Annex 32 is the registration certificate issued by Belgian municipalities to EU citizens and their family members settling in Belgium. To complete your file and obtain this certificate, certain foreign documents must be translated into French, Dutch or German by a sworn translator registered in the National Register of Judicial Experts (NRJE). TranslateBE provides a quote within 1 hour and express delivery in 24 hours.
What is Annex 32? Proof of legal residence for EU citizens
Annex 32 (officially the "registration certificate") is the provisional document issued by the municipality to an EU citizen upon registration. It attests to the declaration of establishment and serves as proof of legal residence while the application for an E card (for the EU citizen themselves) or an F card (for their non-EU family members) is being processed.
It is governed by the Act of 15 December 1980 and the Royal Decree of 8 October 1981 on access to the territory, as amended to transpose EU Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of EU citizens to move and reside freely. In practice, you receive Annex 32 on the day of your registration at the municipality, after which you have a period of time to submit the complete supporting documents demonstrating your right of residence.
Documents to translate depending on your situation
The documents to be submitted — and therefore translated — vary according to your status in Belgium:
- Employee: employment contract or certificate from the Belgian employer (no translation required if already in French/Dutch/German), but foreign diplomas or qualification documents may be requested as sworn translations.
- Self-employed person: proof of economic activity (extract from foreign trade register, company articles of association), bank statements evidencing sufficient means of subsistence — sworn translation required for non-EU documents or those in a language other than the three official Belgian languages.
- Student: proof of enrolment at a recognised Belgian institution (generally already in French or Dutch), enrolment certificate, and proof of sufficient financial resources. If certain documents come from abroad, translation is required.
- Non-active person (private income, retiree): proof of sufficient means of subsistence (foreign bank statements, foreign pension) and health insurance covering risks in Belgium — sworn translation of foreign documents required.
- Non-EU family member: marriage certificate or registered partnership certificate, birth certificates of dependent children — sworn translation mandatory.
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Annex 32: translated for your municipality in 24 hours
TranslateBE translates your Annex 32 documents (contracts, diplomas, civil status documents) through NRJE-registered sworn translators, recognised by all Belgian municipalities. Quote in 1 hour.
Converting Annex 32 into an E card or F card
Annex 32 is a provisional document. Once the complete file has been submitted to the municipality, the municipal authorities forward the file to the DVZ (Immigration Office) for examination. Once the examination is complete, the EU citizen receives their E card(definitive registration certificate), valid for 5 years and renewable. The non-EU family member receives an F card (residence card of a family member of an EU citizen), also valid for 5 years.
After 5 years of legal and continuous residence in Belgium, the EU citizen may apply for the E+ card (permanent right of residence), and the non-EU family member for the F+ card (permanent residence). These cards have no expiry date and confer permanent resident status.
Belgian municipalities and timelines: how it works in practice
After your registration at the municipality and receipt of Annex 32, you generally have 3 months to submit all the documents supporting your right of residence. The DVZ's examination of the file then takes an average of 3 to 6 months, depending on the complexity of the situation and the administration's workload.
The large municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Antwerp, Ghent and Liège have specialist services for foreign nationals, but appointment waiting times can be long. It is strongly advisable to make an appointment quickly and to prepare a complete file from the outset, with all required sworn translations, to avoid requests for additional documents that delay processing.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is a sworn translation required for Annex 32?
This depends on the documents you need to submit. If your supporting documents (employment contract, marriage certificate, trade register extract) are drafted in a language other than French, Dutch or German, a sworn translation by an NRJE-registered translator is mandatory. Documents in English are generally not accepted without translation by Belgian municipalities.
How long is Annex 32 valid?
Annex 32 is valid for the entire duration of the examination of your file. In practice, it is often issued for a period of 3 months, renewable if the file is still being processed. Once the E or F card has been received, Annex 32 is no longer needed.
Is Annex 32 different from the E card?
Yes. Annex 32 is a provisional document issued on the day of registration at the municipality, attesting to the lodging of the application. The E card (or definitive registration certificate) is the permanent document issued after a favourable examination of the file by the DVZ. The E card is valid for 5 years and constitutes the EU citizen's official residence permit in Belgium.
What documents does a European worker need to provide for registration at the municipality?
A European employee generally needs to provide: their passport or EU identity card, an employment contract or certificate from the Belgian employer, and proof of health insurance. If additional documents (diplomas, qualifications) are in a foreign language, an NRJE-registered sworn translation is required. For a self-employed person, documents proving economic activity will also be requested.
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