Related documents
Court judgment, Birth certificate, Marriage certificate
Exequatur of a foreign judgment in Belgium
A foreign judgment (divorce, child custody, debt) is not automatically enforceable in Belgium. Exequatur is the procedure that makes it enforceable. The judgment must be fully translated by a sworn translator.
€1,200–3,0002–18 monthsComplex
Last reviewed: 29 March 2026Editorial review: Equipe CertiDocsOfficial sources: 3
Overview
What this guide helps you sort out
A foreign judgment (divorce, child custody, debt) is not automatically enforceable in Belgium. Exequatur is the procedure that makes it enforceable. The judgment must be fully translated by a sworn translator.
Steps
4
Documents
6
Official sources
3
What frames this file straight away
Before you even follow the procedure step by step, these are usually the axes that matter.
Common translations
Arabic-French, Russian-French, Turkish-French, Dutch-French, Romanian-French, Polish-French
Related cities
Brussels, Liège, Antwerp
What the authority will really test here
In this kind of file, the blockage usually comes from proof, sequencing and consistency, not polished wording.
Records that need to line up
This procedure is usually read through Court judgment, Birth certificate, Marriage certificate. Names, dates and references need to stay aligned from one record to the next.
Which official reading matters
Brussels, Liège will compare the source record with Arabic-French, Russian-French and wants the issuing authority, date and registry references to be easy to spot.
Order of formalities
The 3 official sources mainly help keep the sequence sharp: recent record first, any apostille or legalisation next, then the right filing step.
What is exequatur?
Exequatur is the judicial procedure through which a Belgian court authorises the enforcement on Belgian territory of a decision rendered by a foreign court. Without exequatur, a foreign judgment cannot be forcibly enforced in Belgium (seizure, eviction, civil status modification). The procedure is governed by the Code of Private International Law (articles 22 to 25) for non-EU judgments, and by the Brussels I bis Regulation (1215/2012) for judgments from another EU member state. For intra-EU divorce judgments, the Brussels II ter Regulation (2019/1111) applies and abolishes exequatur in most cases.
When is exequatur not necessary?
Exequatur is not always necessary. Judgments from another EU member state in civil and commercial matters (Brussels I bis Regulation) have been directly enforceable in Belgium since 2015. Intra-EU divorce, parental responsibility and maintenance judgments also benefit from the abolition of exequatur (Brussels II ter Regulation). For civil status judgments (divorce, filiation), simple recognition by the civil registrar may suffice without going through court. However, a judgment from a non-EU country (Morocco, Turkey, Russia, DR Congo) always requires exequatur to be enforced in Belgium.
Documents to prepare
- Original foreign judgment
- Full certified translation of the judgment
- Apostille or legalisation of the judgment
- Proof of service on the defendant
- Certificate of no appeal (or res judicata)
- Belgian lawyer mandated for the petition
Steps to follow
1
Check if exequatur is necessary
If the judgment comes from an EU country, check whether the Brussels I bis or Brussels II ter Regulation applies (no exequatur needed in most cases). For non-EU countries, exequatur is mandatory.
2
Have the judgment fully translated
The Belgian court requires a full translation of the judgment by a sworn translator registered with the FPS Justice. A divorce or custody judgment can run to 10 to 40 pages. Plan your budget accordingly.
3
Compile the court file
The file includes: the original apostilled judgment, its full translation, a copy of the introductory petition, and translated associated civil status certificates (birth, marriage). A Belgian lawyer is required to file the petition at the court of first instance.
4
Obtain the exequatur judgment
The court of first instance examines the file and verifies that the foreign judgment meets recognition conditions (not contrary to Belgian public order, defence rights respected, no fraud). The exequatur judgment makes the foreign decision enforceable in Belgium.
Good to know
EU divorces: no exequatur
Since the Brussels II ter Regulation (2019/1111), divorces pronounced in an EU member state are directly recognised in Belgium without exequatur.
€1,200–3,000 for 20 pages
Certified translation of a judgment costs on average €60–150 per page due to legal terminology. A 20-page judgment comes to €1,200–3,000.
Belgian lawyer mandatory
The exequatur procedure is initiated by unilateral petition to the court of first instance. Representation by a lawyer registered with the Belgian bar is mandatory.
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Get matchedFrequently asked questions
+−What exactly is exequatur?
Exequatur is the procedure through which a Belgian court recognises and makes enforceable a judgment rendered by a foreign court. Without this procedure, the foreign judgment has no enforceable force in Belgium: it cannot be used for seizure, civil status change or any other forced enforcement measure.
+−Does an EU divorce judgment require exequatur?
No, since the Brussels II ter Regulation (2019/1111), divorce judgments from an EU member state are directly recognised in Belgium without exequatur. It is sufficient to present the judgment and the certificate provided by the regulation to the Belgian civil registrar.
+−Does the foreign judgment need an apostille?
Yes, if the judgment comes from a Hague Convention signatory country, it must be apostilled. For non-signatory countries, consular legalisation is required. The apostille must be obtained before translation.
+−Is a lawyer mandatory for exequatur?
Yes, the exequatur procedure is initiated by unilateral petition before the court of first instance. Representation by a lawyer registered with the Belgian bar is mandatory. The lawyer will draft the petition and present the file.
+−How much does translating a 20-page judgment cost?
A certified translation of a judgment costs on average €60 to €150 per page due to legal complexity. For a 20-page judgment, expect a budget of €1,200 to €3,000. CertiDocs matches you with a sworn translator who can price the file accurately.
+−How long does the exequatur procedure take?
The duration varies by court and case complexity. Without opposition, expect 2 to 6 months between filing the petition and the pronouncement of the exequatur judgment. If the opposing party objects, the timeframe can reach 12 to 18 months.
Official sources
The links below provide the official baseline. They help verify the procedure but do not replace file-specific analysis or the decision of the competent authority.
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