Sworn translation for Spain: who does it and how much it costs

Who does sworn translations and why they are accepted

A sworn translator (traductor-intérprete jurado, TIJ) receives the title from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. A translation between a foreign language and Castilian Spanish made by such a professional has official status and can be submitted to judicial and administrative bodies; article 17 of Real Decreto 724/2020 lists several more cases of official translation [1][2]. The translator certifies the faithfulness and accuracy of the translation with their signature and stamp, using a wording set by the ministry [1]. The title does not make them a civil servant and does not create an employment relationship with the administration [1].

For procedures in Spain this removes the question of additional certification: article 12.2 of Real Decreto 724/2020 exempts from legalisation official translations by sworn translators that are to be used before the Spanish administration [2]. A translation made by someone without the title is not considered official, however well it is done.

There is one caveat. A sworn translation certifies the accuracy of the text, not the authenticity of the original. Authenticity is confirmed by the apostille or legalisation: apostille and legalisation of documents for Spain.

Which documents need a sworn translator

The requirements are set by the procedure and the receiving authority. In its information sheet on immigration matters (Hoja 61), the Ministry of Inclusion states that a public document must be translated into Spanish, and for procedures before the bodies of an autonomous community its second official language is also allowed. The ministry lists separately which translations are acceptable [4].

The note from the Spanish Consulate in Moscow on the remote work visa says that the criminal record certificate is translated into Spanish and legalised, and that all documents in a foreign language are translated [5]. The entry is dated 2 May 2023, so check it against your consulate’s checklist on the day you apply. If you cannot see the consulate’s and the UGE’s requirements for your set side by side, the residence permit document checklist will help you gather them in one place.

How to check a sworn translator

The single register is kept by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Each translator is given a registration number that does not depend on the number of languages (article 13 of Real Decreto 724/2020) [2]. The Oficina de Interpretación de Lenguas publishes a list showing which languages each professional is authorised for. Contact details and a note on active practice appear in the list only if the translator has provided them [1][2]. The ministry’s website has a search tool, “Buscador de traductores e intérpretes jurados” [1].

The office itself takes no part in orders: it does not act as an intermediary and does not do private translations [1]. The words traducción oficial or jurada in an agency’s advertising do not prove that this particular provider holds the title. Check the name and number against the list, not against the agency’s website. Ask who will physically put the stamp and signature on it.

For Catalan, Galician and Basque the procedure is different: the ministry has not held exams for them since 1992, the titles are issued by the communities and the lists are kept by their departments. For Catalan this is the Secretaria de Política Lingüística Generalitat de Catalunya [1]. For Russian you need a translator from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs register.

What the finished translation must include

Before taking the translation to the authority, go through this list. It is based on article 18 of Real Decreto 724/2020 and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs information page [2][6].

The “single document” row follows from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requirements for translations that go for legalisation: the translation, the certification and the copy of the original are joined by the translator’s stamp across all the pages [6]. For an ordinary application this is not always required, but a reliable translation looks exactly like this.

How to order a sworn translation: steps

1. Tell the translator the procedure, the authority and the language of the original. If there are several documents, give the full list at once.
2. Have errors in the original corrected by the authority that issued it. The translator has no right to change, sign or stamp the original [6].
3. Get the apostille or legalisation on the original. Only then translate, so that the stamp is included in the translation.
4. Send legible scans: seals, reverse sides, annexes. Ask whether the translator needs the original.
5. Agree on the delivery format: paper with a wet stamp or electronic signature, number of copies, delivery.
6. When you receive the translation, check the names, dates, document numbers and figures against the original and the passport. A mistake should be fixed straight away, not after a requerimiento.

On electronic translations, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs states separately that they may be signed electronically by any of the means listed in article 10 of Ley 39/2015. The requirements for certification, signature, stamp and copy of the original still apply [1]. Check in advance whether the specific authority accepts an electronic translation at your stage.

How much a sworn translation costs and what makes up the price

There is no official tariff for sworn translation in Spain. Article 16 of Real Decreto 724/2020 says that sworn translators “fijarán libremente los honorarios”, meaning they set their fees freely; the law names no minimum or maximum rates, and the ministry’s page on translators contains no prices [1][2]. We do not quote amounts: figures from advertising and forums contradict each other and go out of date quickly. You agree the price, timing and terms directly with the translator; the Oficina de Interpretación de Lenguas is not involved [1].

The translator chooses the billing unit: page, word, a fixed amount per document or something else. In practice, these factors move the price.

This is a list of factors, not a price grid: how to take them into account is up to the translator.

How to compare translators' quotes

1. The translator’s number and language on the stamp: they must match the entry in the register [1][2].
2. Billing unit: what counts as a page or a word, how seals, stamps and the reverse of a sheet are counted.
3. What the total includes: number of copies, electronic signature, delivery, correction of the translator’s own mistakes.
4. What you hand over: a copy of the original, stamped and dated on every page, is attached to the translation, so the translator needs a complete and legible original [2].

Ask for answers in writing and compare them for the same set of documents. Whether a particular document needs an apostille is covered in the article do you need an apostille; the criminal record certificate has its own procedure: criminal record certificate for a residence permit.

First names, surnames and transliteration

Names cause the most trouble in the sets of Russian-speaking applicants. A Russian surname may be spelled differently in the international passport, in the marriage certificate and in bank statements. Before ordering, write down the spelling from the passport and check all documents against it. If the family has different transliteration variants, prepare an explanation and the records that show where the discrepancy comes from. The translator must reproduce the spelling from the original rather than bring it into line with the “correct” version. It is better to agree on the spelling the authority will see across different documents with a lawyer or gestor before applying, while the documents can still be corrected.

Which translations will not be accepted

• A translation without the title: homemade, done by an acquaintance or by an agency without a sworn translator. It is not considered official [2].
• A local translation from the issuing country. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs allows such translations to be legalised but warns that some Spanish administrations may not accept them [6].
• A translation without a copy of the original or with an incomplete set of pages [2].
• A translation of an old version of the document, if the original was later corrected or replaced.

Having your own translation certified by a notary does not replace the translator’s title: we have found no universal substitute for the established procedure. Settle questions about non-standard options with the authority before ordering.

Common mistakes

• Ordering the translation before the apostille and then having the stamp translated separately.
• Asking the translator to “fix” a typo in the original. Only the issuing authority can correct it.
• Not checking the translator’s name in the register and choosing a provider from an advert.
• Giving the translator more than needed: one certificate does not require the whole case file. Be especially careful with court and medical data: agree who receives the document and how it is stored.
• Sending an illegible scan with a cropped seal.
• Not comparing the result with the passport.
• Choosing a translator only on price per page without asking what it includes.

When you need an individual review

A review is needed if your documents are in languages with few translators in the register, if a translation into Catalan is required for a procedure in Catalonia, if the set includes documents from different countries, or if the authority has already sent a requerimiento raising an issue with a translation. In that case the answer depends on which authority and which stage: how to respond to a requerimiento.

How we can help

The ReloVictory team determines which documents in your set need translating and in what order to prepare them relative to the apostille, and checks the finished translations against the original and the passport before submission. You choose the translator from the register; we agree the timing and format with them. Translations and government fees are paid separately. More about the service: documents and translations.

Frequently asked questions

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