Government of Canada services and information in Madrid, Spain

Refer to International adoption.

Please consult the Spanish government’s website.

Surrogacy is not a practice formally recognized by the Spanish authorities in Spain.

Refer to Birth abroad.

If your child is born outside of Canada, you do not need to register the birth in Canada.

Canadian birth certificates are available from the Vital Statistics authorities in the province or territory in which the event occurred.

In Spain: The Civil Registry Office provides birth certificates.

Refer to Canadian citizenship.

Complete your application for a Canadian citizenship certificate online or present your application to the Embassy by mail or in person by booking an appointment.

Pay your application fees online before you apply for citizenship services.

Refer to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Criminal records. You will be asked to submit fingerprints. Contact the Embassy of Canada in Madrid, or the Consulates of Canada in Barcelona or Málaga to find out how to get your fingerprints taken.

Note: Canadian authorities do not issue certificates of good conduct.

Police clearance certificates

To get a police clearance certificate from the RCMP:

1. Request an introduction to Spanish authorities’ letter from the Embassy/Consulate of Canada in Spain nearest you (fees apply).
2. Submit the letter to local police to have your fingerprints taken.
3. Consult Steps for getting a certified criminal record check.

In Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga we can provide you with the address of the police service which can provide the fingerprint service. If you are in a different region of Spain you will need to contact your local national police office and ask for the “Policia cientifica, departamento de reseñas” to see if this service is available.

If the police clearance is to be presented to the Spanish authorities, then it will be necessary to have it authenticated for use in Spain. Please see instructions for the authentication of Canadian documents for use in Spain in the Notarial services section.

Spanish criminal records check

The Embassy/Consulate of Canada cannot request a Spanish police clearance certificate on behalf of a Canadian citizen. See the Spanish Ministry of Justice (in Spanish) for more information.

Refer to Death abroad.

The cause of death determines some of the actions that need to be taken. If Canadian consular officials are notified of the death first, they will make arrangements through the consular operations bureau in Ottawa to have the next of kin notified and put the family in touch with consular officials in Ottawa. The family will then need to make a decision on whether they wish the remains to be returned to Canada, or buried or cremated in the other country.

The repatriation of a deceased Canadian citizen is organized through a funeral home in Spain and a funeral home in Canada. Spanish funeral homes offer a complete service and will handle all the arrangements once the next of kin have authorized the funeral home to do so.

Canadian death certificates are available from the Vital Statistics authorities in the province or territory in which the event occurred.

In Spain: The Civil Registry Office provides death certificates.

Find information on Canadian divorce and separation.

To get a divorce certificate, but you are unsure where your divorce was filed, consult Canadian Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings.

Refer to Marriage outside Canada.

This information is non-official and subject to change by the Spanish authorities without notice. For complete information, please contact the Civil Registry, Court, City Hall or Church where the marriage is to be performed.

Canadian diplomatic and consular officers are not permitted under the law of Canada to solemnize marriages, nor can they allow the solemnization of marriages in the consular premises.

Note: In order to be married in Spain at least one of the two applicants must be a resident of Spain.

Civil marriage

Application for a civil marriage must be made, depending on the city, either to the Civil Registry or to the District Court (“Juzgado”). In Madrid the authority is the “Registro Civil” located at calle Pradillo 66, metro Alfonso XIII.

Below is a list of the documents often requested by Spanish authorities, however, please contact the authority which will perform your marriage for the complete list of required documents:

• An application form to be obtained from the Civil Registry or Court in whose jurisdiction the marriage is to take place.
• An original long-form birth certificate authenticated in Canada and translated into Spanish. The certificate usually needs to have been issued within the last year.
• A certificate of bachelorship or non-impediment to marriage. A declaration of bachelorship may be made at the Civil Registry in certain regions of Spain. If not possible, a sworn declaration of bachelorship* can be made before a consular officer at the Embassy or Consulates and a Statement in Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage* is issued to accompany it.
• Divorced/widowed: Original marriage and death or divorce certificates, as the case may be, which must be authenticated and translated into Spanish.
• Posting of banns: The Embassy or Consulates may issue a letter* saying that this is not required in Canada.
• Certificate of residence (“empadronamiento”): Residents of Spain may obtain this document from the “Tenencia de Alcaldía” in the district of residence. For non-residents, a sworn statement* declaring the addresses of the last two years is included in the aforementioned sworn declaration of bachelorship.
• A certificate of consular registration*: Issued by the Embassy or Consulates upon presentation of a valid Canadian passport and completion of the online registration of Canadians Abroad. This registration must include an address in Spain.

*Consular fees apply

To request the documents indicated above which can be issued by the Embassy of Canada please book a notarial appointment online and bring to the appointment the following documents:

• Valid Canadian passport
• Proof of Canadian citizenship (birth certificate or Certificate of Canadian citizenship) (original or certified true copy)
• Divorce certificate or death certificate (if previously married)
• Visa or MasterCard for the payment of the fees

Authentication of required documents: See instructions for the authentication of Canadian documents for use in Spain in the Notarial services section.

Translations

Translations should be done by a Spanish official translator. The Embassy does not provide translation services. A list of official Spanish translators may be found on the website of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Religious marriages

Religious catholic marriages are valid in Spain but must be registered. In order to register a marriage, the certificate issued by the Church must be taken to the Civil Registry in the jurisdiction it has taken place within one week after the ceremony.

Canadian marriage certificates are available from the Vital Statistics authorities in the province or territory in which the event occurred.

In Spain: The Civil Registry Office provides marriage certificates.

Consular officials do not provide any legal advice or represent a person in court. The Embassy provides the following notarial services, by appointment only, to Canadian citizens and, in limited cases, to non-Canadian citizens if the documents are intended for use in Canada.

Note: Documents must be in English or French, or accompanied by an official translation in English or French. Only an original document, bearing the signature of the competent authority, may be authenticated.

Authentication (authenticate that the document signature, the position of an official and the seal are genuine):

Canadian documents for use in Spain

• Documents issued in Canada must first be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Ottawa before the Spanish office in Canada will authenticate the documents (fees apply).

Once authenticated, then one of the following steps below is required to complete the authentication of a Canadian document for use in Spain:

• If the documents were issued in Ottawa or Gatineau, have the signature of the GAC official authenticated by the Embassy of Spain in Ottawa (PDF) (fees apply).
• If the documents were issued in Ontario (except Ottawa), Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut, have the signature of the GAC official authenticated by the Consulate General of Spain in Toronto (fees apply).
• If the documents were issued in Quebec (except Gatineau), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland, have the signature of the GAC official authenticated by the Consulate General of Spain in Montreal (fees apply).

Canadian documents for use in Andorra

Step 1

Send the original document to the Embassy of Canada in Madrid to have the signature of the issuing authority authenticated.

Embassy of Canada
Paseo de la Castellana, 259D
28046 Madrid, Spain
Attn: Consular Section

Fees apply. Consult the “Payment method” section below.

Please also include a letter indicating your name, mailing address and telephone number.

For authentication in person, make an appointment online.

Step 2

The document must then be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Andorra and may need to be translated by an official translator in Andorra.

Canadian consular documents for use in Spain

Most Spanish authorities require documents issued by the consular services at the Embassy or Consulates of Canada in Spain be duly authenticated. Check with the authority receiving your documents to see if this requirement is necessary. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid can authenticate Canadian consular documents:

• By appointment – Be sure to print the “cita previa” confirmation receipt indicating your reference number and bring it to the appointment.
• By registered mail to
• Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación (MAEUEC)
  Sección de Legalizaciones
  Calle General Pardiñas, 55 (corner with Padilla)
  28006 Madrid
• include a letter with your name, telephone number and a pre-paid pre-addressed “Postal Expres” envelope for the return shipping.
• By hiring the services of a “gestor” - An official “gestor” may authenticate your document(s) with the MAEUEC on your behalf.

Authentication of Spanish documents for use in Canada

Authentication is not a common practice in Canada. The requirement to authenticate a document is determined by the authority to which the document is being submitted. Contact the Canadian authority directly to see if authentication is required.

Note: Only an original document bearing the signature of the competent authority may be authenticated.

The norms established by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the authentication of official documents issued in Spain to be used abroad are:

Birth/marriage/death certificates, certificate of “solteria”, criminal record check and notarial documents that have already been stamped by the Colegio de Notarios:

Step 1

Ministerio de Justicia
Plaza Jacinto Benavente, 3
28012 Madrid

University degrees:

Step 1

Ministerio de Educación
Paseo de la Castellana, 162
28046 Madrid

For other types of educational documents please consult Legalization and apostille.

Step 2

Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación (MAEUEC)
Sección de Legalizaciones
Calle General Pardiñas, 55 (corner with Padilla)
28006 Madrid

Step 3

The consular services of the country where the document will be submitted, in this case, the consular services of the Embassy of Canada in Madrid:

Embassy of Canada
Paseo de la Castellana, 259D
28046 Madrid

For authentication in person, make an appointment online.

Documents must be written in English or French or accompanied by a sworn translation to English or French. (Fees apply. Consult the “Payment method” section below)

Certified copy (certify the document is a true copy of the original):

• Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply).
• Government-issued identification requiring a certified true copy (fees apply).

Oaths, affirmations, statutory declarations and witnessing a signature (consular officer witnesses a signature):

The Embassy and Consulates of Canada can arrange to witness a signature, administer an oath or receive an affidavit for a document to be used in Canada. However, these documents must be reviewed by a consular officer before the service can be rendered.

Send an e-mail to espana.consulaire-consular@international.gc.ca attaching the document that requires our signature for our review and explaining your request. After reviewing the document, we will contact you to confirm if we can provide you with this notarial service. Fees apply.

Note: Complete all documents before booking an appointment but do not sign them as they will have to be signed before the consular officer.

Refer to Canadian passports and travel documents.

You can pay online for all your passport services before completing your passport application.

You can apply at the Embassy by mail or book an appointment to present your documents in person. Bring your online payment receipt to your appointment.

If you are in need of urgent passport assistance please send us an email at espana.consulaire-consular@international.gc.ca indicating where you are in Spain, your situation and a phone number where we may contact you.

• Report a lost or stolen passport

Refer to Benefits for Canadians living abroad.

Canadian pensions to residents in Spain are paid in euros and can be deposited directly into a Spanish bank account.

There is an agreement on social security between Canada and Spain in regards to pensions.

For information regarding the Canada Pension Plan or the Old Age Security pension contact Employment and Social Development Canada.

For information regarding the Quebec Pension Plan contact Retraite Quebec.

Spanish pensions are detailed on the Pensioners section of the Spanish Social Security website.

Spain recognizes and celebrates same-sex marriages.

Refer to Studying abroad and EduCanada.

To establish the equivalency of foreign credentials, contact:

• Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (in Canada)
• Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional (in Spain)

All foreign documents must be duly authenticated if they are being submitted to the Spanish authorities.

Refer to Travel documents – Visas.

• Apply to travel, study, work or immigrate to Canada.
• Find a visa application centre (VAC) to book an appointment to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
• Submit an enquiry using the IRCC web form to contact a visa office.

Permanent residents of Canada: Find out how to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD).

Refer to Voting in an election while outside Canada.