Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Can anyone who has submitted bank statements for their non lucrative Spain visa application confirm if the lack of a bank signature prevented them from obtaining an Apostille?
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These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”Following as I am about to apply to SF! I was told they only need to be translated, and some banks will give you certified balances so you don’t need the 3 months. Good luck”
”We sold our house before we had our appointment and we had that large balance just sitting there. I called Schwab and had them send a signed paper on letterhead that said this was all available for withdrawal with no limits and it worked”
”The website says apostilled or legalized. We had our notarized for Los Angeles”
”Only government-issued documents can be apostilled (background check, marriage certificate, birth certificate). The statements only need to be translated. We use the SF consulate as well”
”Bank Satements cannot be apostilled because they are not Government issued documents”
”No need to Apostille Bank statements ONLY GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS”
”Just printed ours and submitted no translation as figures and no problems”
”We didn’t get our bank statement apostilled or translated. Just submitted them with a bank stamp and they were fine”
”No Apostille needed. In fact, only govt issued docs can be Apostilled”
”Yes only need to worry about apostille for government legal docs like marriage and birth certificates and background checks”
”I applied through the Edinburgh consulate, 12 months bank statements were required but translation and apostille wasn’t”
”I didn’t need to Apostille our bank statements. The email from the consulate should state exactly what needs to be taken and it’s usually 12 months not 3 I’m afraid”
In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, the general consensus among the group members is that bank statements do not require an Apostille since they are not government-issued documents. Instead, they usually need to be translated if necessary and submitted with a bank stamp or certified balance. Apostilles are typically required for government-issued documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and background checks. It’s important to refer to the specific requirements provided by the consulate or embassy handling the visa application to ensure compliance.
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