The Democratic Memory route has closed
Let's be straight with you: if you're reading about "Ley de Nietos" on an old forum, the window has shut. The Spanish Embassy in Washington announced that the period to request appointments under the Democratic Memory Law (Law 20/2022) ended on October 22, 2025, and no new appointment requests have been accepted since October 23.
If you requested an appointment in time and received proof of that, the embassy says you'll be given credentials to choose a date to submit documents, and your file must include proof that you requested the appointment within the deadline. If you're in that group, the Florida documents below still apply to you. Everyone else needs one of the routes that remain open.
The routes Floridians still use
At a high level, and always confirmed with the office that will decide your case:
- A child of a Spanish parent, born in Florida. The birth is registered in the Spanish Civil Registry through the consulate. The Spanish Consulate General in Miami's birth registration checklist asks for the child's local birth certificate (original and copy, no apostille listed), the Spanish parent's literal birth certificate issued within the last six months, and the parents' marriage certificate or Libro de Familia. If one parent isn't Spanish, that parent's birth certificate must be legalized or apostilled. That's usually the Florida document we file.
- A marriage between a Spaniard and a non-Spaniard in Florida. Spain's Ministry of Justice guidance registers it at the Registro Civil of the spouses' domicile in Spain, or through the Registro Civil Central. It asks for the apostilled local marriage certificate with a sworn translation, the foreign spouse's birth certificate, and proof that any earlier marriage was dissolved.
- Nationality by residence. Handled by the Ministry of Justice after years of legal residence in Spain. Its notice on legalizations requires foreign documents to be legalized or apostilled, with translations done or checked at a Spanish consular office or by a sworn translator.
- Residence without citizenship. Most Floridians moving to Spain start with a national visa such as the non-lucrative residence visa, then a foreigner's identity card (TIE) once in Spain.
Residence visas and the NIE: where Florida documents come in
Spain's Ministry of Inclusion publishes the requirements for the initial non-lucrative residence authorization (information sheet 6). The points that matter for Florida paperwork:
- Criminal record certificate from your country of origin or any country where you lived in the five years before entering Spain.
- Every foreign public document must be legalized by the Spanish consular office, unless it carries an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention.
- Translations into Spanish (or the co-official language where you apply) by a sworn translator.
- A medical certificate, plus proof of funds and insurance.
Timing from the same sheet: the authority has one month to decide after the consulate forwards the file, approved visas must be collected within a month, and once you enter Spain you apply in person for the TIE within one month.
Which criminal record? Read the consulate's wording. If it wants a U.S. nationwide record, that's the FBI Identity History Summary, a federal document authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, not by Florida. We don't handle federal documents. If a state-level record is acceptable or also required, an FDLE background check works, but only the certified version notarized at issuance can be apostilled. See FDLE and sheriff's letters for apostille.
The NIE. According to Spain's Ministry of the Interior, people with economic, professional or social interests in Spain, such as buying property, apply for an NIE, and applications from abroad go through the Spanish consular office for your place of residence. The NIE itself rarely needs Florida documents. What often does is the power of attorney you sign so someone in Spain can apply for it and complete a purchase for you.
How each Florida document must be prepared
- Birth certificates. Certified by the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or a county health department and signed by the State Registrar. We don't accept vital records certified before 2014, because the signature on file must be the current State Registrar's. Order a fresh copy through VitalChek. See birth certificate for Spain.
- Marriage certificates. Signed by the State Registrar or a Clerk of the County Court. See marriage certificate for Spain.
- Divorce judgments. Spain wants proof a prior marriage ended. Use the final judgment certified by the Clerk of Court, with an original wet-ink certification or the clerk's official e-certification, not a printout. See court records.
- Powers of attorney for a notario, an NIE or a purchase. A complete Florida notarial certificate in English: venue, date, signer's name, ID method, the notary's signature and seal. With our online notarization you sign by secure video and never ship paper.
- Diplomas and transcripts for degree recognition or a student visa. The registrar must sign before a notary when the school issues the copy. See diploma for Spain.
- FDLE checks. Requested from FDLE as the certified, notarized version. See FDLE background check for Spain.
Translation: Spain means traductor jurado
Our general rule for translations used abroad: the translator certifies the translation, signs before a different notary, and the notarized translation gets its own Florida apostille. Spain is a country that may require something else instead. When a Spanish office asks for an official translation, it means a traducción jurada by a sworn translator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which publishes a searchable list of sworn translators and their languages. For nationality files, the Ministry of Justice also accepts translations done or checked at a Spanish consular office.
A Florida certified translation isn't a traducción jurada unless the translator holds the Spanish title. Check the ministry's list before you pay, translate after the apostille, and ask the translator to include the apostille page.
Order of operations and realistic timing
Filing yourself by mail with the Florida Department of State commonly takes several weeks door to door. We file in person in Tallahassee and return documents in 5–7 business days, which matters when a criminal record or visa file is on a clock. Pricing: $220 for one document, $380 for two, and $160 each for three or more, including the state fee and FedEx inside the U.S. Certified-copy fees and notarization aren't included; online notarization is $40 for the first document ($10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee) and $20 for each additional one. Shipping to Spain is a flat $100 per order.
Get the receiving office's list
Consulate, Registro Civil, Ministry of Justice or visa section. Each publishes its own checklist.
Order fresh certified copies
Vital records certified in 2014 or later, clerk-certified judgments, the certified FDLE record.
Request any federal records separately
An FBI check goes to the U.S. Department of State for its apostille. Start early.
Apostille the Florida documents
One order covers them all, at bundle pricing.
Sworn translation
A traductor jurado translates each apostilled document, apostille page included.
File as one package
Keep originals, apostilles and translations together.
Checklist for Spain
Before you place the order:
- You know whether your case is a birth registration, marriage registration, nationality by residence or a residence visa.
- Democratic Memory applicants: proof of a timely appointment request is in your file.
- Vital records certified in 2014 or later, signed by the State Registrar (or a Clerk for marriage).
- Divorce judgments certified by the Clerk of Court.
- You've confirmed which criminal record the consulate wants: FBI (federal), FDLE (Florida) or both.
- POAs carry a complete Florida notarial certificate.
- A traductor jurado is booked for after the apostille.
- Shipping to Spain? Add $100 per order.