If you have read somewhere that you should "get your documents apostilled and send them over", that guide was not written for Iran. Iran is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so no authority in Iran issues an apostille, and no Iranian document is made valid by one.
Iranian documents follow a separate route called consular legalisation. It is longer, has more steps, and if you skip one link the whole chain is void — the document comes back and you start again.
The correct chain
For an Iranian document to be accepted in Spain it must pass through:
| Step | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The issuing body | The original, sealed and signed (civil registry, university, police…) |
| 2 | Official court-certified translator | Sworn translation into Spanish |
| 3 | Ministry of Justice | Certifies the translator's seal and signature |
| 4 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Certifies the Ministry of Justice seal — legalisation |
| 5 | Spanish embassy in Tehran | Final certification, where your file requires it |
Do not reorder these. The translation happens immediately after you obtain the original, because what the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs certify is the sworn translation itself — not the Persian document. Go to the Ministry of Justice first and translate afterwards, and you end up with an uncertified translation and have to start again.
After step four the document is legalised and ready for the embassy. This chain does what a single apostille stamp does in convention countries.
Why translation is step two
This is what causes more rework than anything else.
In Iran, what gets certified is the sworn translation, not the Persian document. A court-certified translator produces and seals the translation; the Ministry of Justice then certifies that translator's signature, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs certifies the Ministry of Justice seal.
So if you take the Persian document straight to the Ministry of Justice, you have skipped a step, and you end the process holding a translation that carries no certification at all.
Two practical points:
- The translation must be done by an official court-certified translator, not any translation office.
- Names, dates of birth and passport numbers in the translation must match your passport exactly. A single letter's difference in the Latin spelling of a name causes trouble later at the Spanish immigration office. Check these character by character before the translation is sealed.
Which documents you will typically need
It depends on your route, but these are nearly always on the list:
- Criminal record certificate — translated and through the full chain
- Birth and marriage certificates — for family files and reunification
- Academic qualifications — for a student visa or regulated professions
- Medical certificate — in the specific format the embassy requires
- Proof of funds and bank statements — for non-lucrative and most other routes
- Employment and social security records — for self-employment and entrepreneur files
Expiry dates: the part everyone forgets
This is the most important section of this article.
A criminal record certificate is usually valid for only three to six months. So is a medical certificate. If you obtain it first and then spend three months gathering everything else, it has expired by filing day — and you must repeat the entire five-step chain for that one document.
The right order is: undated documents first (birth certificate, degrees, marriage certificate) and dated documents last (criminal record, medical certificate, bank statements).
Four common mistakes
- Getting the order wrong. Translation first, then Ministry of Justice and Foreign Affairs. The other way round leaves you with an uncertified translation and a fresh start.
- Obtaining dated documents too early. Explained above; the most common cause of rework.
- Using a non-certified translator. The Ministry of Justice only certifies court-registered translators; anyone else means wasted money and weeks.
- Copies instead of originals. Most Spanish authorities want the legalised original.
How long does it take?
Realistic, not optimistic:
- Sworn translation: a few days to a week per batch of documents
- Ministry of Justice and Foreign Affairs certification: days to weeks depending on the city
- Spanish embassy appointment in Tehran: usually the bottleneck, and can take weeks or months
Allow at least two to three months for an ordinary file — more for a family where several people's documents are needed.
This can all be done from Iran
Yes, and most of our clients do exactly that. We give you the precise document list for your file, sequence them so nothing expires, and handle the filing and follow-up in Spain once the documents arrive.
A generic checklist will not help you — yours depends on the route, your family situation and your destination city. Write to us and we will send the list and its timing for your case.
What happens after you arrive is covered in your first 90 days.
This page is general information and does not replace legal advice on your own case. Spanish immigration rules change often — talk to us before making a decision.