Sworn translation for family reunification
We translate into Spanish, with the official MAEC seal, the marriage, birth and family-link certificates the immigration office requires to reunite your spouse, children or parents in Spain.
- Official sworn translation with full legal validity in Spain
- Valid for procedures before official bodies in Spain
- Standard, urgent and express delivery options · Exact delivery date before paying
- Confidential handling of your documents
- Formal corrections included if the receiving authority requests them
What family reunification is
Family reunification lets someone who already lives legally in Spain bring their closest relatives over to live with them: a spouse or registered partner, minor or dependent children and, in some cases, dependent parents. It goes through the immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería). And the part that usually holds up the application is rarely the form itself, but the documents that come from abroad.
A marriage certificate from Morocco, a Colombian birth record or a filiation document from Senegal cannot be filed as they are. The Spanish administration will only read them once a sworn translator accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC) has rendered them into Spanish. That piece is ours.
One heads-up before we go on: this page is not a legal guide to the procedure. The requirements, deadlines and the exact paperwork for your case are set by the immigration office, so it is worth confirming them at your local office before you file. What we handle here is the translation, which is precisely where things get technical.
Which documents need a sworn translation
It depends on the relative you are reuniting, but these turn up in almost every file:
- Marriage certificate or registered-partnership certificate, to reunite a spouse.
- Children's birth certificates, which show the parentage that proves the family link.
- Family record book or filiation certificate from the country of origin, when the relationship is not clear from the birth certificate alone.
- Dependency or cohabitation certificate, plus the documents proving that a parent is your dependant.
- Criminal record certificate for the adult relative being reunited, issued in their country: the FBI Identity History Summary in the US, the ACRO certificate in the UK, or the bulletin n° 3 (B3) in France.
- Court rulings on divorce, custody or adoption when they bear on the family link you are proving.
Nearly all of these must arrive apostilled (Hague Convention) or legalised through diplomatic channels before they are translated. The apostille is added in the country that issued the document, never in Spain. And if your certificate already carries the apostille, we translate that too, because it is part of the document.
One point on validity worth getting straight: a MAEC sworn translation is fully valid in Spain. We do not certify a document's validity before authorities in other countries; that is for each country's own authorities to decide.
How we do it at Textualia
Everything is online, and built so you do not lose a day to admin:
- Send us your documents scanned or photographed in good quality. From those we prepare a fixed quote on the spot, VAT included, no surprises.
- Confirm and pay online. No prior registration, no office visit.
- A MAEC-accredited sworn translator does the work, identified by name and number on the official register. Each translation carries their seal, signature and certification.
- You receive the translation as a digitally signed PDF, fully legally valid and with no delivery cost. If your immigration office still asks for paper, we post the physical copy on official Spanish stamped paper, numbered and bearing the coat of arms of Spain.
Unsure which document needs translating, or how to file it? Write to us before you order. We would rather answer your question than have you pay for a translation you did not need.
Why Textualia
We have spent years on this kind of file and we know what the immigration office accepts and what bounces back. A poorly translated certificate costs you a missed appointment and months of waiting, so we are careful with proper names, dates and civil-registry terminology, which is where the errors creep in.
We work only with sworn translators accredited by the MAEC, so your translation is legally valid in Spain from the start. None of the foreign certified translations that the Spanish administration ends up rejecting and that leave you paying twice. A fixed quote in seconds, fast delivery, and the same person behind the email when you need to talk to someone.
Reuniting your family is enough paperwork already. Leave the sworn translation to us and request yours today.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to your questions
Which family reunification documents need a sworn translation?
The most common are the marriage or registered-partnership certificate, the children's birth certificates, the family record book or filiation certificate, the documents proving that a parent is your dependant and, where relevant, the relative's criminal record certificate and any custody or adoption rulings. It depends on who you are reuniting; send us your paperwork and we will tell you what needs translating.
Is a MAEC sworn translation accepted by the Spanish immigration office?
Yes. A sworn translation by a translator accredited by the MAEC is fully legally valid in Spain and is what the immigration office, the civil registry and the courts accept. That validity applies to procedures in Spain; we do not certify documents' validity before authorities in other countries.
Do I need to apostille the certificates before translating them?
In most cases, yes. Foreign public documents usually need the Hague apostille, or diplomatic legalisation if the country is not a signatory, and that is handled in the country that issued the document. When it arrives apostilled, we translate the apostille too, as it is part of the document. Confirm with your immigration office which form of legalisation your case requires.
Do you deliver the translation on paper or only as a PDF?
By default we deliver the translation as a digitally signed PDF, with no delivery cost and full legal validity. If your procedure or your local office asks for paper, we post the physical copy on official Spanish stamped paper, stamped and signed; the delivery cost is shown when you choose the destination.
How long does it take to translate the documents for a reunification?
It depends on the number of documents and their length. When you send us the files you will see an estimated turnaround alongside the quote. If you have a fixed immigration appointment, tell us: we offer rush options so you make it in time.
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