Question
My partner and I decided to get married and we are going to do it through the Registro Civil in Valencia city. I was wondering if I need my birth certificate to be Apostilled (I am from Puerto Rico)? And what other documents do I need as well?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”I can’t speak for Valencia, because I did mine in Madrid, but I’m under the impression that any foreign birth certificate needs to be Apostilled (I needed it, from the US) and translated to Spanish if necessary. For Madrid I needed the following: -birth certificate (less than one year old), Apostilled and translated -Certificado de capacidad matrimonial o en su caso Certificado de soltería, según lo establezca la ley de su país. This doesn’t exist in the US so I printed a form from the embassy that states as much. They had me sign a document at the Registro Civil saying I was officially single. -padrón histórico (less than 3 months old) -NIE Again, it might be different for Valencia. Also, check how soon you can get an appointment. We made ours in August and the earliest available date was May”
”If it is stated as a requirement in the required documents section yes”
”El certificado de soltería and birth certificate I got it from PR and it beats having to get it translated. Plus they do the apostille as well. I did get documents in the U.S. before coming here so I wouldn’t know the timeframe for shipping here. Used a service”
So in conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, for your marriage registration in Valencia, it’s recommended to Apostille your Puerto Rican birth certificate and potentially translate it into Spanish. You might also need a Certificado de Soltería or Certificado de Capacidad Matrimonial, a Padrón Histórico (residence record), and an NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero). Confirm exact requirements with the Valencian Registro Civil, and consider preparing a statement from the embassy if certain documents aren’t issued in Puerto Rico. Plan ahead due to possible appointment wait times.
