Spanish birth certificate and birth registration from the UK
Two different things go under this name. One is registering the birth of a child of a Spaniard born in the UK, which makes the child appear in the Spanish Civil Registry. The other is getting a certificate of a birth already registered, in Spain or at a consulate.
The certificate
It is free at all three consulates, and can be requested by post, by email or in person. London and Manchester ask for it preferably by email, each to its own certificates address.
You send a copy of your DNI or passport and say which type you need; if you want it by post, enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
For a DNI or a passport, ask for the full certificate «for DNI» or «for passport» purposes: they have to be recent, six months at most.
Registering a birth
The parents must apply, or failing them the closest relative or an adult who witnessed the birth. The file includes the declaration form, the UK birth certificate and the parents' identity documents. If the parents live in Spain, they can register it at the Civil Registry of their home town instead.
London adds a useful instruction: if the child lives in the district, or will apply for a Spanish passport, send the consular registration paperwork at the same time.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | free |
| How to request it | email, post or in person |
| For DNI or passport | under 6 months old |
- Copy of your DNI or passport
- The type of certificate you need
- Stamped addressed envelope, if you want it by post
UK documents and the apostille
As a rule, a foreign public document must be legalised or apostilled to be valid in Spain. Manchester's marriage page notes that documents issued by the UK and a list of countries do not need an apostille for that procedure; Edinburgh's says foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled.
Ask your consulate which applies to your file.
If the child will have a Spanish passport, register the birth and the consular registration together.Related guides
Checked against the official pages on 10 November 2026.
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We do not book or sell appointments: consular appointments are free. Details are checked regularly and can change without notice.