Foreign Marriage Certificate Translation in Charleroi: North African, Turkish Communities and Family Reunification

Are you based in Charleroi and need to have a foreign marriage certificate translated for a family reunification application, recognition of your marriage or a judicial proceeding? Charleroi is home to large North African and Turkish communities whose marriages celebrated in their country of origin often need to be translated for Belgian administrative procedures. This guide explains the steps to follow.

See also: translation of marriage certificates in Belgium · translation agency in Charleroi

North African and Turkish communities in Charleroi: marriage certificates and family reunification

Charleroi is a city with a strong immigration tradition. Communities of Moroccan, Turkish, Italian and sub-Saharan African origin are well represented. It is common for Charleroi residents to marry in their country of origin and then seek to have the marriage recognised in Belgium, or to bring their spouse to Belgium through the family reunification procedure.

The most common situations in Charleroi:

• Family reunification : a Charleroi resident married in Morocco, Turkey or Algeria wishes to bring their spouse to Belgium: a French-translated marriage certificate is required by the Office des Étrangers
• Recognition of the foreign marriage : Charleroi municipality can register a marriage celebrated abroad in the National Register after checking the translated certificate
• Binational divorce : the Tribunal de première instance de Charleroi requires the foreign marriage certificate translated into French to process the file
• International succession : notaries and heirs in Charleroi handling a succession involving a marriage celebrated abroad
• Naturalisation : the file submitted to the SPF Justice via Charleroi includes the translated marriage certificate if the applicant is married

Procedure for a Moroccan or Turkish marriage certificate in Charleroi

The procedure varies depending on the country where your marriage was celebrated:

• Moroccan marriage certificate: Morocco is a Hague Convention signatory. Obtain the apostille from the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, then have the certificate translated into French by a sworn translator
• Turkish marriage certificate: Turkey is also a Hague Convention signatory. Apostille from the Turkish authorities, then sworn translation into French
• Algerian certificates: Algeria is not a Hague Convention signatory. Consular legalisation via the Belgian embassy in Algeria, then sworn translation into French
• Sub-Saharan African certificates: consular legalisation depending on the country, then sworn translation

Our sworn translators specialise in Moroccan Arabic, Algerian Arabic, Turkish, Lingala, Wolof and cover over 70 languages in total.

What a marriage certificate translation includes

• Full identity of both spouses (surnames, first names, dates and places of birth)
• Date, location and circumstances of the marriage (civil, religious, customary)
• Identity of the witnesses and the officiant
• Marriage conditions: mahr for Muslim marriages if mentioned
• Certificate number and identity of the civil registrar
• Marginal notes where applicable