Multilingual forms exempt from legalisation and translation, to be used in EU states according to European Regulation No. 1191/2016

Citizens from European Union member states who are about to complete the bureaucratic paperwork necessary to regularise their administrative position (and that of their family members) in Spain (NIE, Certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión Europea, request for recognition of the right to health care for a family beneficiary, regularisation of the situation of a minor born abroad, empadronamiento and many others) often find themselves in the situation in which the authorities require the presentation of various certificates issued in the country of origin in the original, but also (and above all) accompanied by a sworn translation into Castellano made by a sworn translator authorised and recognised by the foreign ministry of the corresponding country.

In fact, the competent authorities (Policia Nacional extranjería offices, Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social, Agencia Tributaria, Ayuntamiento) will often ask for documentation from a third country in a ‘multilingual’ format, or a legalised sworn translation. Unfortunately, many users are not informed in this respect, and often find themselves in the unfortunate situation in which, despite having all the required documentation ready, any appointments booked and taxes paid, they see their file rejected with the request to present themselves again (And after making a new appointment) once they have the sworn translations, or alternatively (always recommended) the ‘multilingual’ versions of the foreign documents.

We always strongly advise, especially in the case of families with minors in tow, to have marriage, birth, no criminal record or other certificates issued in good time, before any possible transfer to Spain

A sworn translation procedure can often present high costs as well as imply long waits, which in certain situations the applicant often cannot cope with due to economic reasons and, above all, urgency.

Fortunately, in these cases it can be very useful to know that Regulation (EU) No. 1191/2016 establishes the obligation for authorities (local and central) of EU countries to issue certificates in ‘multilingual’ format, which exempts the applicant from the joint submission of a legalised sworn translation.

This regulation enters into force in EU member states on 16 February 2019 and does not affect any other international conventions on multilingual forms (Vienna, Paris, The Hague, Berlin, etc.) and legalisation or apostille.

It only stipulates that when a member state has to issue one of these certificates, neither legalisation nor translation is required if it is attached to one of the forms provided for in the regulation itself:

1. birth;

2. existence in life

3. death;

4. name;

5. marriage, including capacity to marry and civil status;

6. divorce, legal separation or annulment of marriage;

7. registered partnership, including capacity to enter into a registered partnership and the status of a registered partnership

8. dissolution of a registered partnership, legal separation or annulment of a registered partnership;

9. filiation;

10. adoption;

11. domicile and/or residence;

12. citizenship;

13. no criminal record, provided that public documents concerning this fact are issued to a Union citizen by the authorities of his/her Member State of nationality.

Therefore, as from 16 February 2029, when expressly requested, the body of the public administration concerned, when asked for one of the certificates in the list, in order to present it in one of the EU countries, will have to

a.            Issue the certificate in Italian (or other official language of the European Union), sign it and seal it;

b.            Affix the revenue stamp, if and when due, for the required use;

c.            Complete the multilingual form, which the EU has marked with Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV etc.). Each of the certificates in the list corresponds to a multilingual form, with the same number, in Roman numerals.

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