanish Ministry of Justice list as of 11.09.2026 includes Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, as well as Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan [4][9]. Which authority apostilles a diploma or certificate in each of these countries is set by national law, and we have not checked it. Objections by individual states to the accession of the issuing country can be seen in the HCCH status table [10]. The general logic of choosing between an apostille and legalisation is covered in the article do you need an apostille.

Order of steps: apostille, translation, submission

1. Check whether you need the document. A diploma is needed if you prove your qualification with a degree; certificates are needed for family members [5][8].
2. Get the original. If the original is lost, order a duplicate from the authority that issued it. Mistakes in it are corrected by the issuing authority, not by the translator.
3. Get the apostille from the authority shown in the table above [3].
4. Have the document translated together with the apostille by a sworn translator appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs [2][4]. Agree with them how the pages will be bound and numbered. Check the spelling of your first name and surname against your passport.
5. Submit the documents to the consulate under its rules, or to the UGE electronically [1].

About the translator: sworn translation for Spain. About the apostille itself: apostille and legalisation. According to the UGE note, the CV is submitted with a plain translation [1].

Common mistakes

• Apostille on an ordinary copy. It is affixed to the original, and for a notarised copy you need the regional office of the Ministry of Justice [3].
• Translation before the apostille. The added apostille will require new work from the translator.
• Translation not done by a sworn translator appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: in that case further legalisation is required [2][4].
• Correcting the mistake in the translation instead of correcting the original: if the certificate has a typo, it is the document that changes, not the translation.
• Relying on the 1984 exception without confirmation from the authority [4].
• Ignoring the consulate’s requirements: the set of documents differs from one consulate to another [6][7].

Official DNV sources do not state a maximum age for diplomas and certificates.

How we can help

The ReloVictory team in Barcelona checks which documents you and your family members actually need, tells you which authorities affix the apostille in your case, and coordinates the translation with a sworn translator so that the whole chain fits the timeline. The legal side is handled by the team’s lawyer. Book a consultation. Service page: documents and legalisation. General list: document checklist for a residence permit. For families the procedure is described in the family reunification route card, for the DNV in the DNV route card.

Frequently asked questions

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ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 02.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.