Apostille Documents for a Spain Visa
Spain's consulates require key U.S. documents apostilled under the Hague Convention. Here is exactly what to apostille for the NLV and digital nomad visa, and how to do it without mailing your originals.
If you are applying for a Spanish non-lucrative visa (NLV) or the digital nomad visa (DNV), the consulate will ask for several U.S. documents authenticated with an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention. The FBI background check is the document almost every applicant needs, and it carries the tightest timing rules. For most of these documents you keep your original: you upload a scan, we produce a notarized true copy (copia fiel certificada), and the apostille is issued on that. Below is the checklist by visa type, the freshness window Spanish consulates commonly enforce, and how the sworn translation fits in.
What to Apostille, by Visa Type
The two most common long-stay routes to Spain are the non-lucrative visa and the digital nomad visa. The document sets overlap, but each consulate publishes its own checklist, so treat this as the typical starting point and confirm with yours.
Non-Lucrative Visa
For applicants who can support themselves in Spain without working locally (retirees, remote savers, people of independent means).
Digital Nomad Visa
For remote workers and freelancers earning from companies or clients outside Spain.
Consulate checklists genuinely vary by jurisdiction (the Spanish consulate in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Boston, and Washington each set their own document lists). Always verify against your specific consulate's current requirements before you order.
The Freshness Window: Plan Backward From Your Appointment
Spain's consulates commonly treat an FBI background check as valid for about three months (some consulates state 90 days) from its issuance date, and that window has to include the time it takes to apostille and translate the document. In practice the clock starts the day the FBI issues your report, not the day you upload it.
So work backward from your consulate appointment. Get the FBI PDF first, apostille it immediately (upload the PDF to us the same day it arrives), then book the sworn translation. Leaving the apostille to the last week is the single most common reason applicants miss the window and have to re-order the FBI report. Treat this as a guideline, not an absolute rule, because consulate practice differs, and confirm the exact validity period your consulate applies.
Last verified: June 2026
Sworn Translation (Traduccion Jurada) Comes After the Apostille
Spain requires a traduccion jurada (sworn translation) of your apostilled documents, produced by a translator accredited by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC). The order of operations matters: the apostille comes FIRST, then the translation.
Translate after apostilling so the apostille itself is included in the sworn translation. If you translate first and apostille second, the translator has to redo the work to cover the apostille, which costs you time you may not have inside the freshness window. We offer certified translation so the apostille and the translation can move as one coordinated order.
See our certified translation serviceHow It Works With Us
Three steps, your originals stay with you, and your turnaround starts the moment you upload instead of after a package arrives.
Upload your FBI PDF and document scans
Submit the FBI background check PDF exactly as the agency issued it, plus clear scans of any marriage and birth certificates. A phone photo works if every line is legible and no edges are cut off.
We handle the federal and state apostilles
The FBI report is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State on the federal path. State-issued documents like marriage and birth certificates are processed as notarized true copies and apostilled by the relevant Secretary of State. You never mail us an original.
We ship the finished apostilles to you, including to Spain
We ship the completed, apostilled packet to you with tracking, whether you are still in the United States or already in Spain. From there your documents are ready for the sworn translation and your consulate appointment.
We ship internationally with tracking, so if you have already relocated we can send the finished apostilles to your address in Spain. International delivery times and any customs handling depend on the destination.
Never mail your original documents
We process apostilles from a notarized true copy of your uploaded scan. Your birth certificate, diploma, or FBI report never leaves your hands, so it can never be lost in the mail.
How true copy processing worksFrequently Asked Questions
For most NLV and digital nomad applications the core apostilled document is the FBI background check. Many applicants also apostille a marriage certificate and birth certificates for minor children when family members are included. Some consulates additionally ask for apostilled proof-of-income or bank documents. Because consulate checklists vary by jurisdiction, confirm your specific consulate's current list before ordering.
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Get Your Spain Visa Documents Apostilled
Upload your FBI PDF and family documents and we handle the federal and state apostilles, then ship the finished packet to you. Not sure what your consulate requires? Start with a free review.
We are an independent service provider and are not affiliated with any government authority, including the U.S. Department of State, any state Secretary of State office, or the Government of Spain and its consulates. Visa document requirements, consulate checklists, and document freshness windows are set by Spanish authorities and vary by consulate; they change over time. Always confirm the current requirements with your specific consulate. We verify your documents during the free review before you pay.