How a Florida marriage certificate is used in Spain
If a Spaniard marries in Florida, Spain's Ministry of Justice says the marriage is recorded at the Registro Civil of the couple's domicile in Spain, or the process can start at the Registro Civil Central. The Florida certificate must be apostilled and, being in English, translated by a sworn translator. The registrar can interview each spouse separately and will ask for proof that any earlier marriage was dissolved. Florida's certificate must carry the State Registrar's or a County Court Clerk's signature, certified in 2014 or later.
Translation for Spain
Our general rule is a translation certified by the translator, notarized by a different notary and apostilled in Florida. Spain may instead require a traducción jurada by a sworn translator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which publishes a searchable list. For nationality files, the Ministry of Justice also accepts translations done or checked at Spanish consulates abroad. Translate after the apostille and include the apostille page.
What your Florida marriage certificate must look like
Two versions can be apostilled: a certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics (signed by the State Registrar; the $10 state apostille fee applies) or a certified copy from the Clerk of Court in the county that issued the license (the $20 state fee applies). The decorative certificate from the ceremony and church certificates cannot be apostilled. Vital Statistics copies certified before 2014 must be replaced; order a new one through VitalChek or the county clerk. The state fee is included in our price either way.
Step by step: marriage certificate apostille for Spain
- Order online — pick "Marriage certificate" and "Spain" on the order form; $220 per document, $380 for two, $160 each for three or more.
- Send a photo — reply to the confirmation email with a picture of the document. We check the certification before anything ships, so a defect is caught before it costs you a round trip.
- Drop it at FedEx — after approval, FedEx emails you a prepaid QR code; show it at any FedEx Office or Ship Center, no printer or label needed.
- Filed in person in Tallahassee — we walk the document into the Florida Department of State and ship the apostilled original back by FedEx within 5–7 business days of receipt — to your U.S. address, or to Spain with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for Spain. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.