Sworn translation in Barcelona

From €39 + VAT per document

A sworn translation involves more than just translating a document and adding an official certification attesting that it is faithful to the original. It also requires knowledge of the procedures for each document and target country. Some countries may require a notary’s signature, while others may need a Hague apostille to certify the document at the international level. And in some cases, you may think that a sworn translation is required when in fact it is not. At Ampersand we have been providing sworn translation services in Barcelona for more than 25 years; consequently, we can guarantee the relevant support and guidance for each case and need.

We translate the following languages in both directions

SpanishCatalanEnglishFrenchGermanItalianRussian

For other languages, please contact us.

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The most frequently requested sworn translations

At Ampersand we can translate any document that requires legal certification, whether it is a document issued abroad that needs to be legally valid for use in Spain, or a Spanish document that needs to be legally valid for use abroad. The most common documents that require sworn translation are:

For general procedures:

  • Identity cards
  • Driving licences
  • Hague apostilles

For studying or working:

  • University degree certificates
  • Academic records and certificates
  • Certificates of approval and validation
  • Language proficiency certificates
  • Criminal record certificates
  • Work and residence permits

To receive pensions, grants or inheritances, collect debts, etc.:

  • Certificates of life
  • Disability cards and certificates
  • Birth certificates and municipal registration certificates
  • Medical reports
  • Bank statements and certificates
  • Insurance policies
  • Death certificates
  • Commercial contracts
  • Legal claims

To marry, divorce, or adopt:

  • Civil status certificates
  • Marriage certificates
  • Adoption certificates
  • Tax returns
  • Settlement agreements
  • Family record books

For international mergers, acquisitions, and other business activities:

  • Trade register entries
  • Commercial and trade contracts
  • Annual accounts
  • Legal claims
  • Legal correspondence
  • Articles of association
  • Deeds of incorporation
  • Minutes of shareholders’ meetings
  • Powers of attorney

We specialise in sworn translation services for professionals and companies

Our 2,000-plus clients include international companies, law firms, tax consultants and other professionals, who have entered into collaboration agreements with us that are fully adapted in line with their work schedules and offer extremely competitive prices while guaranteeing the highest standards of quality and confidentiality. From the very start, we assign a dedicated team to each project and work with the most reliable partners (couriers, consultants, etc.) at both the national and international level.

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Do you need a sworn translation? We make it very easy for you

At Ampersand we provide definitive, bespoke quotes and time frames after evaluating each document individually.

Why entrust your translations to Ampersand?

25 years of experience

As one of the longest-established agencies for sworn translation in Barcelona, we know the main procedures that require sworn translation and those that may have different requirements in each country. This enables us to advise our clients, of whom more than 2,000 have entrusted us with their translations.

In-house translators

Unlike agencies that operate exclusively online and only use freelance translators, we have our own offices and a stable, motivated team of experienced translators who specialise in the most in-demand European languages, are native speakers of the target language and boast skills that have been proven by our in-house selection system.

Personalised service

Each project is assigned to a dedicated manager who has a thorough knowledge of each client. This enables us to reduce response times, anticipate and address any new needs that may arise and ensure that all of our work meets even the most stringent requirements.

Flexibility regarding projects

Thanks to our innovative organisational systems, we are able to handle projects of all sizes and characteristics, and for both individuals and companies (which are our speciality). Moreover, we provide bespoke solutions adapted in line with the client’s schedule and their requirements with regard to speed, quality and confidentiality.

Transparent prices

Most common documents can be translated at our basic rate of €39 + VAT, or from €0.13 per word for documents of varying length. However, in order to avoid compromising the quality of the end product, we cannot provide an exact quote and time frame until we have analysed the documents that are to be translated.

Tight deadlines

We know that certified translations are needed for procedures with strict deadlines. That's why we work with well-defined workflows and monitor them with management tools that ensure that each stage of the process is completed within the planned schedule.

Sworn translation: FAQ

Do you have any doubts? Perhaps you can solve some of them by taking a look at questions that our customers often ask us.

I have to translate a document that concerns a legal matter. Do I need a sworn translation?

Not necessarily. Generally, sworn translations are required when the document in question needs to be legally valid. For example, it may not be necessary to provide a foreign company with a sworn translation of a purchase agreement; however, if the agreement is to form part of a legal claim filed in the foreign country in question, then a sworn translation will be required. At Ampersand we guide and advise our clients if they have any doubts over the need for a sworn translation. We recommend that they determine whether or not a sworn translation is required, as sometimes it is not necessary to make the extra investment in this type of translation when a non-certified specialised translation will suffice.

How long does a sworn translation usually take?

It depends on the document that is to be translated. To ensure maximum reliability, a sworn translation may need several days or weeks to complete, depending on the length of the document. Translating a driving licence is not the same as translating an insurance policy or a set of annual accounts. If you would like to know the exact time frame for translating your document, ask us for a no-obligation quote, making sure to send us the material that is to be translated. We will then set a specific deadline, which we will comply with scrupulously. If you need the translation urgently, tell us in the message you send via the quote form, and we will adjust the time frame as much as possible.

Do you do sworn translations in both directions, i.e. so that they are valid in Spain or abroad?

Yes. We have an in-house team of translators who are native speakers of the target languages that are most in demand at the European level (English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Polish, Dutch and Portuguese). We also take on projects in other languages, including those for which there are few sworn translators in Spain.

Do I need a Hague apostille for my sworn translation?

It depends on the document, as some are exempt from this requirement. We recommend that our clients find out whether an apostille is needed by checking with the body that requires the sworn translation. If an apostille is needed, they will need to request it in the country where the document was issued, whether in person or through the embassy or consulate, as Spain does not have the jurisdiction to provide an apostille in such cases. However, if the document requiring an apostille was issued in Spain, the apostille can be obtained from bodies such as the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education, notaries’ associations, etc., depending on the type of document.

My document is in a co-official language (Catalan, Basque, Galician). Can you carry out a sworn translation directly into another language?

Yes. In addition to the sworn translators certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Spain there are also sworn translators certified by the Government of Catalonia’s General Directorate for Language Policy, the Government of Galicia’s General Secretariat for Language Policy and the Government of the Basque Country’s Secretariat for Language Policy, all of whom are authorised to carry out sworn translations for the corresponding co-official language.

Can you provide sworn translations for source and target languages that are neither Spanish nor a co-official language of Spain?

Not directly. The law stipulates that sworn translations carried out by a sworn translator certified by a Spanish institution must first be translated into Spanish. Therefore, if you require (for example) a sworn translation from English into French, we can do it, but in two stages: from English into Spanish, and then from Spanish into French.