Spain and India both apply the Apostille Convention. Spanish notarial documents are apostilled by the Colegio Notarial, and court and civil registry documents by the Tribunal Superior de Justicia or the Ministry of Justice; India accepts these apostilles. Indian documents for Spain are apostilled by India's Ministry of External Affairs after verification by the issuing state, and Spanish authorities usually also require a sworn translation into Spanish.
- Document route
- Notario, then apostille from the Colegio Notarial
- Time difference
- India is 3.5 to 4.5 hours ahead of mainland Spain; 4.5 to 5.5 hours ahead of the Canaries
- Treaty
- Hague Apostille Convention 1961
- Indian authority
- Ministry of External Affairs
Apostille & Attestation from Spain: how it works
For Spanish documents going to India, identify the document type first. A power of attorney or declaration is a notarial deed apostilled by the Colegio Notarial. A Spanish birth, marriage or death certificate from the Registro Civil, or a court judgment, is apostilled through the justice authorities. Spain issues many apostilles electronically, with an online verification code; some Indian offices are unfamiliar with these, so for property and court use we suggest a paper apostille or a printed copy accompanied by the verification details. Bilingual documents reduce the need for translation in India.
For Indian documents going to Spain, the first step is verification by the state government department that issued the document or, for educational certificates, the relevant education department. The Ministry of External Affairs then issues the apostille through its outsourced centres. In Spain, a traductor jurado authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs prepares the Spanish translation. We help you collect, verify and apostille Indian documents through an attorney holder in India, so you do not need to travel. Plan ahead, because state verification can take several weeks.
What clients in Spain should know
- Spanish universities and the ministry handling degree recognition (homologación) may need additional verification of Indian degrees beyond the apostille.
- An apostille confirms the signature and seal, not the content; Indian sub-registrars still examine whether a Spanish deed contains the powers they need.
- Canary Islands residents use the Colegio Notarial and Tribunal Superior de Justicia of the Canaries for apostilles, so there is no need to send documents to Madrid.
Step by step from Spain
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Spain, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Spain
Notario, then apostille from the Colegio Notarial
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Spain where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Spain. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Apostille & Attestation, or see all services for clients in Spain and the Inheritance & Documents practice area.
Questions from clients in Spain
Do I need the Indian Embassy in Madrid to attest my Spanish documents?
No. Because the apostille is in force between Spain and India, a Spanish apostille is enough for India.
Can my family in India get my birth certificate apostilled for Spain?
Yes. With an authorisation from you, they can apply for state verification and MEA apostille. We guide them through the process.
Does a sworn translation need its own apostille?
A translation by a Spanish traductor jurado is accepted in Spain without a further apostille. A translation made in India may need its own legalisation, so check with the Spanish authority before ordering one.