Sworn Romanian Translator in Belgium: Certified Sworn Translations

Are you looking for a sworn Romanian translator in Belgium to translate a birth certificate, a criminal record, a diploma or a court judgment from Romania ? This national guide explains what a sworn translator recognised by a Belgian Court of Appeal is, which Romanian documents require one and how to obtain a certified translation accepted everywhere in Belgium.

📖 See also : Complete guide to sworn translation in Belgium · Translating your Romanian documents in Belgium · Romanian interpreter in Belgium

What is a sworn Romanian translator in Belgium ?

A sworn translator is a professional registered in the National Register of judicial experts and of sworn translators, interpreters and translator-interpreters (RNEJ), maintained by the FPS Justice. To appear in this register, the translator has taken an oath before a Belgian Court of Appeal and has undertaken to produce faithful and complete translations. Their signature, official stamp and national identification number give the translation its legal value.

For the Romanian-French or Romanian-Dutch combination, only a sworn translator registered in the RNEJ can produce a sworn translation recognised by Belgian administrations. A translation by a non-sworn translator, however competent, will have no official value with a municipality, a court or a notary. You can also check a sworn translator's registration in the RNEJ before entrusting them with your documents.

Why is a sworn Romanian translation required ?

Belgian administrations only process documents drafted in the official language of the region concerned. Any Romanian document must therefore be accompanied by a certified translation to produce its legal effects. This applies to registration in the population register, a family reunification application, a marriage, an inheritance or the recognition of a diploma. The sworn translation guarantees to the administration that the translated content exactly matches the Romanian original. To know precisely who can make a sworn translation in Belgium, see our dedicated page.

The Romanian community in Belgium : rapid growth

Since Romania joined the European Union, the Romanian community has become one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing in Belgium. Freedom of movement within the EU has encouraged the arrival of many Romanian workers, students and families, settling both in Brussels and in the major cities of Wallonia and Flanders. This mobility produces a steady flow of administrative procedures between the two countries.

In practice, these arrivals generate constant needs for certified translation : municipal registration, job searches, family reunification, marriage, recognition of diplomas or nationality applications. That is why a sworn Romanian translator remains in high demand throughout Belgium, from north to south. If your procedures also involve an in-person appointment (municipality, court, notary), consider a Romanian interpreter in Belgium.

Romania, apostille and translation : how does it work ?

Romania is a member of the European Union and a party to the Hague Convention on the apostille, just like Belgium. In practice, a Romanian public document (civil status certificate, judgment, criminal record) intended to be used in Belgium must generally be apostilled in Romania before being translated. The apostille is affixed by the competent Romanian authorities (prefecture or court depending on the nature of the document).

The order of operations matters : the apostille is first affixed to the Romanian document, then the whole (document plus apostille) is entrusted to the sworn translator, so that the apostille itself appears in the certified translation. Note : apostille and sworn translation are two distinct and complementary steps. To clearly distinguish the two, see our comparison apostille or legalisation in Belgium. As the rules may vary depending on the document and the destination administration, always check the exact list of documents with that administration.

A nuance specific to Romanian

Romanian is a Romance language, close to French in vocabulary and structure. This closeness sometimes leads applicants to think a translation is not necessary, or that a free translation will suffice. This is a mistake : whatever the linguistic resemblance, a sworn translation remains mandatory as soon as a Belgian administration requires an official document in its working language.

Which Romanian documents to have translated ?

The Romanian documents most often submitted for a sworn translation for procedures in Belgium are :

• Birth certificate (certificat de naştere) : for municipal registration, a marriage or nationality.
• Marriage certificate (certificat de căsătorie) : for the transcription of a marriage or family reunification.
• Criminal record (cazier judiciar) : requested for many residence and employment procedures.
• Diplomas and transcripts : for an equivalence via NARIC or academic recognition.
• Divorce judgments and other Romanian court decisions.
• Documents for residence, work, family reunification or study depending on your project.

Language pairs : Romanian into French or Dutch

Belgium applies a regional principle for the language of documents. The choice of target language therefore depends on where you submit your file :

• Romanian into French : for procedures in Wallonia and Brussels (Brussels is bilingual).
• Romanian into Dutch : for procedures in Flanders.

If in doubt about the required target language, ask the destination administration for confirmation before starting the translation : this avoids paying for a translation in the wrong language.

How TranslateBE delivers your translation

We work exclusively with sworn translators registered in the RNEJ. You receive a sworn translation in certified PDF format, accompanied by the original on request, with signature, stamp and mention of the oath. This translation is accepted everywhere in Belgium, in all municipalities, courts and administrations. To get your bearings on costs, see our sworn translation rates in Belgium.