Have you worked in several countries before settling in Belgium, or are you a foreign retiree settling in the Kingdom? Asserting your pension rights with the Federal Pensions Service (SFP) or a regional body involves submitting translated foreign documents. This guide explains who is concerned, which documents to translate and with which bodies.
Who is concerned by the translation of foreign pension documents?
Three broad categories of people face this procedure in Belgium:
- Expats who have returned to Belgium: Belgian workers who completed part of their career abroad (France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United States, etc.) and who assert their pension rights in Belgium after their return.
- Workers who contributed in several European Union countries:European law guarantees the aggregation of insurance periods for the calculation of the pension. These people must provide proof of their contributions in each country concerned.
- Foreign retirees settling in Belgium: foreign nationals who receive a pension from their country of origin and must declare it or have it recognised by Belgian bodies (tax administration, health insurance fund, municipality).
The European framework: Regulation 883/2004 and aggregation of rights
Within the European Union, the coordination of social security systems is governed by EC Regulation No. 883/2004 and its implementing regulation No. 987/2009. These texts set out two fundamental principles for pensions: the singularity of the applicable legislation (one contributes in a single State at a time) and the aggregation of insurance periods. This means that to calculate whether you are entitled to a pension in a given Member State, that State may take into account your contribution periods in other Member States.
In practice, the Federal Pensions Service (SFP) coordinates with the liaison bodies of the other Member States via the P1 form (EU pension application file). But you must still provide supporting documents in a foreign language, which require a translation in order to be processed.
Documents to translate for the SFP and the pension bodies
- Foreign career statement: document drawn up by the foreign social security body listing the insurance periods, the employers and the contributions paid. It is the central piece for aggregation.
- Foreign pension certificate: document confirming that you receive or will receive a retirement pension in a third country, with the indicated amount. Required by the Belgian tax administration for the calculation of tax and by the health insurance fund for the determination of rights.
- Proof of contributions: pay slips, employment certificates or affiliation certificates to a foreign pension scheme, particularly important for periods prior to the computerisation of registers.
- Supplementary pension documents: statements of company pension funds or group insurance built up abroad, which must be declared in Belgium.
- Foreign tax assessment notices: needed to calculate the replacement rate, verify the absence of double taxation or calculate the rights to the survivor's pension of the spouse.
TranslateBE
Foreign pension documents to translate for the SFP or your health insurance fund?
TranslateBE translates your career statements, pension certificates and foreign tax assessment notices for Belgian bodies. Translators specialised in social and tax documents. Quote within 1h.
Third countries: bilateral conventions and specific translations
Outside the European Union, Belgium has concluded bilateral social security conventions with many countries including Morocco, Turkey, Algeria, Tunisia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and others. These conventions also provide for mechanisms of aggregation of rights and coordination between the social security bodies of the two countries.
For nationals of these countries, the social security documents (career statements, contribution certificates, pension decisions) are drawn up in the language of the country concerned - Arabic, Turkish, or the former Yugoslav languages. A sworn translation by an RNEJ sworn translator is generally required by the SFP for these documents, unlike EU documents for which a certified translation may suffice.
The life certificate (document proving that the beneficiary of a pension is still alive, often annual) may also require a translation when it is drawn up by foreign authorities in their national language.
TranslateBE · Certified Agency
Translation of pension documents - SFP, health insurance fund, tax administration
Career statements, pension certificates, tax assessment notices: TranslateBE translates your documents into French or Dutch for all Belgian bodies. Sworn or certified depending on the requirements.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is a sworn translation required for my foreign pension file?
This depends on the country of origin of the documents and the recipient body. For documents coming from EU countries subject to the European liaison form, a translation certified by a professional translator is often sufficient. For documents coming from third countries with which Belgium has a bilateral convention (Morocco, Turkey, Algeria, etc.), the SFP generally requires a sworn translation by an RNEJ sworn translator. In case of doubt, contact the SFP directly or seek advice from TranslateBE before ordering.
Does the Pensions Service accept documents directly in English?
No. The Federal Pensions Service processes files in French or in Dutch depending on the procedural language chosen by the applicant. Documents in English (or in any other language) must be translated into the language of processing of the file. Even documents coming from English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States or Australia must be the subject of a professional translation in order to be attached to the pension file.
How can I assert my years of work in Turkey for my Belgian pension?
Belgium and Turkey have concluded a bilateral social security convention that allows the aggregation of contribution periods. You must contact the Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu (SGK) in Turkey to obtain a certified career statement (hizmet dökümü), then have it translated into French or Dutch by a sworn translator RNEJ. This translated document is attached to your pension application with the SFP, which coordinates with the Turkish body via the liaison form provided for by the convention.
Must my French retirement pension be declared in Belgium and how to translate it?
Yes. If you reside in Belgium, your French pension is in principle taxable in Belgium under the Franco-Belgian double taxation convention of 10 March 1964. You must declare it in your personal income tax (IPP) return in Belgium. The tax assessment notice or the pension certificate provided by the CNAV, the Agirc-Arrco or the MSA are in French, which facilitates the procedures with French-speaking bodies. If you reside in Flanders, a translation into Dutch may be requested by certain bodies.