Legalisation of documents

Documents issued abroad

The documents issued abroad that are submitted to the UVic-UCC (including translations) must be official and issued by the competent authorities in compliance with the legal system of the corresponding country and legalised, if necessary. Two certified copies of each original document must be submitted with the corresponding sworn translation*.

Documents that must be legalised

• University Degrees
• Academic Certificates (these must include all the taken and passed subjects, the number of hours/credits, the corresponding grades, and must also specify the grading system applied).

If issued in one of the European Union member countries and EHEA signatories, no legalisation of any kind is required.

• See the list of countries that are members of the European Union and signatories of the EHEA agreement.

Countries that have signed The Hague Convention. In this case, it will be sufficient to have a single legalisation or apostille and signature by the authorities of the country where the document was issued.

• The apostille must be included in the document before any certified copy is made.
• Consult the countries that have signed the Convention.
• Steps to follow to obtain an apostille:
  • Recognition or legalisation of signatures at the competent authority; in most countries this is the Ministry of Education.
  • Apostille, after the diligence, and on the same document: the competent authority will issue the apostille.

Countries that have signed the Andrés Bello Convention. If the country has also singed The Hague Convention, the above steps can be followed. Otherwise, the documents must be legalised through diplomatic channels:

• The document must be legalised before any certified copy is made.
• Consult the countries that have signed the Andrés Bello Convention.
• Authorities involved in the process:
  • Ministry of Education or competent authority of the country of origin in the case of diplomas and educational certificates, and the corresponding ministry in the case of birth and nationality certificates.
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country where these documents were issued.
  • The Spanish consular or diplomatic representation in the country of origin.
• Steps to be taken to obtain legalisation:
  • Recognition of signatures. Issued by the competent authority (normally the Ministry of Education) of the country where the document was issued.
  • Legalisation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After obtaining the diligence and on the same document, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or competent authorities will issue the legalisation diligence.
  • Legalisation at the Spanish Consulate / Embassy in the country of the academic documents. The last step is to go to the Spanish Consulate or Embassy in the country where the degree was obtained so that they can recognise the signature on the legalisation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If the country has not signed any of these agreements, the documents must be legalised through diplomatic channels:

• The document must be legalised before any certified copy is made.
• Authorities involved in the process:
  • The Ministry of Education of the country of origin for diplomas and certificates of studies, and the corresponding ministry for birth and nationality certificates.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country where these documents were issued.
  • Diplomatic or consular representation of Spain in that country.
• Steps to be taken to obtain legalisation:
  • Diligence of recognition of signatures. This is issued by the competent authority (normally the Ministry of Education) in the country where the document was issued.
  • Legalisation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • Once the diligence has been obtained and on the same document, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or competent authorities will issue the legalisation diligence.
  • Legalisation at the Spanish Consulate / Embassy in the country where the academic documents were issued. The last step consists of going to the Spanish Consulate or Embassy in the country where the degree was obtained so that they can recognise the signature on the legalisation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • ONLY IF APPLICABLE: Legalisation at the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (in Madrid). In certain cases, it is considered convenient for the Spanish MAE (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to recognise the signature of the authority or of the Spanish Consulate official who has legalised the document (the one in step 3).

* Sworn translations of documents issued abroad.

The language of the procedures processed by the General State Administration is Spanish or the co-official language of the Autonomous Community. Consequently, the rules governing these procedures require that documents issued abroad must be accompanied by an official Spanish, Catalan or English translation. The official translation can be done:

• By a sworn translator, duly authorised or registered in Spain.
• By any diplomatic or consular representation of the Spanish State abroad.
• Through the diplomatic or consular representation in Spain of the country of citizenship of the person making the request or of the country from which the document originates.