How to translate a divorce decree in Spanish into English

What the Spanish divorce papers are called

Sentencia de divorcio

The court's judgment that dissolves the marriage. Translate as Divorce Decree or Judgment of Divorce.

Auto que declara ejecutoriada la sentencia

The court order that makes the judgment final. Translate as Order Declaring the Judgment Final.

Acta de divorcio

Mexico's civil registry record of the divorce, made after the court's judgment. Translate as Divorce Certificate.

Convenio regulador

The divorce settlement on children, support and property, approved by the court or signed before a notary in Spain.

Divorcio administrativo

A divorce by mutual consent before the civil registry, available in some Mexican states.

Which document an office wants depends on the country. In Spain, the court or the notary sends the final divorce to the Civil Registry, which records it[3], so a marriage certificate issued later shows the divorce. In Mexico, the certified judgment, the document proving it is final and the court's order are filed with the civil registry to record it[4].

Terms in a Spanish divorce decree

Keep the case number, the court's name and every date exactly as printed. Describe stamps and signatures in brackets, such as [court seal] or [signature of the judge].

When USCIS asks for a divorce decree

In a marriage-based case, the I-485 instructions say that if either spouse was married before, you submit evidence that each prior marriage legally ended, typically a divorce decree or certificate or a death certificate[1]. USCIS's page on bringing a spouse to the US asks for copies of all divorce decrees, death certificates or annulment decrees for every earlier marriage[5].

A decree in Spanish goes in with a full English translation. The translator certifies that it is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from Spanish into English[2]. The rule names no agency. A remarriage abroad, a name change or a pension claim may follow its own rules, so ask the receiving office what it accepts.

How to translate a divorce decree with LoreAI

1. Scan every page of the decree. Include the order declaring it final and any page with seals or margin notes. A PDF, JPG or PNG works.
2. Upload it and choose English. LoreAI detects Spanish, reads the scan with OCR, stamps and seals included, and translates it.
3. Download the Word file. The heading, the numbered recitals and the resolutivos come back in the decree's order, with names, dates and the case number as written.
4. Add the signed certification. The person who checks the translation signs it. The certificate of translation template has the wording USCIS expects.

A long decree fits in one upload. Free covers 3 pages, Basic up to 30 pages per document and Pro up to 100 pages.

Where LoreAI fits

LoreAI is not a certified translation service and does not sign translations. It gives you the English decree as an editable Word file, and the person who signs the certification checks it against the original. For other papers in the same case, see marriage certificates in Spanish and the USCIS translation guide. For court papers in general, see legal document translation.

Questions people ask