Getting Married in Belgium with a Foreign Partner: Documents to Translate

Planning to get married in Belgium to a foreign spouse? The local council will ask for several civil-status documents, often to be translated and legalised. This guide sets out the documents to provide, the sworn translation required and the common pitfalls.

📖 Also read: translating a marriage certificate · family reunification · apostille or legalisation

Which documents does the council require?

To open a marriage file, the registrar of civil status at your local council asks the foreign spouse for a set of official documents. The list varies from one council to another, but almost always includes:

• Birth certificate: recent, usually less than 6 months old, in full version.
• Certificate of single status or no-marriage: proves the person is free of any marital tie.
• Certificate of custom: sometimes required, it confirms the marriage conditions under the law of the country of origin.
• Proof of nationality and residence: passport, residence permit or proof of address.

Sworn translation: French or Dutch?

Any document drafted in a foreign language must be accompanied by a sworn translation carried out by a sworn translator. The target language depends on the council: French in Wallonia and on the French-speaking side of Brussels, Dutch in Flanders. Always check with the civil-status office before ordering, as some Brussels councils accept either language. For the details, see our guide on translating a foreign marriage certificate.

Apostille or legalisation depending on the country of origin

Before translation, the original document must often be authenticated in its country of issue. If the country has signed the Hague Convention, a simple apostille is enough. Otherwise, a legalisation by the consular authorities is required. The order of steps matters: you apostille or legalise the original first, then have it translated. Our article apostille or legalisation in Belgium explains which regime applies to each country.

Timeframes and where to submit the file

Allow several weeks to gather the documents: obtaining the certificates abroad, apostille or legalisation, then the sworn translation (a few working days). The complete file is submitted to the registrar of civil status of the council where one of the future spouses lives. The council then publishes the banns and sets a ceremony date, usually within a period of 14 days to 6 months after submission.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Several mistakes slow files down or lead to a refusal:

• Documents too old: a birth certificate more than 6 months old is often refused.
• Inconsistent names: different spelling between passport and birth certificate; have the discrepancy corrected or explained.
• Forgotten apostille: a translated but not legalised document will be rejected.
• Wrong target language: a French translation submitted to a Flemish council will be refused.

Marriage celebrated abroad: the transcription

If you are already married abroad and wish to have this marriage recognised in Belgium, it is not a new marriage but a transcription in the Belgian civil-status records. The foreign marriage certificate must then be apostilled or legalised and translated by a sworn translator. See our full guide on the transcription of a foreign marriage in Belgium.