Visa application process and the bureaucracy surrounding it are a source of headache and stress for many people.
Are you originally from a country outside the Schengen Area and need a visa to come to Spain? You came to Spain on holidays but would like to live here for a longer period? Do you plan to study, work, research or just reside here while learning the language and getting to know the culture? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes” and you are in the process of applying for a Spanish visa, you have come to the right place!
If you are applying for a visa to move to Spain, you will most likely need to have some of your vital records translated. Some documents that typically need translation for a visa application include: criminal records, marriage certificate, birth certificates for your children, proof of insurance, proof of income, medical certificate and a certificate of medical insurance. The required documents vary depending on what type of visa you are requesting.
There are three types of long-term visas to reside in Spain:
- Residency visa: you are allowed to reside in Spain, but not to work or to perform any professional activity. A common subtype of residency visa is the Non-Lucrative Residence Visa.
- Work and Residence visa: you are allowed to work in the country.
- Student visa: you can study, carry out research or participate in an internship.
These three types of long-term visa have several subtypes with different particularities.
Depending on what type of visa you are interested in pursuing, you will need to submit different kinds of documents, but what they all will have in common is they need to be translated by a sworn/certified translator appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These translations must bear the seal and signature of the sworn translator in order to be accepted by the Spanish consulates and Spanish authorities.