Question
Let’s be real – who is using online translation (Google, AI, etc.) vs. paying a translator for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa application?
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Spain Digital Nomad Visa group members:
“Everything that needs translating except for the CV must be done by a sworn translator registered with the Spanish government. They will put their stamp and license number on both documents, the original and the translated version.
So no, not possible to use Google or AI unless you are going to start faking translators’ stamps. Many also put their digital signature on too.”
“There are Spanish government-approved translators who live in the UK, so yes, you can use one of them. But in reality, as it’s done by PDF and email, it doesn’t matter where they are. So long as they are on the official list.”
“Things that need jurado translation are explicitly listed in the submission form. Everything else, including bank statements, invoices, and letters from a current company, can be translated by simple translation.
Google Translate or DeepL works absolutely fine even with their logo on the top. The only thing to check carefully is the spelling of personal names and company names, so it matches exactly with your documents.”
“I’ve never submitted invoices or bank statements translated, sworn or otherwise, so long as they are in the Latin alphabet. On the application portal, it states that the work contract needs to be sworn translated but doesn’t say that the company letter needs to be translated at all! The only one that says ‘traducción simple’ is the CV.
If you’ve got an approval with less being sworn translated, then you’re lucky. But as a consultant, it’s my job to present an application so that it’s correct and has the best chance of going straight through.
So anything that is an official document or that is signed by a third party needs a sworn translation. Bank statements don’t, as long as they are clear with names and numbers. I always clearly mark the payments going in.”
“I’ve submitted dozens of applications. Each one with a company letter translated with Google Translate. UGE never asked for it to be sworn translated. As a consultant, you can play it overly safe and tell your clients to translate everything jurado (Sworn). Or you can act in the best interests of your clients and advise them how to save several hundred euros on unnecessary sworn translations.”
“It’s really only the one-page authorization letter that we are talking about. So 36 euros. I don’t get invoices or bank statements translated at all and have never had an issue. But thanks for the heads-up. I might try the simple translation for the authorization letter for a willing client and see!
I know the other consultants I know will get it sworn translated, but as you say, it doesn’t say it needs to be. In fact, it doesn’t even say it needs to be translated at all, which is odd!”
“There are many countries that use alphabets different from Latin. Even with the Latin alphabet, a language itself can be so different from Spanish or English that you will need to translate these documents anyway. Strictly speaking, there’s an official requirement to submit all documents in Spanish, with no exclusions for Latin alphabet-based languages.
Using simple translation for bank statements (in my practice, they could be anywhere between 1 and 20 pages), invoices (at least 3 pages as we need to cover 3 months of invoicing), and company letters quickly add up to significant savings.
There are also other less obvious but 100% working ways to save on jurado translation. An extract from the company registry can be very long in some countries. For example, in Russia, it includes all the data for all name changes, address changes, directorship changes, classification code changes, etc.
I’ve seen an extract 25 pages long for a company in operation since the early 2000s. But the only information UGE needs is the date of incorporation, which is present on the first or second page of the extract.
They will accept a sworn translation with just the first 2 pages, the last page, and the apostille page. So 4 pages instead of 25 – can be around 700-800 euros saved. Again, this is not luck; it was proved by multiple submissions that were reviewed and approved by different people at UGE – Manuel, Francisco, Luis, Maria.”
“Using simple translation for bank statements and invoices is not a saving at all, as they don’t need to be submitted in Spanish anyway, so it’s an unnecessary exercise. And of course, before submitting documents for a sworn translation, the consultant needs to check that only the info that’s relevant for the UGE is sworn translated. I also black out large parts of contracts, for example.”
“Wait, how are bank statements and invoices not needed to be in Spanish? I doubt that UGE will be happy to receive a bank statement in Hebrew or Ukrainian.”
“There are always exceptions, and I recommend going for safe!”
“You must use sworn translators appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Here are Spainguru’s recommended sworn translators.”
Conclusion
Applicants for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa need to be aware of the translation requirements. Officially, all documents must be in Spanish, but there is debate over which documents require a sworn translation (traducción jurada) and which can be translated simply using AI tools like Google Translate or DeepL.
Sworn translations are mandatory for key documents such as the work contract, while documents like bank statements and invoices may be accepted in their original form if they are in the Latin alphabet.
Some applicants have successfully used AI translations for company letters and authorization forms, while others prefer to err on the side of caution and get everything officially translated by sworn translators.
While saving money on unnecessary translations is an option, applicants should be aware that consulate and UGE requirements may differ. Consulting with professionals or checking recent approvals can help ensure a smooth application process.
Join our community!
Make sure to join our dedicated Spain Digital Nomad Visa group here!
