UPDATED: 23rd February 2022

The British Consulate in Santa Cruz de Tenerife represents the UK government in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro and can provide support and assistance to UK nationals whilst in the said territories.

However, due to ongoing reorganisation and budget cut-backs, the services offered directly by the British Consulate in Santa Cruz have been substantially reduced in recent years. Please see below a list of services still offered by the Consulate directly and details of other services that are now either delegated to consultate offices in the Spanish mainland, or to other UK government departments, or which are referred to private external firms such as lawyers:

Services provided directly by the Consulate in Santa Cruz

Certificate of Marital Status for Cohabitation Registration (Pareja/Unión de Hecho)

Certificate of Foreign Marriage Recognition

Marriage between a British National and a Non-EU National

Certificate of Adoption by British Nationals resident in Spain

Click here for more information on the above services:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-spain

Services not provided directly by the Consulate which are delegated/referred elsewhere

APPLYING FOR A NEW OR REPLACEMENT BRITISH PASSPORT

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

APPLYING FOR AN EMERGENCY TRAVEL DOCUMENT (where your passport is lost or stolen)

https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document

OBTAINING AN OFFICIAL COPY OF A UK Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate or Death Certificate

https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate

UK CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECKS AND DBS CERTIFICATES

N.B. You can apply for your own DBS check, or you can authorise a potential employer to search against your records.

https://www.gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role

LEGALISATION/APOSTILLING OF UK Documents for use in Spain or elsewhere

https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised

OFFICIAL TRANSLATIONS OF DOCUMENTS

List of Official Translators in Tenerife

(search for, or scroll down to TENERIFE for local translators on the island)

CONVERTING A CIVIL PARTNERSHIP TO MARRIAGE

https://www.gov.uk/convert-civil-partnership/convert-a-civil-partnership-abroad

EXPLANATION OF MARRIAGE ‘BANNS’

From 1 April 2015, British Consulates in Spain no longer issue the “Informative Note: Explanation of the Marriage Banns”. However, if your local Spanish civil registry still asks for information on the marriage banns, you can print out the relevant document from here:

Note Regarding Marriage Banns

CERTIFICATE OF CONSULAR REGISTRATION

From May 2013, British Consulates in Spain no longer issue the Certificate of Consular Registration. If the tax authorities insist on a letter from the consulate, you can print out the Communication Baja Consular and show it to them.

TRANSFER OF ADDRESS

British Consulates in Spain no longer issue the Consular Letter: Transfer of address for importation of vehicles/household goods/change of registration plates (also known as the Baja Consular).

You can provide the following documents in place of the Baja Consular:

• work contract or proof of self-employment
• a residence permit or work permit for the country you have been residing in – if you’re coming from outside the UK

If you don’t have either of these, contact the Spanish state tax administration agency (Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria/AEAT)

PROOF OF ADDRESS FOR MARRIAGE

British Consulates in Spain no longer issue the “Consular Letter: Proof of Address for Marriage” (Confirmación de domicilio para casarse en España). Use one of the following documents instead:

• a letter confirming your address, e.g. electoral roll
• bank or building society statement, credit card statement
• mortgage statement
• council tax letter
• utility bills
• recent proof of entitlement to local or state benefits, eg tax credits, pension, education or other benefits

If you’re still asked to provide documentation from the British consulate, you can print out the Communication Proof of Address and show it to the authorities.

For all other enquiries to the British Consulate in Tenerife, please call +34 928 262 508 or you can submit an online enquiry HERE

Services available externally via TENERIFE SOLICITORS, Tenerife’s only firm of English Solicitors & Spanish Abogados

Life Certificates (Certificates for Pension and Financial Providers confirming you are still alive)

Witnessing Signatures or swearing Affidavits, Oaths and Statutory Declarations, including:

• witnessing signatures on probate documents
• witnessing signatures or administering declarations on powers of attorney
• witnessing signatures or administering declarations on wills
• witnessing signatures or administering declarations on company documents
• witnessing signatures or administering declarations on name change deed polls and similar documents
• certificates or statements of law in the UK
• certified photocopies of British passports, Home Office registration/naturalisation certificates, UK educational documents (including those issued in the UK by a recognised institution and listed in the Legalisation Office website), British driving licences, British divorce decrees, and foreign documents including passports, educational documents and ID documents
• certifying your identity for British banks, building societies and other institutions

Certifying copies of passports, I.D.s or other official documents

Change of Name or Surname

Advising upon and certifying UK Land Registry ID1 and TR1 conveyancing forms

Declarations as to marital status (e.g. prior to getting married or remarried in Spain)

To obtain a quotation or make an appointment in respect of any of the above services, please contact TENERIFE SOLICITORS here