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CertiDocsThe practical guide

Bilingual document and translation in Belgium

A bilingual document is not always enough. If the right language is not the one the authority will read, or if the decisive entries sit elsewhere, you have gained nothing.

Understand the process
Last updated Editorial lead : Hiliyeh Bashir4 sources

Why is this friction so common?

Because people often translate what happens to be in front of them, not what the authority will actually need to use. The file then becomes either too thin, needlessly huge or simply unreadable.

What is the right reaction?

Return to use. Who reads what, in which language, on which version and at what level of detail? That is where the decision lives.

Documents to prepare

  • Check what will actually be read by the authority
  • Use the best workable version of the record
  • Translate the pages, tables or mentions that carry the useful information
  • Redo the capture or complete the record if the source is not readable

Steps to follow

  1. Frame the use

    Identify the authority, the language and the part of the record that truly matters.

  2. Choose the right source

    Work from a source that is complete, readable and workable.

  3. Translate in the right dose

    Neither everything without reason nor too little out of badly placed economy.

  4. Redo it if the source is bad

    A blurry scan, incomplete copy or cropped page stays unusable even after translation.

Good to know

Budget

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Frequently asked questions

+Do you always have to translate everything?
No. You mainly need to translate what the authority will truly read.
+Does a bilingual document always avoid translation?
Not always. It depends on the useful language, the entries being read and the authority involved.
+Can poor scan quality really block a file?
Yes. If the source is unreadable, translation cannot invent what is missing.
+Does this page replace the official instructions?
No. It helps produce a readable record at the right level of detail.

Official source

Official sources used

The references below are the public sources used to document this page. The competent authority always retains the final decision.

Official sourcee-Justice portal - Public documents in the EUOfficial sourceFPS Justice - National register of sworn translators and interpretersOfficial sourceFPS Justice - Legalisation of sworn translationsOfficial sourceHCCH - Apostille Convention

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