Apostille and Sworn Translation for Russian Documents in Belgium

Russia is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Russian public documents intended for use in Belgium therefore fall under the apostille regime rather than consular legalisation. Once the competent Russian authority has affixed the apostille, the remaining step is a sworn translation from Russian into French or Dutch by a Belgian sworn translator. Depending on the circumstances, additional timeframes or checks may nonetheless apply, so it is prudent to confirm the exact requirements with the receiving Belgian authority.

Apostille rather than legalisation for Russian documents

The Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 abolishes the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents between member states in favour of a single standardised certificate: the apostille. As Russia is a party to this convention, a Russian public document bearing an apostille is in principle recognised in Belgium without the need for a chain of consular legalisations. The apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature and seal on the document, but does not relate to its content or to any translation.

Which authority issues the apostille in Russia?

In Russia, the apostille is issued by several authorities depending on the nature of the document. The Ministry of Justice and its regional departments apostille notarial deeds and certain judicial documents, among others. Civil status records generally fall under the competent regional civil registry bodies, while diplomas and educational documents are handled by the relevant education authorities. It is advisable to verify the exact authority according to the type of document before starting the procedure.

Which Russian documents are concerned

The Russian documents most frequently apostilled and then translated for Belgium are official records issued by a Russian public authority:

• Civil status records: birth, marriage, divorce or death certificates, required for municipal registration, marriage or family reunification.
• Diplomas and transcripts: for academic or professional recognition by the competent Belgian authorities.
• Criminal record: a Russian criminal record extract required for certain residence, naturalisation or employment procedures.
• Notarial deeds and powers of attorney: documents drawn up before a Russian notary, requiring an apostille before translation.

Cyrillic alphabet and transliteration of names

Russian documents are written in the Cyrillic alphabet. The sworn translation therefore involves a transliteration of proper names into the Latin alphabet. To avoid any administrative rejection, this transliteration must remain consistent with the spelling shown on your passport or your other Belgian identity documents. Always tell the translator the official spelling of your surname and first name so that all the documents in your file match.

The procedure step by step

For a Russian document intended for a Belgian authority, the usual chain is as follows:

• Apostille in Russia: have the apostille affixed to the original document by the competent Russian authority.
• Sworn translation in Belgium: a Belgian sworn translator produces the certified translation from Russian into French or Dutch, depending on the region and the receiving authority.
• Submission of the file: hand in the apostilled document together with its sworn translation to the authority concerned.

A few practical tips: first check with the receiving Belgian authority which translation language is expected and whether an apostille on the translation itself might be required. Keep a copy of each document. Finally, depending on the type of document and the period, additional timeframes or checks may apply on both the Russian and Belgian sides, so plan your steps accordingly.

For more, see our guides on translating Russian documents in Belgium, on the difference between apostille or legalisation in Belgium and on how the Hague Convention and apostille work.