Last Updated on May 2, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
I’ve submitted my Spain non lucrative visa application to the consulate in my area (Chicago), and I’m being asked to resubmit the medical certificate with a translation and to get an apostille. Does anyone know how to get it? I’ve only done the apostille process for official documents such as university diplomas or birth certificates. Thank you!
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“The medical certificate comes already translated, in both English and Spanish. It doesn’t need an apostille, just has to be printed on doctor letterhead, doc has to sign and stamp it.”
(Author) “Yes, that’s what is stated on the consulate’s website and those are the exact instructions I followed. Submitted my file to the consulate 3 weeks ago and they received a request from the office in Spain, rejecting the medical certificate because it lacks the apostille. I just wish everyone would be on the same page (consulates, extranjería, etc).”
“This is the first time in 7 years I have ever seen this request! It’s crazy! Spain has always accepted the bilingual one supplied by all the consulates. Never an apostille needed. I’m flabbergasted.”
“Me too! I’ve helped other people with their paperwork before and this has never been an issue before! Hopefully my lawyer can help me with this. I will keep everyone posted!”
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Explore Cities →“The only documents that need apostille are the FBI background check done by the state department in DC and your marriage certificate which needs to be apostilled by the state department of the state you got married in. The medical certificate does need to be translated not apostilled since it is not a government document.”
(Author) “Unfortunately this is coming directly from the Extranjería Office handling my case in Spain, through the Consulate in the US. I agree with you but I wonder if this can be appealed or just get an extension before they file away my file.”
“If I’m not mistaken only government issued documents can be apostilled. I’ve never heard of a consulate requiring one for a medical certificate. But translation, yes sometimes. Which consulate is this?”
(Author) “This is for Chicago. But it’s actually the ‘Oficina de Extranjería’ in Spain who is asking for this. My file is already being reviewed and they just sent this request to the consulate.”
“Oh boy.. Chicago is my BLS too. Following!!”
“This doesn’t sound right. Every US consulate accepts the official medical certificate if filled out properly, not apostilled and it comes translated already.”
“Never heard of this either.”
(Author) “I’ve found that the medical certificate needs to be notarized first, then you can submit to the state for the apostille, and THEN have it translated. Honestly it’s my first time hearing of this as it is also not specified as a requirement on the consulate’s website but who knows.”
“That honestly sounds like total nonsense. I’m really sorry if they actually make you do that. The medical certificate is such a joke of a document in general honestly, the consulates don’t even care about what the doctors do in order to sign it or whether you’re actually healthy, they just care about the piece of paper. So ridiculous to make the process even more difficult than it already is over something so trivial.”
(Author) “I know. I have an immigration lawyer in Spain who has been guiding me through the process, I’ll talk to her tomorrow. They also only gave me a 10 day window, it’s already been 4 days LOL. by the time the consulate notified me.”
(Author) “Ok so update!!
I ended up getting the doctor’s signature notarized, then the apostille (from the State of Michigan) and a translation. I spent a good chunk of money but was finally able to submit it to the consulate.
The consulate explained that they had never seen this request previous either and are curious whether they will start asking for it.
FYI- the office handling my case is in Barcelona, I know procedures and timelines depend on the region in Spain where the case is being processed.
So my best advice for everyone is to ask the consulate to make sure the Medical Certificate does not need an apostille because it is a tricky process.”
“For applications at the UK Consulates they always ask for an Apostille on the medical certificate.”
“It’s the first time I hear about this request. Please keep us posted!”
“Maybe they are copying the UK Consulates, they have always asked for an Apostille on the medical cert.” – “Possibly.”
Conclusion
Based on Spainguru’s Facebook group members’ experience, a medical certificate for Spain visa applications usually does not require an apostille when issued correctly on doctor letterhead with a bilingual format (English and Spanish).
However, in some cases, particularly when the Extranjería Office in Spain gets involved, additional requirements like notarization, apostille, and translation have been unexpectedly requested.
This unusual situation, reported by applicants dealing with the Barcelona Extranjería via the Chicago consulate, highlights the importance of checking directly with the consulate handling your file.
When in doubt, notarizing and apostilling the certificate can help avoid delays, though this is costly and not normally necessary. Regional variations in Spain can significantly affect document requirements, even if not officially listed online.
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