Sworn translation for Spain's entrepreneur visa (Startups Law)

What the entrepreneur visa is

This visa lets you live in Spain to build a project that is innovative and of economic interest to the country. It rests on Law 14/2013 on support for entrepreneurs and Law 28/2022, known as the Startups Law. The application goes through the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE), which asks ENISA for a report on whether the project is genuinely entrepreneurial.

Unlike most immigration routes, the substance carries real weight here: your professional background, the business plan, the funding you have lined up and the value you bring to the Spanish economy. Since much of that paperwork comes from abroad, the authorities need to read it in Spanish, with no room for doubt. That is what a sworn translation is for.

Which documents need a sworn translation

There is no one-size-fits-all checklist, because every file is different and the requirements are set by the UGE itself. Even so, these are the foreign documents that most often need a sworn translation into Spanish:

• Criminal record certificate from the country or countries where you have lived, usually legalised or apostilled. For example, the FBI Identity History Summary in the United States, the ACRO police certificate in the United Kingdom, or bulletin no. 3 of the casier judiciaire in France.
• University degrees and academic transcripts that prove your qualifications, almost always apostilled.
• Project and business-plan documents when the original is in another language: activity description, projections, key agreements or contracts.
• Financial documents backing your investment or means, if they arrive in a foreign language.
• Professional or work-experience certificates that support your profile when the project is assessed.

One point trips a lot of people up: the Hague Apostille does not translate anything. It only certifies the signature of the authority that issued the document. The foreign text, and often the apostille itself, still has to be translated separately.

A straight word on validity: our translations are signed by a translator authorised by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC) and carry official validity in Spain, which is where you file this visa. We do not certify their validity before authorities in other countries.

How we work at Textualia

It is all online, and built to save you time. You upload your scans, or a clear photo, pick the language pair and see the price before you pay. No account needed for a quote.

A sworn translator authorised by the MAEC does the work. We deliver by default as an electronically signed PDF, which most bodies accept without fuss, including the UGE's online filing. If your case calls for paper, we can also issue it on official state-stamped paper and post it to you.

We keep the layout of the original: stamps, apostilles, signatures and margin notes all carry over into the translation, so your file stays consistent and easy to review.

Why Textualia

Because we bring legal rigour and speed to the same desk. We handle immigration paperwork every day and know how FBI records, ACRO certificates and the French bulletin are laid out, so the translation matches what the authorities expect, without last-minute surprises.

The price is fixed and you see it before you commit, with no hidden fees and a clear deadline. In a hurry? We have rush options. And if you are not sure which documents to translate, write to us: we will guide you on the language side, though the final call on the file's requirements always rests with the UGE.

When you are ready, request your sworn translation and have your documents in Spanish, signed and ready to file.