The family book is a widely used and required document in several procedures inside and outside Spain. It can be requested by the relevant entities for the following processes:
- Marriage or divorce
- Census certificate
- Births
- Social Security card registration
- Adoption
- Maternity leave
- Application for a place in kindergarten and / or public school
- Passport and/or ID card
- Application for unemployment benefits
- Be beneficiary of a large family
- Wills and inheritance
- Residence permit application
When do I need to translate my Family Book?
If you are a foreigner who obtained the citizenship of a country whose official language is not Spanish you will not be able to use your Family Book within the Spanish territory and you will have to request the sworn translation of the same into Spanish.
Not all translators are qualified to make an official translation of your Family Book. Only an official sworn translator accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation can give you the legal validity the procedure you are involved in needs.
What does the sworn translation include?
It is important that you know everything the translation must include so it has full legal validity to be used in another country:
- Signature of the Sworn Translator appointed by MAEC.
- Certification of the Sworn Translator.
- Official Seal of the Sworn Translator.
Is it necessary to submit the Original to get a Sworn Translation?
Under no circumstances it is necessary to leave the original document in the hands of a translator. A photocopy of the official document is enough for the translator to do his job, avoiding in this way any loss or accident that may cause damage.
You just need to scan the pages that contain important information for the translation. You do not have to scan the blank pages.
What is the Family Book?
The Family Book is a legal document issued at the time of marriage or registration of a child in case of an unmarried couple or a registered partnership. In this document all relevant information of the family members will be updated. It will include events such as divorces, deaths, births, adoptions and others.
When a divorced person remarries or has a child with his or her new partner, another Family Book is issued so that there is a record of the new relationship.
How to apply for a Family Book
The Family Book can be requested at the Civil Registry of the place where you live at no cost at all.
Theft or Loss of the Family Book
If you suffer from theft, loss or damage of your Family Book you may request a duplicate through postal mail providing the following compulsory documentation:
- Original Family Book (in case of request due to serious deterioration).
- Photocopy of the original or marriage certificate (in case of theft or loss).
- ID card or passport of the applicant.
- Original or photocopy of complaint filed in case of theft.
- Original or photocopy of birth certificate of the children of the marriage.
- A letter applying for the new Family Book.
The Family Book Disappears since mid 2021.
Due to a new law that came into force on the 30th of April of 2021 no more Family Books will be issued. On the contrary, a digital registration will be carried out for every individual.
However, the existing Family Books will still have legal validity and could be used in every procedure in which they are necessary.