Good news for the Brazilian community in Belgium: Brazil is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Your Brazilian documents therefore do not require lengthy consular legalisation, but simply an apostille, followed by a sworn translation into French or Dutch. This guide explains each step, from the Brazilian cartório through to the submission of your file to a Belgian authority.
Brazil and the Hague Convention: the apostille is enough
Brazil has acceded to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents. In practice, a Brazilian public document intended for use in Belgium does not need to go through the embassy: it simply needs to bear an apostille, a standardised certificate recognised by all member states, including Belgium. The apostille authenticates the signature and seal of the Brazilian authority that issued or certified the document.
In Brazil, the apostille is issued by the cartórios (authorised notarial offices) and, for certain documents, by the courts. The system is decentralised: numerous cartórios across the country are competent, which makes the procedure relatively quick and accessible, including from abroad through a representative. To understand the difference with countries outside the Convention, see our article on apostille or legalisation in Belgium.
Brazilian documents most commonly required in Belgium
- Certidão de nascimento (birth certificate): for municipal registration, marriage or naturalisation
- Certidão de casamento (marriage certificate): for recognition of the marriage and family reunification
- Diplomas and transcripts: for recognition by NARIC-Flanders or the Wallonia-Brussels Federation
- Antecedentes criminais (criminal record): required for Belgian naturalisation, certain work permits and regulated professions
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Brazilian documents for Belgium?
Sworn translation of your apostilled Brazilian documents from Portuguese into French or Dutch. Our sworn translators registered with the RNEJ know the requirements of Belgian authorities.
Why a Belgian sworn translator is essential
This is the most widely misunderstood point. Brazil has the tradutor juramentado(Brazilian sworn translator), whose translations are valid in Brazil. But for official use in Belgium, this Brazilian translation is not sufficient: Belgian authorities require a translation produced by a sworn translator registered with the National Register of judicial experts and sworn translators, interpreters and translator-interpreters (RNEJ), managed by the FPS Justice. Only this Belgian sworn translator may apply the locally recognised stamp and signature.
In other words, even if your Brazilian document is already accompanied by a translation from a tradutor juramentado, the translation will need to be redone in Belgium by a Belgian sworn translator in order to be accepted by the municipality, the court or the relevant authority. This is precisely the service TranslateBE provides for Brazilian Portuguese.
The procedure step by step
- Apostille in Brazil (cartório): have the original Brazilian document apostilled at an authorised cartório or the competent court. The apostille is affixed directly to the document or to an attached page.
- Sworn translation in Belgium: send the apostilled document to TranslateBE. A Belgian sworn translator produces the certified translation from Portuguese into French or Dutch, depending on the region of submission.
- Submission to the Belgian authority: present the apostilled original together with the sworn translation to the municipality, the court or the relevant NARIC body.
Practical tips
- Apostille before you translate: the sworn translation must also cover the text of the apostille, so it needs to be affixed first.
- Choose the right target language: French for Brussels and Wallonia, Dutch for Flanders. If in doubt, ask the receiving authority.
- Request recent documents: some municipalities require a certidão less than 3 or 6 months old. Check before you apostille.
- Legible scan: for a fast quote, send a clear scan of the apostilled document, both sides if necessary.
In summary
- Brazil is a member of the Hague Convention: an apostille is enough, with no consular legalisation.
- The apostille is issued by authorised cartórios or Brazilian courts.
- The Brazilian tradutor juramentado is not sufficient: Belgium requires a Belgian sworn translator registered with the RNEJ.
- Order of the steps: apostille in Brazil, then sworn translation in Belgium, then submission.
To go further, read our complete guide on translating Brazilian documents in Belgiumand our background explainer on the Hague Convention and the apostille in Belgium.
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Sworn translation from Portuguese into French or Dutch, recognised by Belgian authorities. Send your scan, receive a firm quote within the hour.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
My document has already been translated by a Brazilian tradutor juramentado - is that enough for Belgium?
No. A tradutor juramentado translation is valid in Brazil, but not for official use in Belgium. Belgian authorities require a translation by a sworn translator registered with the RNEJ (the National Register managed by the FPS Justice). The translation must therefore be redone in Belgium by a Belgian sworn translator, even if a Brazilian version already exists.
Where can I have a document apostilled in Brazil?
The Brazilian apostille is issued by authorised cartórios (notarial offices) located throughout the country, and for certain documents by the competent courts. As the system is decentralised, you can choose a cartório near the place where the document was issued. If you live in Belgium, you can authorise a relative or a specialised service in Brazil to carry out the step.
Does the apostille itself need to be translated?
Yes. The sworn translation must cover the entire document, including the text of the apostille. This is why the document must first be apostilled in Brazil and only then handed to a Belgian sworn translator. If you translate before apostilling, the apostille will not be included in the translation and the authority may reject the file.
Into French or Dutch - which language should I choose?
It depends on the receiving authority. For Brussels and Wallonia, the translation is into French. For Flanders, it is into Dutch. If you do not know which body will handle your file, ask the municipality or the relevant authority to confirm before ordering the translation.