Introduction
If your documents are written in French, German, English, Spanish (Castillan), Italian, Dutch or Portuguese, they do not need translating.
If your documents are drawn up in another language, translating is necessary.
If you make your translation in Belgium
1. have the documents translated by a sworn translator;
2. the signature of the sworn translator must be legalised by the Court of First Instance (Tribunal de Première Instance) partially on the translated document and partially on its translation.
The original translation must be supplied. The stamp of the translator will be applied partially on the translation and partially on the document presented for translation; those two documents may therefore not be presented separately from one another. The translator must sign both documents.
If you make your translation abroad
1. have your translation made by a sworn translator in the country you studied and remind them to partially sign and stamp the translated document and partially their translation;
2. have their signature legalise by the competent Authority of the country concerned (e.g. the Court the sworn translator comes under);
3. the signature of the officer of the competent Authority will then be legalised by the competent local Belgian Embassy or Consulate.
Warning: Make sure you ask the various civil servants in charge of legalisations to indicate their name in a legible way (and Latin writing) next to the stamps they place.
The original translation must be supplied. The stamp of the translator will be applied partially on the translation and partially on the document presented for translation; those two documents may therefore not be presented separately from one another. The translator must sign both documents.
