Request the Certificado de Nacimiento (literal, extracto o plurilingüe)

What you need to have to hand

1. Cl@ve, certificado digital or DNIe to log in and download immediately.
2. Full name, date and place of birth (municipality and province). If you know tomo and folio, even better.
3. Parents’ names if you’re requesting con filiación (extranjería, passport or marriage often demand this).
4. Purpose: extranjería, DNI/passport, civil marriage, grants, procedures abroad… so you can choose literal, extracto or plurilingüe.

Documentation

1. Identificación electrónica (Cl@ve PIN/Permanente, certificado digital or DNIe). Without this there’s no instant download.
2. Details of the entry: Registro Civil where it’s registered, municipality, date of birth, full name.
3. Filiación (parents) if the authority requires it.
4. Authorisation and DNI if you request it for another person (except for minors).

Step by step

1. Go to the sede: https://sede.mjusticia.gob.es/es/tramites/certificado-nacimiento and click Acceder con Cl@ve/certificado.
2. Fill in the registered person’s details and choose the type of certificate:
   • Literal: full copy of the entry. The one they ask for in extranjería and nationality.
   • Extracto: summary. For minor uses.
   • Plurilingüe: valid in countries of the Convenio de Viena (saves translations).
3. State the reason (extranjería, DNI, marriage…). If unsure, pick literal; for use inside the EU consider plurilingüe.
4. Send the request. If your entry is in DICIREG, you’ll get an immediate download of the signed PDF with CSV. Save the file.
5. If not digitised, choose postal delivery or collection. To collect, find your office and book an appointment on the Registros Civiles page: https://www.mjusticia.gob.es/es/ciudadania/registros-civiles (each office has its own system).
6. For use abroad: if plurilingüe is not enough, get the Apostilla de La Haya here: https://sede.mjusticia.gob.es/es/tramites/apostilla-haya. They’ll attach it to the certificado literal.

Time-savers and tricks

1. Extranjería = Literal with filiación. Don’t waste time with extractos.
2. Travelling to a Convenio country? Plurilingüe and skip translations. If not, literal + Apostilla.
3. Don’t let missing tomo/folio stop you: name + date + municipality usually suffice.
4. Immediate download only works if the entry is in DICIREG. If you were born years ago in a Juzgado de Paz, expect post or in-person collection.
5. If an office questions the PDF with CSV, print it and take the verification page from the sede; if they still refuse, ask them to issue it on paper at the Registro.

Common mistakes that can derail the process

1. Requesting extracto when they ask for literal (extranjería, nationality). They’ll reject it.
2. Forgetting to request filiación when the authority requires it. Tick con filiación if needed.
3. Presenting an old certificate. It doesn’t legally expire, but after 3 months they’ll argue it.
4. Trusting plurilingüe for countries outside the Convenio. Without an Apostilla they’ll reject it.
5. Not booking an appointment if you chose collection. Many Registros won’t help you without cita and you’ll waste your morning.