Notarial procedures in Spain as a foreigner
Whether you live in Spain or abroad, we prepare the procedure and tell you how yours is signed. We arrange every signing with a registered notary; we are not a notary's office.
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Start with where you live
What you need, and how it is signed, depends on whether you are in Spain or in another country.
You live in Spain
- NIE The number the tax office, your bank or the notary will ask for in almost any procedure.
- TIE The physical residence card, for people who are not EU citizens.
- EU citizen registration certificate For EU citizens staying longer than three months.
- Registered partnership The registration often required for your partner's residence.
- Nationality oath The last step towards Spanish nationality, before a notary.
- Certified copies Certified copies of passports, degrees or contracts.
You live outside Spain
- Power of attorney from abroad So someone can sign for you in Spain without you having to travel.
- International powers of attorney A Spanish power of attorney for use in another country, or the other way round.
- Accepting an inheritance from abroad Assets in Spain and heirs abroad: it is signed with a power of attorney or at the consulate.
- Setting up an SL as a foreigner With the partners' NIE, signing by video call and registration through CIRCE.
- Hague Apostille So a Spanish document is valid in another Convention country, or a foreign one here.
How you sign from abroad
Not everything can be signed remotely. These are the options, and we tell you which one applies to your case before we start.
- By video call with a Spanish notary
- With your digital certificate. It covers the acts allowed by Ley 11/2023 (Law 11/2023), such as powers of attorney or setting up an SL.
- At a Spanish consulate
- The consul acts as a notary. You book an appointment and sign there.
- Before a notary in your country
- You then need the apostille and, if the document is not in Spanish, a sworn translation.
- In person in Spain
- A will is always made this way. A donation is also signed before a notary, in person or through a power of attorney.
Questions we are often asked
Is it necessary for the attorney-in-fact to attend the signing?
No, it is sufficient for the principal or principals who grant the power to attend the signing.
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Can I designate more than one agent in a notarial power of attorney?
Yes, in many cases, more than one agent is designated in a notarial power of attorney. You can specify whether the agents must act jointly or if they have the authority to act independently. It is important to clearly describe the instructions and the limits of the powers of each agent in the document.
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How long is a notarial power of attorney valid?
The validity of a notarial power of attorney is limited either by a specific date on which it ceases to be valid, by its revocation, because the grantor loses their mental faculties and becomes incapacitated to grant the revocation of the power, or by the death of the grantor.
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How can I revoke a power of attorney?
To revoke a power of attorney, you must execute a deed of revocation of the power, which is essentially the cancellation of the mandate that you had granted in the original power and notify such revocation to the affected attorneys-in-fact.
A good tip is to grant the power that you need to be carried out but not grant the attorney the authority to obtain copies of the power themselves. In this way, once the attorney performs the mandate entrusted to them, it will suffice to retrieve the copy of the power from them, leaving the attorney without said power, thereby avoiding the need to execute a deed of revocation in the future.
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What is the difference between a general power of attorney and a specific one?
A general power of attorney grants broad powers to the attorney-in-fact to act on behalf of the principal in a variety of legal matters. However, a specific power of attorney (also known as a special power of attorney) limits the powers of the attorney-in-fact to act only in specific situations and matters, which are mentioned in the power.
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Why do I need a power of attorney?
A power of attorney may be necessary when you cannot be present in person to carry out any act. By granting a power of attorney, you can designate a trusted person to act on your behalf, which is especially useful in situations where you are absent or incapacitated.
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What is a power of attorney?
A power of attorney is a document that grants authority to a person (called the attorney-in-fact or representative) to act on behalf of another person (called the principal or grantor). A power of attorney can be granted for various purposes, such as carrying out financial transactions, signing contracts, managing properties, or representing the principal in any field. It is also necessary to grant a power when you have to resolve a matter in the courts, granting power to your lawyer and solicitor.
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What types of notarial powers of attorney are there?
Notarial powers are classified according to their scope:
- General power: authorizes the attorney-in-fact to act in any matter on behalf of the principal (patrimonial, personal, judicial, etc.).
- Special power: limited to a specific act: selling a specific property, signing a specific contract, representing in a specific lawsuit.
- Power for lawsuits: to act in judicial and arbitral proceedings.
- Banking power: to operate accounts, contract financial products, etc.
- Preventive power: for the case of future incapacity of the principal (widely used in dependency planning).
- Irrevocable power: in specific cases, it cannot be revoked unilaterally.
The choice of the appropriate type depends on what the power is needed for. Our team advises on the most suitable modality in each case.
Further reading
View all articles →- Herencias NIE for Foreigners in Spain 2026: What It Is, How to Obtain It and What It Is For In 2026 the NIE is resolved in 10 business days with the new digital platform of the Ministry of the Interior. Learn the exact documents according to your case and avoid delays in property sales and other notarial acts.
- How to make a Spanish power of attorney from abroad Consulate, local notary with apostille, or video call with a Spanish notary (Ley 11/2023). Compare timescales and costs and choose your route. We coordinate it for you.
- Compraventas How to sell a house in Spain while living abroad Sell your home in Spain without travelling: a specific power to sell, NIE, the 3% withholding and signing through an attorney. We coordinate the whole process step by step.
- How to apostille a foreign document for use in Spain Which documents need a Hague apostille, who issues it in each country and what to do if the country is not party to the convention. We handle the apostille and sworn translation.
Who handles your procedure
A team of lawyers and administrators prepares the paperwork, explains what you are going to sign and books you in with one of the registered notaries in our network. We are not a notary: the signature is always authorised by the notary.
- 25 years of experience
- A network of more than 30 registered notaries
- 4.8 on Google, 302 reviews
- We usually reply within 24 hours
What do you need to get done in Spain?
Tell us and we will explain how it is done from where you are, what it costs and how it is signed.
Tell us your case