By Dr Andrew Smith | Medical Director, Wilmer Health | Published: 26 April 2026
This guide is reviewed regularly to reflect current Spanish consulate requirements. Last updated April 2026 by Dr Andrew Smith, Medical Director, Wilmer Health. For specific advice about your individual application, contact us at hello@wilmerhealth.com.
If you’ve come across the term “bilingual medical certificate” while researching your Spanish visa application, you’re probably wondering whether it removes the need for a separate sworn translation. The short answer is yes — and that’s a bigger deal than it might sound.
This guide explains what a bilingual Spanish visa medical certificate is, why it removes the translation requirement, what it means for applicants in the UK, the USA, and beyond, and how to get one. For the full picture on the medical certificate process, read our complete guide — Spanish Visa Medical Certificate in the UK: Everything You Need to Know (2026).
A bilingual Spanish visa medical certificate is a medical certificate issued in both English and Spanish on the same document. Rather than receiving an English-only certificate and then arranging a separate sworn translation, the Spanish text is included from the outset by the issuing doctor or provider.
The certificate contains the same declaration as a standard certificate — confirming that you don’t suffer from any diseases with serious public health implications under the International Health Regulations (2005) — but in both languages simultaneously. Spanish consulates worldwide accept bilingual certificates as standard.
Yes — completely. If your certificate is issued in both English and Spanish, there is no need to arrange a separate sworn translation. The Spanish text is already part of the official document, signed and stamped by the issuing doctor.
This is one of the most significant advantages of a bilingual certificate. A sworn translation — produced by a translator officially registered with the Spanish government — typically costs between £60 and £100 in the UK, or $75 to $150 for applicants in the USA, with similar costs elsewhere. A bilingual certificate removes that cost and that step entirely.
Spanish consulates do not require a separate sworn translation if the certificate is already bilingual. The document is accepted as-is.
This depends on where you’re applying from.
UK applicants still need an apostille — the official FCDO stamp that makes your UK-issued certificate legally recognised in Spain. A bilingual certificate removes the translation step but not the apostille requirement. If you’re not sure how the apostille process works, our guide on getting an apostille for your Spanish visa medical certificate in the UK covers everything you need to know.
US applicants generally do not need an apostille for the medical certificate, though requirements can vary by consulate — always confirm with yours before submitting. For US applicants, a bilingual certificate effectively handles all the language requirements in one document, making it the simplest option available.
Applicants from other countries should check with their specific Spanish consulate whether an apostille or legalisation is required. The bilingual format itself is accepted universally.
No translation cost: The most obvious saving. Sworn translations for Spanish visa documents typically cost between £60 and £100 — sometimes more. A bilingual certificate removes this cost entirely. See our full breakdown of Spanish visa medical certificate costs for more detail.
Faster process: No need to find a sworn translator, brief them, wait for the translation to come back, and then send everything off together. With a bilingual certificate, the translation is done the moment the certificate is issued.
One less provider to coordinate: Every additional provider in your application process is another potential point of delay. A bilingual certificate means one less thing to chase.
Reduced rejection risk: Translation errors are one of the reasons applications get delayed or rejected. If the translation is wrong — even slightly — the consulate may reject the certificate. A bilingual certificate issued by a specialist provider eliminates this risk entirely, because there’s no separate translation to go wrong.
Accepted worldwide: Whether you’re applying from the UK, the USA, Australia, the UAE, or anywhere else, a bilingual certificate is accepted by Spanish consulates globally. The format is not specific to any one country.
No — not all providers issue certificates in bilingual format. Some issue English-only certificates and leave the applicant to arrange a separate sworn translation. Others may offer a bilingual option at an additional cost.
At Wilmer Health, every certificate we issue comes in bilingual format as standard — included in all packages at no extra cost. There’s nothing additional to request or pay for. For UK applicants, we can also handle the apostille as part of the same process, so everything is sorted together.
Whether you’re applying from the UK, the USA, or anywhere else in the world, Wilmer Health issues bilingual Spanish visa medical certificates as standard. English and Spanish on the same document, signed by a licensed doctor, accepted by Spanish consulates globally.
For UK applicants, we can handle the apostille alongside the certificate — everything in one process, with guaranteed turnaround times of 4, 5, or 10 working days. For US applicants and international applicants, the bilingual certificate is typically all you need on the language front.
Everything is done online, and we’re on hand seven days a week. Got a question before you apply? Drop us a message at hello@wilmerhealth.com — we’re always happy to help.