Sworn translation of a marriage certificate
A sworn translation of a marriage certificate is the official translation of the record issued by the Civil Registry — Spanish or foreign —, signed and stamped by a sworn translator appointed by the MAEC. It is the document that proves your marital status in marriage registrations, family-reunification residence, nationality applications, pensions and inheritances. We translate marriage certificates into 39 languages, with a fixed quote before we start, delivered on the agreed date.
Free, no-obligation quote · Last updated: August 2026
- Translators appointed by the MAEC
- Delivery in the agreed date
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- Digital and paper formats
Multilingual certificate or sworn translation?
It is the first question to settle — and it depends on where you will file the certificate and on which model you have been issued:
Multilingual certificate (Vienna Convention)
The Civil Registry can issue an international model with the fields in several languages. If the destination country is a party to the 1976 Vienna Convention and the authority admits it, no translation is needed. Its limits: it is an extract — no marginal notes — and many countries and authorities do not accept it.
Certificate + sworn translation
The certificate — the full literal copy if the file requires it — with its translation signed and stamped by a MAEC sworn translator. It is the route accepted by all authorities, inside and outside the convention, and the only one possible with certificates from non-member countries. When in doubt, it is the safe bet.
The procedures where you will be asked for a translated marriage certificate
It almost always comes in a chain: a marriage with a foreign element opens several files in a row, and the certificate travels through all of them:
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Registering the marriage at the Spanish Civil Registry
If you married abroad, registration at the Civil Registry or the consulate requires the foreign record translated — usually the full literal certificate, apostilled.
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Residence by family reunification or as an EU citizen’s family member
The immigration office asks you to prove the bond: translated marriage certificate, together with passports and criminal record certificates.
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Spanish nationality by marriage and residence
The nationality file includes an up-to-date marriage certificate; if foreign, translated and legalised.
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Pensions, insurance and inheritances
Widowhood, life insurance and estate divisions between two countries: marital status is proven with the translated certificate, often alongside the family record book.
How to request the Spanish certificate. The marriage certificate is requested free of charge from the Civil Registry where the marriage is registered — in person or online through the e-office of the Ministry of Justice —, choosing between extract, literal copy or multilingual model. Request the model your procedure demands and, if the destination requires an apostille, apostille before translating: the apostille is translated too.
How we translate your marriage certificate
All remotely: request the certificate from the Civil Registry, send it to us and receive the translation at home.
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Send us the certificate
PDF or photo of the certificate — literal or extract, with the apostille if it carries one — via the quotation form, by email or on WhatsApp, stating the language and destination country.
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Receive your fixed quote
A fixed price per document, with no obligation. A standard certificate is among the most affordable translations. The sworn translator starts once you confirm.
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Your translation, in la fecha acordada
You receive it as a digitally signed PDF — valid on any electronic filing platform — and, if you need it on paper, by courier or collected in Adeje, Seville or Málaga.
Why a sworn translation and not a standard one? Because Civil Registries, immigration offices, consulates and foreign authorities only accept translations bearing the signature, stamp and accreditation number of a sworn translator appointed by the MAEC. An ordinary translation, however accurate, has no official validity: the file is returned and the procedure starts over. Translations into English are signed by our in-house translator, appointed by the MAEC.
Frequently asked questions about translating a marriage certificate
How much does it cost to translate a marriage certificate?
A standard one- or two-page certificate is among the most affordable sworn translations: it is quoted as a complete document, not by lines or single pages. Send it to us and you will receive a fixed price before deciding, with no obligation.
Literal certificate or extract: which one do I translate?
Whichever the destination authority demands. The literal copy reproduces the complete registration, with marginal notes, and is what nationality and most immigration files require; the extract summarises the essential data and is enough for simple procedures. When in doubt, request the literal copy: it works for everything.
My certificate is multilingual — do I still need a translation?
If it is the 1976 Vienna Convention multilingual model and the destination country is a party to the convention, you generally do not need a translation. But many countries are not parties, and some authorities reject it or demand the literal copy: confirm first with whoever receives the document. If in the end you need a sworn translation, you will have it in la fecha acordada.
Do I need the Hague apostille on the marriage certificate?
It depends on the issuing country and the destination. Between EU countries it is usually not required (Regulation 2016/1191); outside, it is common. If you need it, the correct order is to apostille first and translate afterwards, so the apostille is translated as well. We handle both in a single order.
Does the marriage certificate expire?
The certificate itself carries no expiry date, but most authorities demand one issued within the last 3-6 months, depending on the procedure. The sworn translation does not expire: it accompanies the certificate it was made with. Request the certificate once the procedure is under way and translate it right away.
In which format will I receive the translation?
As a digitally signed PDF from the sworn translator, with the same legal validity as paper, and optionally on paper by courier anywhere in Spain or collected at our offices in Adeje, Seville and Málaga.