Do Spanish banks accept a UK e-Apostille?
Spanish bank acceptance is recipient-specific. Confirm file format, translation, document age and whether paper originals will follow.
Published · Last updated · Official fees checked on GOV.UK (Companies House, FCDO)
Some Spanish banks accept a UK e-Apostille on a Companies House document and some insist on paper. There is no single rule for Spain: the bank’s onboarding or compliance team decides. Ask it in writing before you order, because an e-Apostille costs £35 and a paper apostille costs £45, and choosing wrongly means paying for both.
Short answer
Spain applies the Apostille Convention, and the Convention allows electronic apostilles. That makes an e-Apostille legally possible for Spanish use, but it does not make every Spanish bank accept one. Banks check documents through their own know-your-customer procedures, and some systems still expect a paper original with a physical apostille, often with a sworn Spanish translation. The safest route is a one-line question to the bank: “Will you accept a UK e-Apostille on a PDF company certificate, and do you need a sworn translation?”
This guide covers document format only. UKCOGS is a private document agent, not Companies House, the FCDO or a bank, and we do not advise on whether or how to open an account.
What a UK e-Apostille actually is
An e-Apostille is a digitally signed PDF issued by the FCDO Legalisation Office. It is attached electronically to a PDF that a UK notary or solicitor has already signed electronically. Two consequences matter for Spanish banks:
- It is not a scan. Printing an e-Apostille and posting it removes the digital signature that makes it valid. The bank must receive and keep the original PDF file.
- The underlying document is a notarised or solicitor-signed PDF. For a Companies House certificate, a UK notary or solicitor certifies and e-signs a PDF copy before the FCDO adds the e-Apostille. That extra professional step has its own cost, set by the notary or solicitor.
GOV.UK says an e-Apostille takes up to 2 working days, compared with up to 25 working days plus courier for the standard paper service (checked 4 October 2026).
Questions to ask the Spanish bank
Send these together so you get one answer:
- Do you accept an e-Apostille, or only a paper apostille on an original document?
- Will you accept the PDF by email or upload, or must it be delivered to a branch?
- Do you need a sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada), and must it cover the apostille?
- What is the maximum age of the Certificate of Good Standing?
- Do you need any other documents, such as articles of association or a board resolution?
If the answers come from a relationship manager, ask whether the compliance team agrees. Branch staff are sometimes more flexible than the central team that signs off the file.
Choosing the documents
A Certificate of Good Standing is the most common request because it confirms the company exists and is not being struck off. Banks often add a certified Certificate of Incorporation or articles. If you need several, the company documents pack covers the usual set. Before ordering, check the company’s filings with our filings checker, as late accounts can stop the good standing statement being included.
Paper or electronic: a quick comparison
- Cost: paper £45 plus courier (£6 UK, £32 Europe per 1.5kg); e-Apostille £35 plus the notary or solicitor’s e-signing fee.
- Speed: paper up to 25 working days; e-Apostille up to 2 working days.
- Delivery: paper needs couriering to Spain; e-Apostille is emailed or uploaded.
- Acceptance: paper is the format almost every Spanish recipient accepts; electronic depends on the bank.
Worked example
A UK consultancy’s Spanish bank asked for company documents. The relationship manager says e-Apostilles are fine, but the bank’s onboarding checklist mentions “original documents”.
Before ordering, the director emails the questions above and gets a written reply: e-Apostille accepted for the Certificate of Good Standing, but a sworn Spanish translation is required. She orders the certificate (£79 ex VAT through UKCOGS, including the £22 Companies House fee), has a UK solicitor certify and e-sign a PDF copy, and requests the £35 e-Apostille. The file arrives within the GOV.UK timescale of up to 2 working days and goes to the translator. Had the answer been “paper only”, she would have chosen the £45 paper route from the start instead of paying for both.
Common mistakes
- Printing the e-Apostille. A paper printout is not the e-Apostille. Send the original PDF.
- Relying on a verbal “yes”. Get the acceptance in writing from someone who signs off the file.
- Forgetting the translator needs the file too. A sworn translator may need to translate the apostille wording as well as the certificate.
- Ordering the certificate too early. If the bank wants a recent certificate, a long gap before submission can mean reordering. Our document freshness tool helps with timing.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Spanish banks accept e-Apostilles?
No. Acceptance depends on the bank and sometimes on the department. Ask the compliance or onboarding team in writing.
Is an e-Apostille just a scan of a paper apostille?
No. It is a digitally signed PDF issued by the FCDO and it is only valid as the original electronic file.
Can a Companies House certificate get an e-Apostille?
Yes, once a UK notary or solicitor has certified and electronically signed a PDF copy. The FCDO then attaches the e-Apostille to that PDF.
Will the bank accept English documents?
Some Spanish banks accept English for internal review; many want a sworn Spanish translation. Ask before ordering the translation.
Can the bank check that the e-Apostille is genuine?
Yes. Each apostille carries a unique number, and the bank can enter it with the issue date on GOV.UK’s Verify an Apostille service to confirm it was issued by the FCDO.
What if the bank later asks for paper?
You would need a paper apostille on an original or certified document, at £45 plus courier. That is why it pays to confirm the format first.
How long does an e-Apostille take compared with paper?
GOV.UK says an e-Apostille takes up to 2 working days, while the standard paper service usually takes up to 25 working days plus courier or postage time (checked 4 October 2026). The time saved only helps if the Spanish bank accepts the electronic format, so confirm that first.
Does UKCOGS arrange e-Apostilles?
Apostilles, including e-Apostilles, are quote-only. We confirm the route and fees before you pay.
Order a Certificate of Good Standing or request an apostille quote.
Ready to order Companies House documents?
Buy-now COGS and certified copies. Apostille and embassy work are quote-only — we confirm official fees on GOV.UK.