Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Any idea if this would be okay for the Spain non lucrative visa? —I have the translation of the FBI Doc but before sending to get the actual doc and form Apostille, are these unofficial translators okay to use?”
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“If they are not in the list of the Foreign Ministry of approved sworn tranlators, no, they are not ok to use.
I believe the confusion comes from Miami’s Non Lucrative visa requirements page that has a link to “Translations: AMERICAN TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION: https://www.atanet.org/
This association has nothing to do with Spanish Sworn translators. This is a misleading mistake on their side that confuses everyone. American translators’ Association are not officially recognized by Spanish authorities.
The sworn translators must be in the Foreign Ministry’s list of approved sworn translators. https:/https://www.exteriores.gob.es/es/ServiciosAlCiudadano/Paginas/Traductores-Interpretes-Jurados.aspx?
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Explore Cities →Here you can find 2 recommended Spanish sworn translators and a self-service sworn translation service with urgent service (48hs/24hs/12hs delivery): https://spainguru.es/sworn-translations-spanish-translators-registered-with-ministry-foreign-affairs/“
“This is NOT an official translation. The FBI check must be apostilled and then officially translated by a sworn translator approved by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Trust this advice and search for approved translators in this and other related groups.”
“NO! You need a sworn translator aproved by the Spanish Ministry of foreign affairs. Trust me, I know for sure!! You can search this and other groups for good translators”
Conclusion
It is crucial for applicants of the Spain non lucrative visa to use only sworn translators approved by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their documents, such as the FBI criminal background check.
The American Translators Association is not recognized for these purposes, and using non-approved translators could lead to the rejection of the application.
Applicants should always verify translator credentials against the Foreign Ministry’s approved list to ensure compliance.
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