Marriage Certificate + Apostille for Spanish Residency — US, UK & Canada

Why Spain requires this document

Spanish immigration offices have no direct access to marriage registries in the US, UK, or Canada and cannot independently verify whether a marriage recorded years ago is still in effect. A marriage certificate issued at the time of the wedding provides no information about the current status of the relationship.

What the authorities need is a recently-issued certified copy of the marriage certificate — combined with an apostille confirming the document is genuine — to establish that the marriage is current at the time of your residency application.

What you need to prepare

United States: state vital records office + Secretary of State apostille

1. Obtain a certified copy from the state where the marriage took place.
   Contact the vital records office of the state where the marriage was registered. Depending on the state, this may be the State Vital Statistics office, the county clerk's office, or a combination of both. Most states offer online, mail, and in-person applications. Processing times vary from a few days to several weeks depending on the state.
2. Get an apostille from the Secretary of State of that same state.
   A marriage certificate is a state-level document. The apostille must come from the Secretary of State of the state where the marriage was registered. You cannot use a different state's office or the US Department of State for a state-issued marriage certificate.
   Example: married in California → California Secretary of State. Married in Texas → Texas Secretary of State.
3. Allow for state-specific processing times and age restrictions.
   Apostille processing times range from 1–5 business days (e.g., Washington D.C.) to 5–7+ business days depending on the state. Some states impose restrictions on how old a certified certificate may be when submitted for apostille — check with your state's office before ordering. Expedited services are available in most states for an additional fee.

United Kingdom: GRO certified copy + FCDO apostille

1. Order a certified copy from the General Register Office (GRO).
   The GRO maintains marriage records for England and Wales. Order at gro.gov.uk (online, approximately 10 minutes) or by phone: 0300 123 1837 (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm).
   Current fees (verify before ordering — subject to change):
   • Standard service: £12.50 — dispatched approximately 4 working days after the application.
   • Priority service: £38.50 — dispatched the next working day if ordered by 4pm.
   Scotland: contact National Records of Scotland at scotlandspeople.gov.uk.
   Northern Ireland: contact the General Register Office for Northern Ireland at nidirect.gov.uk/gro.
2. Apply for an apostille from the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office).
   Only an original GRO certified copy can be apostilled — photocopies, scans, and laminated certificates are not accepted. Marriage certificates are not eligible for the FCDO's e-Apostille service.
   Current fees and processing times (verify at gov.uk/get-document-legalised):
   • Direct FCDO submission: £45 per document; approximately 20–25 working days.
   • Registered FCDO apostille services: can expedite to 3–5 working days at additional cost.

Canada: provincial vital statistics + apostille

1. Order a certified copy from the provincial vital statistics office of the province where you were married.
   Only an official certificate issued by a provincial vital statistics office is accepted — notarized copies made by a notary public cannot be apostilled. Contact the relevant office:
   • Ontario: ServiceOntario (ontario.ca)
   • British Columbia: Vital Statistics Agency (vs.gov.bc.ca)
   • Alberta: Service Alberta (alberta.ca/vital-statistics)
   • Quebec: Directeur de l'état civil (etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca)
   • Other provinces: contact the respective provincial vital statistics office directly
2. Get an apostille — Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention on January 11, 2024.
   This replaced the previous two-step authentication + legalization process for documents destined for Hague Convention countries (including Spain). The apostille authority depends on the province of origin:
   • Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan: the provincial Competent Authority (Ministry of Justice / Attorney General of that province) issues apostilles for documents originating in their jurisdiction. Processing: approximately 5–15 business days.
   • All other provinces and territories (Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Yukon): Global Affairs Canada issues the apostille. Verify current processing times at the Global Affairs Canada website.
   • Quebec: is transitioning to its own provincial apostille authority; verify the current issuing body with Global Affairs Canada at the time of your application.

Sworn Spanish translation (traductor jurado)

After obtaining the apostilled certificate, it must be translated into Spanish by a traductor jurado — a sworn translator officially authorized by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A standard notarized translation or a translation by a general certified translator is not equivalent and will not be accepted by Spanish immigration authorities.

The translation must cover the full document, including the apostille page. Submit the original apostilled certificate together with the sworn translation as a single set.

Validity period

Note on pareja de hecho

Pareja de hecho (registered civil partnership) is Spain's alternative to marriage for the purposes of residency family reunification. If you and your partner are not legally married but wish to include them in your Spanish residency application, the pareja de hecho route may be available — but it carries different documentation requirements and processes. Ask your immigration adviser about this option and what it requires in your specific situation.