Authentication of documents

No authentication is needed for documents issued by European Union member countries or signatories of the Agreement on the European Economic Area: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland.

In all other cases, documents issued abroad must be duly authenticated in accordance with the following guidelines:

Documents issued by countries party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961.

Said documents require sole authentication or Apostille granted by the authorities of the relevant country. This process is valid for the following nations: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei-Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Colombia, Croatia, El Salvador, Slovenia, United States of America, Estonia, Russian Federation, Fiji, Hong Kong, Hungary, Marshall Island, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Macau, Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Malta, Republic of Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Niue, Panama, Puerto Rico, Czech Republic, Romania, Samoa, Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Republic of Seychelles, Switzerland, South Africa, Suriname, Swaziland, Tonga, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Venezuela, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Netherlands Antilles, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Saint Helen, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands.

Documents issued by countries party to the Andrés Bello convention

These documents must be authenticated by diplomatic officials (the process excludes ordinary authentication procedures). (In cases where the relevant country is also a signatory of the Hague Convention, it is advisable to execute the procedure described above.) This process applies to documents issued by the following countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. The required documents may be submitted to:

• The Ministry of Education of the issuing country for academic degrees and certificates, and the appropriate Ministry for birth certificates and documents of citizenship.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country.
• The Spanish consulate or embassy in the issuing country.

Documents issued by all other countries must be authenticated by diplomatic officials

They must therefore be submitted to:

• The Ministry of Education of the issuing country for academic degrees and certificates, and the appropriate Ministry for birth certificates and documents of citizenship.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country.
• The Spanish consulate or embassy in the issuing country.

Documents issued by foreign consulates or embassies in Spain

They must be authenticated by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

All documents issued abroad, in order to be authenticated, must be accompanied by certified translation into Castilian Spanish, where applicable. The translation must be executed by a certified translator, duly authorised or registered as such in Spain; by a Spanish consulate or embassy abroad; or by any other Spanish consulate or embassy official in the country where the applicant is a citizen, or, when applicable, where the document was originally issued.