Libbie Stevens, Spanish Visa Advisor @ Wilmer Health | 18th April 2025 | hello@wilmerhealth.com
If you’re planning to apply for a long-stay Spanish visa — you’ll need a Visa Medical Certificate of Good Health. This certificate demonstrates you’re free from any contagious diseases that could pose a public health risk in Spain.
That said, one of the most common questions people have is: when should I get my medical certificate? Should you get it sorted early to be ahead of the game? Or is it better to wait until closer to your consulate appointment? In this article, we’ll walk you through the ideal timing and everything you need to consider before applying for your medical certificate.
The Spanish consulate in the UK asks that your medical certificate is recent and dated within 3 months of your visa appointment. If it’s older than that, they will likely reject it, and you could have to rebook your appointment — which means delays!
That’s why it’s important to get the timing right. If you get your certificate too early, it might expire before your appointment. If you leave it too late, you might not get it back in time — as arranging the apostille and sworn Spanish translation can take time.
To stay on the safe side, we recommend:
As part of your Spanish visa application, the Medical Certificate of Good Health must be both translated into Spanish and legalised with an apostille stamp. This process can take 7 to 10 working days, and possibly longer during busy periods — especially if documents need to be sent between providers.
Leaving it to the last minute can be risky – so give yourself enough time to get all of this sorted.
👉 You can learn more about how to get your Spanish visa medical certificate translated in our handy guide.
At Wilmer Health, we specialise in providing medical certificates for Spanish visas – available to you from the comfort of your home. Our certificates are issued by doctors registered with the FCDO, so you can be confident they’ll meet the Spanish consulate’s requirements.
Everything is handled online, and we’ll post your documents anywhere in the UK — helping you stay on schedule and avoid last-minute stress.
And that’s not all, we also provide a FREE certified translation of your visa medical certificate – saving you £110+ in sworn translation fees.
Complete our secure online form and answer some questions about your medical history – it takes just 5 minutes.
One of our doctors will assess your form and prepare a certificate that meets all Spanish consulate requirements.
We’ll send you a digitally signed copy by email and a physical copy by tracked post. Your certificate will be translated into Spanish, signed in ink, and stamped — exactly as required by the consulate.
Need your certificate legalised? No problem — select our apostille add-on during checkout and we’ll handle the full legalisation process on your behalf, then deliver the final document directly to your UK address.
To make sure your certificate stays valid for your consulate appointment, it’s best to arrange your Spanish Visa Medical Certificate around 4 to 6 weeks in advance. If you also need a Spanish translation or apostille, allowing extra time is a smart move.
Getting this step sorted early means fewer surprises later — and with the right support, it’s one of the easiest parts of your visa journey. Get your Visa Medical Certificate for Spain sorted with Wilmer Health today — fully compliant, with FREE translation, and ready when you need it.
Same-day medical certificates and doctor’s letters, all from the comfort of your home — quick, easy, and hassle-free.
hello@wilmerhealth.com
All certificate requests submitted before 9pm (BST) are issued the same day.
