Spain Embassy and Consulates in Canada: Ontario Guide

Spain is represented in Canada by an Embassy in Ottawa and two Consulates General located in Toronto and Montreal. Ontario residents are served by the Toronto Consulate General for the majority of consular services, while the Embassy in Ottawa handles consular matters only for the National Capital Region (Ottawa and Gatineau). The Montreal Consulate covers Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

Spain also maintains a network of honorary consulates across Canada, including in Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and St. John's. Honorary consulates provide limited assistance and outreach, but are not full consular offices and cannot issue passports or process visas. For paperwork, residents should approach the relevant Consulate General in Toronto or Montreal, or the Embassy in Ottawa.

The Spanish-origin community in Canada numbers in the tens of thousands and is complemented by a much larger Spanish-speaking community of Latin American origin. The largest concentrations of Spanish nationals live in the Greater Toronto Area and Greater Montreal. This guide brings together the addresses, contact details, and working hours of the three missions, summarizes their consular services, and explains how to prepare Canadian documents for use in Spain under the Hague Apostille system.

Contact Details

Consular Services

For Spanish Citizens

For Canadian Citizens and Foreign Nationals

Commercial and Corporate Services

Preparing Canadian Documents for Use in Spain

Both Spain (1978) and Canada (11 January 2024) are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Canadian public documents going to Spain now require only a Canadian apostille, instead of the previous consular legalization at the Spanish Embassy or Consulate.

Step 1. Certified translation into Spanish

Spanish authorities require translations into Spanish that meet their official standards. We deliver ATIO-certified translations from English and French into Spanish accepted by Spanish registries, courts, and the Direccion General de los Registros y del Notariado for nationality applications. See our pricing for the per-document fee schedule.

Step 2. Notarization (where applicable)

Private documents such as powers of attorney, declarations, and statements must be signed before a Canadian notary public before they can be apostilled. We arrange notarization through partner notaries in Toronto and Ottawa.

Step 3. Apostille by Global Affairs Canada or the provincial competent authority

Federal apostilles are issued by Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa. Ontario operates its own apostille service through Official Documents Services (ODS), which is generally faster for Ontario-issued vital records and university transcripts. See the Authentication and Apostille page for the full process.

Step 4. Use in Spain

Once apostilled and translated, the document is accepted by Spanish authorities. The Spanish Embassy and consulates in Canada do not legalize Canadian public documents anymore. Note that some Spanish authorities may require a "traduccion jurada" (sworn translation) done by a translator listed with the Spanish Foreign Ministry; we can advise on whether this is necessary for your specific case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need to go to the Spanish Consulate to legalize my Canadian birth certificate?

No. Since 11 January 2024 the Spanish Consulate does not legalize Canadian public documents. The Canadian apostille is sufficient for use in Spain.

What is the difference between a certified translation and a traduccion jurada?

A Canadian ATIO-certified translation is accepted by most Spanish authorities, including registries and courts. Some procedures, however, require a "traduccion jurada" prepared by a translator officially appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We will let you know which one is required for your specific procedure before you order.

I want to apply for Spanish nationality based on descent. What documents do I need translated and apostilled?

Typical files include the Canadian-issued birth certificate, marriage certificate, and (where applicable) the death certificate of a Spanish-citizen parent or grandparent, plus a police clearance certificate. Each of these must be apostilled in Canada and translated into Spanish. We package the full bundle.

Where do I apply for a Spanish visa if I live in Toronto?

Ontario residents apply at the Consulate General of Spain in Toronto. Quebec and the Atlantic provinces are served by Montreal, while Ottawa is served by the Embassy. Western Canada is served by Toronto, with support from honorary consulates.

← Back to all embassies