Apostille on Russian documents for Spain: is it required?

What is an apostille and do Russian documents need one?

Apostille: a certificate issued by the competent authority of the issuing country that replaces the chain of consular legalisation. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that documents from countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention are not legalised, and that in Spain itself the Ministry of Justice is responsible for the apostille [2]. According to the Hague Conference status table, Russia joined as a successor state with entry into force on 31 May 1992; Spain ratified the Convention, and it has been in force there since 25 September 1978 [1].

This means that for Russian public documents you submit to a Spanish authority, consular legalisation is not required: an apostille is enough. UGE confirms this for its applications: public documents from foreign authorities are submitted legalised or with an apostille [5].

Who issues the apostille in Russia?

Russian Government Resolution No. 479 of 30.05.2016 divides responsibilities between authorities by type of document [3]:

For notarised copies, the Ministry of Justice advises contacting its regional office where the notarial act was performed [4]. Other authorities on the list: the Ministry of Defence for military archival documents and the Prosecutor General’s Office for prosecution service documents [3].

Which residence permit documents need an apostille?

Those issued by a state authority: the criminal record certificate, birth and marriage certificates for the family, and a diploma if it is requested. The Spanish Consulate in Moscow explicitly requires an apostille on the Russian criminal record certificate when applying for the teleworking visa [6]. Private documents such as the employer’s letter and the contract, according to UGE, only need a sworn translation [5]. UGE does not specify whether a register extract, a bank statement or a certificate from the Russian Federal Tax Service (FNS) counts as public or private.

The procedure for the certificate is covered in Russian criminal record certificate and apostille, and for the diploma in apostille on diplomas and certificates.

What about the translation?

UGE requires public documents not in Spanish to be accompanied by a translation by a sworn translator appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and lists several other acceptable options [5]. According to the Ministry, a translation by a sworn translator recognised by the Ministry is valid in Spain in its own right and needs no further legalisation [2]. In practice the order is: first the apostille on the original, then the translation of the whole set together with the apostille. Agree this with the translator before ordering: sworn translation for Spain.

Electronic documents and exceptions

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs page on legalisation states that originals or certified copies with a handwritten signature are legalised, electronic signatures are not recognised, and photocopies are not legalised [2]. This concerns diplomatic legalisation, not the apostille as such, and we have not found an official answer on how Spain treats Russian certificates with an electronic signature downloaded from online personal accounts. There is also an exception: the 1984 exchange of notes (canje de notas with the USSR) exempts Registro Civil certificates from legalisation between Spain and Russia [2]. How the consulate applies this to your set of documents needs to be checked.

What we don't know

We have not found an official list of which Russian documents the consulate or UGE treat as public, and there is no single answer for documents with an electronic signature. So it is better to find out the requirements for your specific procedure before ordering an apostille. More on the procedure itself: what an apostille is. The ReloVictory team prepares the set (apostille, sworn translation, certificates) under the documents and procedures service, and the general application process is described in residence permit in Barcelona on your own. To have your set of documents reviewed, book a consultation.

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