Spain Embassy in Canada
The Spanish Embassy in Ontario, Canada, provides consular assistance to Spanish citizens currently residing or planning to reside in Canada. The Embassy also serves foreigners who want to live in Spain, invest or visit for a holiday.
This guide provides all you need to know about the services offered by the Spanish Embassy in Canada, processing times, fees, as well as the procedures you’ll have to follow and the documents to submit.
If you’re planning to move to Spain or to visit for business purposes or studying, it helps to know in advance what documentation you will need.
Table of Contents
The Spanish Embassy in Canada
The Spanish Embassy processes passport and visa applications, national identity card (DNI) renewals, residency certificates as well as birth, marriage and death registrations.
The Embassy can also legalize Canadian documents that have been authenticated by Global Affairs Canada.
The Consular section of the Embassy facilitates applications for Spanish citizenship and assists Canadians who plan to relocate to Spain.
The Embassy also provides consular assistance for Spanish citizens under arrest, who need to hire a foreign lawyer, or who are detained in Canada.
Contact details
The Embassy of Spain
-
74 Stanley Avenue,
Ottawa, Ontario,
K1M 1P4
Canada -
747-2252, 747-7293,
747-1143 & 747-6181
- 744-1224
- [email protected]
Consulate of Spain in Edmonton
-
607 Wolf Willow Road,
Edmonton, Alberta,
T5T 1E7,
Canada. - (780) 444-9146
Consulate of Spain in Halifax
-
5450 Kaye Street, Suite 106,
Halifax, Nova Scotia,
B3K 0G7,
Canada. - (902) 422-0400
- (902) 422-9439
- [email protected]
Consulate of Spain in Montreal / Spanish Embassy Montreal
-
1200 Avenue McGill College, Suite 2025,
Montréal, Québec,
H3B 4G7,
Canada. - (514) 935-5235
- (514) 935-4655
- [email protected]
Consulate of Spain in St. John's
-
131, Duckworth Street,
St. John´s,
NL A1C 1E9,
Canada. - (+1) (709) 722-6636
- (+1) (709) 738-3775
Consulate of Spain in Toronto / Spanish Embassy Toronto
-
2 Bloor St East, Suite 1201,
Toronto,
M4W 1A8,
Canada - (+1) 416 977 1661/3923
- (+1) 416-593-4949
- [email protected]
Spanish Consulate in Vancouver / Spanish Embassy in Vancouver Canada
-
2185 Capilano Road,
North Vancouver (B.C.),
V7P 3C1,
Canada. - (604) 770-0087
Consulate of Spain in Winnipeg
-
788 Coventry Road,
Winnipeg, Manitoba,
R3R 1B7,
Canada. - (204) 896-4367
Opening Hours
The Embassy of Spain in Ottawa
- 9:00AM - 1.00PM Monday to Friday
Consulate of Spain in Edmonton
- This consulate is temporarily closed.
Consulate of Spain in Halifax
- By appointment only.
Consulate of Spain in Montreal
- 9:00AM - 1.00PM Monday to Friday
- 1.00PM - 5.00PM Thursdays for Spanish citizens
Consulate of Spain in St. John's
- By appointment only.
Consulate of Spain in Toronto
- By appointment only.
Consulate of Spain in Vancouver
- By appointment only.
Consulate of Spain in Winnipeg
- By appointment only.
Payment methods
When in person, only cash is accepted.
If you are in Canada and not issuing payment in person, the Embassy of Spain accepts a certified check or money order made out to the Embassy of Spain. You must include the check with the documents forwarded to the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs in a closed envelope addressed to the Embassy of Spain.
If you are outside Canada, a bank transfer is accepted. These are the details:
| Account holder | Embajada de España en Ottawa |
|---|---|
|
Bank |
BBVA |
|
Bank code |
0182 (BBVA) |
|
Branch code |
2370 |
|
IBAN |
ES8201822370432012203046 |
|
SWIFT BIC code |
BBVAESMM |
|
Postal address |
PASEO DE RECOLETOS, 10 ALA SUR, 28001 MADRID |
The bank transfer must be made in Canadian dollars and for the exact amount. This means that you must account for any commission charges. If the amount received is less than the consular fee, the bank transfer will be returned.
Once completed, send a copy to [email protected].
Spanish Embassy Legalization
Documents being used in Spain for personal or business matters must be legalized by the Embassy of Spain or the Spanish Consulates to be valid for use. All Spanish public documents must also be legalized to be valid abroad.
This process is called legalization, attestation, authentication, or apostille.
Below, you can find tables with valuable information on the Spanish Embassy legalization process, including costs and timelines for legalizing the following documents:
- Academic transcripts and diplomas
- Certificates of Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce
- Criminal Record Certificates
- Other documents
Each diplomatic mission of Spain in Canada is responsible for legalizing documents from certain regions in Canada. The below table is a helpful guide regarding where you need to submit the documents.
| Documents issued in which province | Which Embassy or Consulate to go to |
|---|---|
|
Ottawa and Gatineau |
Embassy of Spain in Ottawa |
|
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario (except Ottawa), Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut |
Consulate General of Spain in Toronto |
|
Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Québec (except Gatineau), and Newfoundland and Labrador |
Consulate General of Spain in Montreal |
The tables below treat the authentication of documents by the Embassy of Spain in Ottawa as outlined in the Spain Embassy in Canada Official Website.
| Transcripts and Diplomas | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
Documents related to education must be attested by the Embassy of Spain in Ontario to be legally approved for use in Spain. |
|
Description |
|
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need to use their certificates in Spain. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
11.50 for each signature authenticated by Global Affairs Canada. |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
By mail:
In person:
|
|
Submission Notes |
Payment is accepted by certified check or money order, or a bank transfer if you’re outside Canada. Cash is accepted if you’re going in person. |
| Personal documents | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
Personal documents must be attested by the Embassy of Spain in Ontario to be legally approved for use in Spain. |
|
Description |
|
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need to use their certificates in Spain. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
11.50 for each signature authenticated by Global Affairs Canada. |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
By mail:
In person:
|
|
Submission Notes |
|
| Criminal record checks | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
Criminal record checks must be attested by the Embassy of Spain in Ontario to be legally approved for use in Spain. |
|
Description |
Criminal Record Check |
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need a criminal record check to be valid in Spain. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
11.50 for each signature authenticated by Global Affairs Canada. |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
By mail:
In person:
|
|
Submission Notes |
|
| Other Documents | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
Other documents can be legalized at the Embassy of Spain for use in Spain. |
|
Description |
Other documents |
|
Who can apply? |
Unkown |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
11.50 for each signature authenticated by Global Affairs Canada. |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
By mail:
In person:
|
|
Submission Notes |
|
To legalize your Spanish documents abroad, it is not actually a process of legalization. The Spanish Embassy in Canada, along with the Spanish Consulates, can issue Spanish documents. These documents include:
- Life certificates and marital status certificates.
- Certificates of good conduct.
- Certificates of residence and/or consular registration.
- Certificates of nationality.
- Sworn statements.
- Certificates explaining local legislation.
- Certifications of not having received a grant or public subsidy.
- Other documents.
FAQs
Does Canada issue apostilles?
Canada does not issue apostilles because it hasn’t signed The Hague Apostille Convention. This means that it is not possible to obtain a Canadian apostille – but you can apply for an equivalent. In Canada, this is called legalization, and the application process is explained in the tables above.
Does Spain issue apostilles?
Yes, it does, because it is a signatory of The Hague Apostille Convention. This is the list of countries that are party to the Convention.
It’s important to note that this process does not take place in Spanish Embassies or Consulates. Anyone who needs to obtain an apostille should contact the Ministry of Justice.
The following documents cannot be apostilled:
- consular documents issued by foreign embassies or consulates in Spain
- documents relating to a commercial or customs transaction.
Since Canada is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, a Spanish Apostille on your document is not sufficient for the document to be accepted for use in Canada. You must follow a process of authentication and legalization as outlined above instead.
Can I get photocopies legalized by the Spanish Embassy in Ontario?
Yes, but only if it is a certified true copy of the original made by the same authority that issued the original document. Regular photocopies cannot be legalized.
How long does it take to attest a document at the Spanish Embassy in Ontario?
The Embassy of Spain in Ottawa provides a same day legalization service. The Consulates legalize documents within 2-5 days.
However, legalizing a document involves first having it authenticated by Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa. Global Affairs Canada requires 10 business days from the day the request is delivered to the office. One must allow an additional 5 business days for mailing time.
In the case of other documents, as listed in the table above, a Canadian Notary Public must authenticate these prior to sending them to Global Affairs Canada. This means you need to allow time for that too.
At Document Authentication Canada we work closely with the Spanish Embassy in Canada and Global Affairs Canada to facilitate and expedite the legalization process. Get in touch with our expert team on 1-855-700-5840 for assistance.
Looking for a Faster Apostille?
All other services offered by the Embassy of Spain in Canada
The Spanish Embassy offers a number of other services related to Consular Registration and Assistance, the Civil Register, passports and travel documents, immigration and citizenship, visas, and criminal records. The following subsections give information about each of these services.
Consular Registration at the Spain Embassy Canada
Spanish residents living abroad must register with the Consular Register corresponding to the district where they live. Registration allows them to renew their documentation, prove their residence abroad, request consular assistance when needed, and participate in elections called in Spain (except municipal elections).
Those who register but do not give notice of the continuity of their effective residence abroad during the year following the date of registration will have their registration officially canceled. It is therefore important to maintain regular contact with the Consular Office.
How do I register with Spanish Embassy?
| Consular Registration | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
When you’re a Spanish resident living abroad, even if living there temporarily. |
|
Description |
Registering with the Consular Register. |
|
Who can apply? |
Spanish residents living abroad. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
Unkown |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
In person:
|
|
Submission Notes |
Spanish citizens who are abroad temporarily are advised to register as "non-residents". This includes students taking part in courses or traveling abroad for a certain time. |
Cancellation
Before the end of your stay abroad, you should apply to cancel the registration. On arrival at the new place of residence, you must then register in the Municipal Register or in the Consulate corresponding to your new place of residence. You can apply for cancellation by filling in this form.
Consular cancellation of registration makes procedures easier. Such procedures include the importation of your personal affairs. Furthermore, the certificate of the full period of residence and consular registration serves as official proof of the total time of residence abroad.
Consular Assistance
Consular assistance is offered in cases of persons under arrest, as well as emergency situations.
In cases of arrest
The following provides information to families and friends of Spaniards who have been arrested or sentenced to imprisonment in foreign countries. Consular assistance may be provided by the Spanish Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation and its Embassies and Consulates.
The following also states the types of assistance that are not permitted under Spanish law, which therefore cannot be offered.
Protection and assistance
Assistance is provided when those arrested in a foreign country experience problems related to telephone and postal services, cultural differences and different lifestyles, and a different language.
It should be noted that Spanish nationals are subject to the laws of the country they’ve travelled to, regardless of whether they were aware of those laws or not. Therefore, the offender can never be exempted from the application of foreign law.
In cases of arrest, you should get in contact with:
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, EUROPEAN UNION AND COOPERATION
Dirección General de Españoles en el Exterior y de Asuntos Consulares y Migratorios
C/ Pechuán nº 1 28002
MADRID
Telephone: 91 379 16 55
Prior to taking any action, such as sending money, medication, or travelling to the country where the Spaniard is being detained, contact the Directorate-General of Spaniards Overseas and of Consular and Migratory Affairs, or the corresponding Consulate, to discuss how to proceed.
Hiring a foreign lawyer
The Spanish Consular Sections can provide a list of lawyers specialised in certain types of cases, but they cannot recommend a particular lawyer. The decision to hire a legal professional is the personal responsibility of the arrested person, or of their legal representatives.
Assistance for detainees
Spanish Consular Sections, in line with the laws and regulations of the country where the Spanish citizen is arrested or imprisoned, may:
- Notify family members and friends of their arrest and, as the case may be, of the conviction, providing that the prisoner authorises this.
- Periodically visit them. The frequency of visits will depend on local regulations, the special circumstances affecting the prisoner, the location of the prison, the number of Spaniards in prison, the number of Spaniards detained in penitentiary centres within the consular district and the availability of personnel at the relevant Consular Section.
- Deliver and receive messages and correspondence.
- Request the local authorities, following a request in writing, for information on the case.
- At those penitentiary centres that do not cover the basic needs of arrested persons (food, medication, clothing, etc.), the Consular Sections will try to help obtain these, to the extent possible.
- Gather information on personal belongings that are missing or not available.
- Provide reading material.
- Provide assistance in the event that the prisoner should request a transfer to Spain within the framework of Agreements on the Transfer of persons convicted to deprivation of liberty. This can be done in those countries Spain has signed an agreement of this nature with. Otherwise, they are parties, as in the case of Spain, to the Strasbourg Convention.
They may not:
- Pay out fines imposed on Spanish nationals by the authorities of another country with public funds. They also cannot settle compensation or civil redress imposed by foreign authorities, whether judicial or otherwise.
- Provide legal opinions or interpretations of local laws and regulations.
- Attend legal hearings except in exceptional circumstances, such as if there are well-founded suspicions that the Spanish citizen may be deprived of their fundamental rights.
- Recommend a specific lawyer – although a list of lawyers may be provided – in the event that the national arrested person rejects free legal aid offered, which is generally provided in all countries.
- Become involved in substantial matters between the arrested person and their lawyer.
- Introduce into prison–or send from its premises–anything that is not authorised by the relevant prison regulations.
- Organize accommodation for family or friends of the arrested person who wish to visit the latter.
- Exercise consular protection of Spanish arrested persons who are also nationals of the country in which they are arrested, if the said country does not recognise their dual nationality or if the internal laws and regulations of the same limit the consular protection.
- Undertake any task that may be considered to go against the judiciary’s independence.
Contact with local authorities
Spanish Consular Sections, in line with the laws and regulations of the country where the Spanish citizen is arrested or imprisoned, will:
- Ask the local authorities for immediate contact with and access to a Spanish arrested person, from the time they become aware of the arrest and until their release.
- Endeavour to ensure that the treatment received by the Spanish national is, at least, the same as that received by the nationals of the country in question.
- Work to obtain the authorizations that the detainee may require from all local authorities in order to contact their family and friends as well as the corresponding Consular Section.
- Obtain information on the status of the arrested person and will seek to ensure that the local authorities do not prolong their situation without clear justification.
- Appropriately monitor the health condition of those arrested, and will ensure that the authorities of the correctional establishment provide Spanish prisoners with suitable food and medical services.
- Undertake to ensure that the transfer procedure is carried through as swiftly as possible (in those countries where there is an agreement on the transfer of convicted persons or which are party to the Strasbourg Convention). The transfer may only take place if the three parties agree (the prisoner, sentencing State and State of enforcement).
In emergencies
Spanish residents overseas who find themselves in a situation of need can visit the Consular Section, where they will be informed of the aid programmes that exist and how to proceed with the applications, if appropriate.
Spaniards who are temporarily abroad and find themselves in a situation of unexpected need as a result of an accident, or if they have fallen victim to theft, or suffer a sudden serious illness or any other unforeseen situation, and are unable to leave the country on their own means, can seek the assistance of the Spanish Consulate General. The Consulate will help them get in contact with their family or friends in Spain in order to solve their problem.
Likewise, the Consulates offer consular assistance to Spanish women who suffer gender-based violence while in Canada.
Visas
How do I apply for a Spanish visa from Canada?
If you are a Canadian citizens and intend to stay in Spain for more than 90 days you need a visa.
You will be issued with a visa valid for 90 days. You must enter Spain within this time and upon arrival, contact the relevant office in Spain and ask for a residence permit to stay for as long as you need.
There are many different types of visas:
- If you are under 36 years old, you can apply for a Working Holiday Visa
- To study, as an au pair, to do volunteer work, to do an internship, or to do research, or if you have been named AUXILIAR DE CONVERSACIÓN by a Comunidad Autónoma. Then you need a Student Visa. If you are auxiliar de conversación in a private institution, then you need an employee visa.
- To work as an employee, with or without your family, you need an Employee Visa.
- To open a business in Spain or work on your own, you need a Self-Employed Visa.
- To live in Spain without working or to stay with a religious community, you need a Non-Lucrative Visa.
- If you want to live in Spain because you’ve invested money or because you plan to start a business in an innovate sector, you must visit this website and click on “inversores” or “emprendedores”.
- If you’re working in Spain with an organisation you are going to work with that has informed you that you don´t need a work permit, you need a Visa for Activities Exempted of Work Permit.
For all visa applications, you need to submit this form.
Other services provided by the Spanish Embassy in Ottawa
The Spanish Embassy processes applications related to the Civil Register, including the provision of birth, death, and marriage certificates, as well as documents related to nationality and domicile. How to renew spanish passport canada
The Embassy can also inform you how to renew Spanish passport in Canada, travel documents, or an ID, as well as provides services related to immigration and citizenship, and criminal records.
IN CONCLUSION
This guide should have provided a clearer idea of the legalization process, and all the services that are provided by the Embassy of Spain in Canada: services related to Consular Registration and Assistance, the Civil Register, visas, assistance to detainees, and more.
The legalization process, in particular, can be overwhelming, especially on top of relocation to another country or big life changes.
Our expert team can take care of the process for you, ensuring you meet all document requirements when submitting your request and that your timelines are met.
Get in touch with our expert team on 1-855-700-5840 to request a quote and a free document evaluation.
About The Author
Lori, Director of Operations
Lori Shepherd is a licensed Paralegal, Notary and Mediator in the City of Ottawa and holds a B.A. from Carleton University. A native to the City, she has lived and worked across Canada and overseas. Lori is client focused and dedicated to clear and concise communication to ensure clients feel secure in using our services.
