How can you tell whether a translator claiming to be sworn in Belgium is actually registered with the National Register of Judicial Experts (RNEJ)? The question is critical: a translation by a fake sworn translator has no legal value and will get your file rejected at the municipality, OE/DVZ, CGRS or in court. This guide details the official SPF Justice verification procedure. TranslateBE works exclusively with verifiable RNEJ translators.
What is the RNEJ?
The National Register of Judicial Experts (RNEJ) was established by the Act of 10 April 2014 amending various provisions to set up a national register of judicial experts and a national register of sworn translators, interpreters and translator-interpreters. This Act centralised, for the first time in Belgium, the registration of sworn translators and interpreters, previously managed by each Court of Appeal.
The register is held by the SPF Justice. To be registered, a translator must:
- Demonstrate relevant training and experience (translation diploma, attested professional experience).
- Pass the legal training imposed by law (modules on criminal procedure, civil procedure, Belgian judicial organisation).
- Provide a clean criminal record extract (model 596.2).
- Take the oath before the First President of the Court of Appeal of the district.
- Renew their registration every six years with continuing education.
How to officially verify a sworn translator
Public consultation of the RNEJ is done via the official SPF Justice website. The procedure:
- Go to the justice.belgium.be portal, "Judicial experts, translators, interpreters" section.
- Open the public consultation of the register.
- Search for the translator by name, language or VTI number (Vertaler-Tolk-Interpreet identifier — the unique RNEJ number).
- Verify that the status is "active" and that the language pair invoked appears in their registration.
Every sworn translation issued in Belgium must include the translator's VTI number, handwritten signature, stamp and date. Without these elements, the translation is invalid.
TranslateBE
All our translators are RNEJ-verifiable
Each TranslateBE translation bears the VTI number, stamp and signature of the sworn translator. You can verify in a few clicks on the SPF Justice website.
Why this matters: legal value and risks
A sworn translation has legal value in Belgium only if performed by a translator registered with the RNEJ. Consequences of false certification:
- Administrative rejection: the municipality, OE/DVZ, CGRS, NARIC, CFWB, SPF Justice reject the document, which can derail a naturalisation procedure, family reunification or diploma equivalence.
- Judicial rejection: a Belgian judge will exclude from the proceedings any document submitted with a non-sworn translation, which can cause loss of the case.
- Sanctions for the translator: usurping the status of judicial expert is punished by Article 227 of the Belgian Criminal Code (forgery and use of forgery, and usurpation of public functions).
- Time and money loss for the client: everything must be redone with a real sworn translator.
Warning signs: how to spot a fake sworn translator?
- No VTI number on the translation: this is decisive. Any genuine RNEJ translation includes the number.
- Blurry or self-made stamp: RNEJ stamps follow a standardised format.
- Abnormally low rates (e.g. €15 for a birth certificate): a real sworn translator cannot afford these prices.
- Refusal or inability to provide a certificate or register screenshot upon request.
- Address exclusively abroad: a translator registered with the RNEJ must have their office in Belgium or take the oath there.
- Mention of "certified translator" without specifics: "certified" has no meaning in Belgian law; only "sworn" registered with the RNEJ has value.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is the RNEJ really public and free to consult?
Yes. Consultation is open to everyone, free, and accessible 24/7 via justice.belgium.be. You can verify any translator in a few clicks. This is a legal obligation under the Act of 10 April 2014, which aimed in particular to put an end to previous abuses where anyone could call themselves "sworn" without centralised oversight.
Can a French or German sworn translator certify in Belgium?
No. The status of sworn translator is strictly national. A translator-expert with a French Court of Appeal has no value in Belgium: their translations will be refused by Belgian municipalities. Conversely, a Belgian sworn translator registered with the RNEJ is not automatically recognised in France (which has its own judicial expert system). For international use, some Belgian translations can be apostilled by the SPF Justice to be recognised abroad.
What to do if I discover a past translation was not RNEJ?
Contact the recipient administration immediately to verify whether the translation has already been used. If it has not yet been definitively accepted, have the translation redone by a verified RNEJ translator and substitute it. If it has been used to obtain a certificate or decision, report the incident to the municipality or relevant authority and to the SPF Justice: the decision can be revoked for fraud. You can also file a criminal complaint against the fake translator (Articles 227 and 230 CC).
Does the RNEJ cover all language pairs?
In theory yes, but coverage is uneven. For major languages (English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Russian, Mandarin Chinese), there are dozens or even hundreds of RNEJ translators. For rare languages (Tigrinya, Oromo, Dzongkha, Lao), there may only be one or two in all of Belgium, or none. In that case, the SPF Justice can exceptionally authorise the ad hoc swearing-in of a competent translator for a specific case.
Why does TranslateBE guarantee that its translators are RNEJ?
Because it is the legal condition of swearing in Belgium. Without RNEJ registration, no translation can claim sworn status. TranslateBE only accepts in its network translators whose active RNEJ registration has been verified, and each translation delivered mentions the VTI number allowing the recipient administration and the client to verify online the validity of the certifier.
Doubts about a translation you received?
Send it to us — we verify free of charge whether the translator is actually registered with the RNEJ. If not, we propose a quick redo by a real sworn translator.