Legalisation is not required for Spain
Spain accepts a simpler process than full consular legalization for Spain. Your papers from Genoa need only one official stamp to be valid there. This single-step certification makes the whole thing faster and cheaper than the old consular route. You should confirm the exact needs with the office that will receive your file, but most Spanish authorities now prefer this streamlined approach. The days of embassy attestation for Spain are largely over for these documents.
The receiving side in Spain wants to know your papers are real, but they trust Italy's own verification system. This means you skip the long wait at consular offices and the extra costs that come with embassy legalization for Spain from Genoa. Just get the right stamp from the Prefettura or Procura in Genoa, and you are usually done. Some offices might ask for more checks, but that is rare and you would know in advance.
What you should do instead
Start by asking the Spanish office what they need to see on your papers. Most will tell you that a single certification from the Prefettura in Genoa is enough to legalize documents for Spain. This stamp confirms the signature matches their records, which is all most authorities require. If they mention any special needs, get those in writing before you begin the process.
Take your original papers to the Prefettura's office in Genoa with a valid ID. The clerk will check the signatures and apply their official stamp. Some papers might need extra checks first, like birth certificates that go through the Comune first. The whole thing usually takes two weeks unless you pay extra for faster service. You can also hire a local service to handle the line for you.
When full legalisation might be needed
A few Spanish offices still ask for the old consular chain with embassy attestation for Spain, but this is becoming very rare. This might happen with some old property records or certain court papers. If you are told you need consular legalization for Spain, ask them to point to the specific rule that requires it. Sometimes they are working from old forms and just need to check current practice.
In the rare case that full document legalization for Spain is truly needed, the process adds several steps and weeks to your timeline. You would start at the Prefettura, then go to the Procura, then to the Spanish consulate in Milan. But before you start that long road, double-check with the receiving office. Most of the time, they will accept the simpler certification when you explain the standard practice.