An asylum seeker in Belgium faces a chain of institutions: Fedasil for reception, the Immigration Office (DVZ/OE) for registration, the CGRS (Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons) for substantive examination, and the CALL (Council for Alien Law Litigation) on appeal. At each stage, documents (civil status records, judgments, press articles, medical certificates) must be translated by a sworn RNEJ translator. TranslateBE supports lawyers and applicants with urgent 24-hour translations. Quote within 1h.
The Belgian asylum chain
The Belgian system of international protection rests on four pillars, established by the Aliens Act of 15 December 1980 and EU Directive 2013/32/EU:
- Fedasil (federal agency for the reception of asylum seekers): provides material reception (housing, social support) during the procedure.
- Immigration Office (DVZ/OE): registers the application, takes Eurodac fingerprints, verifies Belgian competence under Dublin III Regulation (EU) 604/2013.
- CGRS: independent authority that examines the merits of the application, conducts the interview and decides on refugee status (1951 Geneva Convention) or subsidiary protection (Article 48/4 of the 1980 Act).
- CALL: administrative court competent to hear appeals against CGRS decisions, within 30 days (15 days in accelerated procedure).
Translated documents required for the CGRS
The CGRS does not require translation of every document, but a sworn translation considerably strengthens the credibility of the file. The typical scope:
- Identity documents: passport, ID card, family record book of the country of origin.
- Civil status records: birth, marriage, divorce, death of relatives (useful to establish family ties and the narrative).
- Judicial documents: judgments, arrest warrants, summonses, police reports establishing the alleged persecution.
- Administrative documents: political dismissals, forced resignations, certificates of party affiliation.
- Press articles, publications, photos documenting the events invoked.
- Medical certificates supporting an application on health grounds (Article 9ter) or attesting to torture sequelae (Istanbul Protocol).
TranslateBE
Asylum file translated for CGRS or CALL
Identity documents, judgments, medical certificates, press articles. Sworn RNEJ translators with deadlines aligned with procedural calendars.
Asylum narrative: interpreter at the hearing vs written translation
A fundamental distinction must be made between the CGRS hearing and the production of written documents. The hearing is conducted with a sworn interpreter appointed and paid by the CGRS; the applicant does not have to provide a personal interpreter. The language of the hearing is chosen by the applicant during registration at the OE/DVZ (language choice form).
On the other hand, every written document submitted in support of the application must be in French, Dutch or German, or accompanied by a translation. The CGRS may, in some cases, translate internally, but this introduces delays and the applicant loses control over the quality of the translation. A serious lawyer always has key documents translated upstream by an RNEJ sworn translator of their choice.
Deadlines: CGRS hearing, CALL appeal, urgencies
The CGRS hearing deadline varies: a few weeks in accelerated procedure (Article 57/6/1 — safe countries, manifestly unfounded applications), 6 to 18 months in normal procedure. The summons is sent by registered mail.
In case of a negative CGRS decision, the appeal to the CALL must be lodged within 30 days (15 days for accelerated procedure and certain Dublin decisions). Any further document in a foreign language submitted during the appeal must be translated. Express 24-hour translation is often essential when the decision arrives only a few days before the appeal deadline.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does the CGRS provide a free interpreter?
Yes, for the hearing. The interpreter is appointed and paid by the CGRS. The applicant indicates their preferred language at registration at the OE/DVZ and may, within certain limits, request an interpreter of a specific gender (e.g. a woman for sensitive cases). However, the CGRS does not provide a translator for written documents submitted in support of the application: it is up to the applicant or their lawyer to arrange translation.
Should all documents be translated before submission?
Ideally yes, at least for key documents (identity documents, judgments, arrest warrants, important press articles). This strengthens credibility and allows the CGRS protection officer to immediately incorporate the document into the file. The CGRS may translate internally but this adds weeks, and the internal translation is rarely as polished as an RNEJ translation commissioned by your lawyer.
What deadline for translation before a CALL appeal?
The appeal deadline is 30 days (15 days for accelerated procedure). New evidence may be submitted with the initial petition or by additional brief within the following month. Our 24-hour express service handles documents received late by your lawyer. For large volumes, organising from the moment of the CGRS decision avoids overnight work at the end of the deadline.
My documents are in Arabic / Dari / Pashto / Tigrinya. Can you translate?
Yes. TranslateBE works with sworn RNEJ translators for all common asylum languages: Arabic (all variants), Dari, Pashto, Farsi, Tigrinya, Amharic, Somali, Kurdish (Sorani and Kurmanji), Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Turkish. Rarer languages (Oromo, Fulani, Swahili) are also handled through our extended network.
CALL appeal within 30 days?
24-hour express on judgments, arrest warrants, medical certificates. Sworn RNEJ translators for lawyers specialising in immigration law.