Related documents
Birth certificate
Transcription of a foreign birth certificate in Belgium
Transcription is not just about showing the record: you must determine whether the competent municipality or consular post can accept it as is, whether it must be apostilled or legalised and in which language a sworn translation will be useful.
Depends on the file + translation if neededDepends on the authority and the completeness of the fileModerate
Last reviewed: 29 March 2026Editorial review: Equipe CertiDocsOfficial sources: 2
Overview
What this guide helps you sort out
Transcription is not just about showing the record: you must determine whether the competent municipality or consular post can accept it as is, whether it must be apostilled or legalised and in which language a sworn translation will be useful.
Steps
4
Documents
4
Official sources
2
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, Romanian-French, Turkish-French, English-French
Related cities
Brussels, Liège, Namur
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 Birth 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, Romanian-French and wants the issuing authority, date and registry references to be easy to spot.
Order of formalities
The 2 official sources mainly help keep the sequence sharp: recent record first, any apostille or legalisation next, then the right filing step.
What is transcription for?
It allows the foreign record to be entered in the competent Belgian registers. This can simplify certain later steps in Belgium, but transcription requires a record that can actually be used by the Belgian authority handling the case.
Does the record need an apostille?
Not always: it depends on the country of origin and on the applicable authentication route. Before ordering a translation, check whether the record first needs an apostille or legalisation.
When is a sworn translation needed?
When a municipality or consular post cannot use the record or its relevant entries directly. A sworn translation may also need to cover the relevant entries of the apostille or legalisation.
Documents to prepare
- Complete and readable copy of the foreign birth certificate
- Apostille or legalisation if the country of origin requires it
- Sworn translation if the record cannot be used directly
- Check of the competent municipality or post
Steps to follow
1
Check the competent authority
Identify the municipality or consular post to which the file will be submitted.
2
Obtain the full record
Work from a complete, readable and preferably recent copy of the record.
3
Authenticate if needed
Obtain an apostille or legalisation if required for the foreign record.
4
Translate what is useful
Have the record translated and, if needed, the relevant entries of the apostille or legalisation as well.
Good to know
The record and the apostille go together
If the record needs an apostille, the useful translation may also need to cover the apostille or its relevant entries.
Check the competent municipality before translating
The useful language and practical instructions depend on the authority to which you submit the file.
Describe your need
We frame your request
Targeted matching
Translation and delivery
Certified
Fast
Confidential
Accepted everywhere
Related documents
Common translations
Need a certified translation?
Our sworn translators can translate and certify all documents required for your procedures.
Get matchedFrequently asked questions
+−Is transcription mandatory?
Not always. It becomes useful or necessary depending on the later step you want to take in Belgium.
+−Does the apostille also need translation?
Often, at least the relevant entries need translating so that the authority understands the authentication of the document.
+−Is a short-form copy enough?
In practice, it is better to work from a complete and readable copy of the record.
+−Will the same translation work for every municipality?
Not necessarily. The useful language depends on the authority handling the file.
+−Should the document be apostilled before translation?
Yes. In a sound file, any required authentication of the foreign record comes before the useful translation.
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.
Practical guides
Diploma equivalence in BelgiumExchange a foreign driving licence in BelgiumDocuments for family reunification in BelgiumFamily reunification with a BelgianFamily reunification with an EU/EEA citizenFamily reunification after international protectionProving kinship or partnershipFamily reunification Visa DBelgium student visa: documents and translationsBelgium single permit: documents and translationsFamily reunification with a foreign national in limited stayVisa D for marriage or legal cohabitation in BelgiumCriminal record for Belgian nationalityBelgian inheritance after a death abroadMinor child joining a student or worker parent in BelgiumBelgian nationality as the spouse of a BelgianForeign will and mandate in a Belgian inheritanceMinor child joining a Belgian parentBelgian nationality as the parent of a Belgian childInheritance with real estate in two countriesSponsor for a Belgium student visa (Annex 32)Recognition of a foreign adoption in BelgiumSale of undivided inheritance property in BelgiumRecognition of a child in Belgium with foreign recordsForeign heir and power of attorney in a Belgian inheritanceForeign marriage and then family reunification in BelgiumStudy in Belgium with a foreign diplomaWork in Belgium with a foreign diplomaResidence in Belgium after marriage or legal cohabitationSpouse or child of a foreign student or worker in BelgiumFamily reunification refusal in BelgiumRegulated profession in Belgium with a foreign diplomaWork as a nurse in Belgium with a foreign diplomaDiploma equivalence: FWB, NARIC Vlaanderen or German-speaking Community?Foreign diploma for a healthcare profession in BelgiumEU public documents: when an apostille is no longer requiredHow to verify a sworn translator in BelgiumWhen does a sworn translation need legalisation in Belgium?Transcribe a foreign marriage certificate in BelgiumDivorce granted in the EU: recognition in BelgiumDivorce granted outside the EU: recognition in BelgiumForeign death certificate: steps in BelgiumRemarry in Belgium after a foreign divorceForeign divorce with a child: custody, residence and parental responsibility in BelgiumUpdate Belgian civil status after a foreign divorceMaintenance after a foreign divorce in BelgiumBelgian naturalisation: documents and translationsApostille and legalisation of foreign documents in BelgiumRecognition of a foreign marriage in BelgiumExequatur of a foreign judgment in Belgium