Libbie Stevens | Visa Advisor, Wilmer Health | Published: 10 May 2026
This guide is for informational purposes only and reflects requirements as understood in 2026. Visa requirements can vary by consulate and are subject to change. Always confirm specific requirements with the Spanish consulate or immigration authority handling your application. For specific advice about your individual application, contact us at hello@wilmerhealth.com.
If you are in the process of getting your ACRO certificate ready for a Spanish visa application, you may have come across the term “sworn translation” and wondered whether it applies to you — and what exactly it means.
The short answer is yes, your ACRO certificate needs to be accompanied by a sworn Spanish translation before it will be accepted as part of a Spanish visa application. But not all translations are equal, and submitting the wrong type is one of the more frustrating mistakes to make at this stage of the process — because it means starting the translation again from scratch.
This guide explains what a sworn translation is, why it is required, and what to look for when getting one. For a complete overview of everything your ACRO certificate needs before submission, see our complete UK guide to the ACRO certificate for a Spanish visa.
A sworn translation — known in Spanish as a traducción jurada — is a translation completed by a translator who has been officially accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The translator swears an oath that their translation is accurate and complete, and they stamp and sign the translation with their official credentials.
This is what makes it different from a standard translation or a certified translation. A standard translation is simply a translation completed by a bilingual professional. A certified translation adds a statement from the translator confirming accuracy — but the translator does not hold any official government accreditation.
A sworn translation, by contrast, is backed by an official government accreditation — and it is the only type of translation Spanish authorities will accept for a visa application.
Your ACRO certificate is issued in English. Spanish consulates and immigration authorities need to be able to read and assess it — and they require that assessment to be based on a translation they can trust as accurate.
By requiring a sworn translation specifically, Spanish authorities are ensuring that the person who translated your document is officially responsible for getting it right. A standard or certified translation gives them no such assurance.
This is where a lot of people get confused, so it is worth being clear:
Standard translation — completed by any bilingual professional. No formal accreditation required. Not accepted for Spanish visa applications.
Certified translation — the translator includes a signed statement confirming the translation is accurate. Still not the same as a sworn translation. Not accepted for Spanish visa applications.
Sworn translation (traducción jurada) — completed by a translator officially accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The translator stamps and signs the translation with their official credentials. This is the only type accepted for Spanish visa applications.
If you have already obtained a standard or certified translation of your ACRO certificate, it will need to be redone by an accredited sworn translator before your application can proceed.
Sworn translators accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs are listed on the Ministry’s official register. When commissioning a sworn translation, it is worth confirming that your translator appears on this register before proceeding — not all translators who describe themselves as “sworn” or “official” hold the specific Spanish Ministry accreditation that is required.
This is one of the areas where using a managed service has a clear advantage. Rather than researching and vetting translators yourself, Wilmer Health works with a network of accredited traductores jurados as part of our fully managed ACRO certificate service — so you can be confident the translation will be accepted. If you already have your apostilled certificate and just need the sworn translation arranged, we also offer a standalone Spanish sworn translation service for your ACRO certificate.
A correctly completed sworn translation will typically include:
If any of these elements are missing, the translation may not be accepted. Before submitting your application, run through our 2026 ACRO certificate requirements checklist to make sure everything is in order.
Yes, your ACRO certificate needs a sworn Spanish translation — a traducción jurada — completed by a translator accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A standard or certified translation will not be accepted, and getting this wrong means the translation will need to be redone.
If you want the sworn translation handled correctly as part of the full process — alongside your ACRO certificate application and apostille — Wilmer Health’s fully managed ACRO certificate service takes care of everything for £345, delivered within 12 working days.