Does a Sworn Translation Have to Be Apostilled?

Does a sworn translation need to be apostilled? The answer depends entirely on the intended use. For a procedure in Belgium, the apostille is generally not required. For a document intended for abroad, the destination country may require one. Here is how to decide without error.

📖 Also read: apostille or legalisation · valid abroad · apostilling a Belgian document

Apostille required: it depends on the use

There is no single answer. A sworn translation is carried out by a sworn translator registered in the national register: it already has official value in Belgium. The apostille, on the other hand, serves to have a Belgian document recognised in another country. Everything therefore depends on where you will present your translation. The question is never "is an apostille needed?" but "for which country and which authority is this document intended?".

For use in Belgium: no apostille

If you present your document to a Belgian authority, court or municipality, the apostille is not required. The signature and stamp of the sworn translator are enough to confer the expected official value within the country. Simply check the target language (French or Dutch) requested by the relevant service. To know precisely what is accepted, consult the difference between apostille and legalisation.

For use abroad: the apostille may be required

This is where the situation changes. When a sworn translation must serve outside Belgium, the destination country may require an apostille affixed to the translation. In practice, the FPS Foreign Affairs apostilles the signature of the sworn translator registered in the national register: it certifies that this signature is authentic, which makes the translation admissible abroad. For the countries that signed the Hague Convention of 1961, the apostille replaces the former legalisation through the diplomatic chain. Before starting the procedure, check whether your Belgian translation is valid abroad.

The steps to apostille a sworn translation

The procedure takes place in a few simple steps once the translation is complete:

• Have the translation carried out by a sworn translator registered in the national register.
• Check with the destination authority whether the apostille applies to the original, to the translation, or to both.
• Present the signed document to the FPS Foreign Affairs, which apostilles the sworn translator's signature.
• Keep the apostille number, which allows online verification by the destination country.

For the practical details of the procedure, see our guide how to apostille a Belgian document for abroad.

The Belgian e-apostille simplifies everything

Since the introduction of the e-apostille by the FPS Foreign Affairs, the procedure is largely paperless. The request is made online, the electronic apostille is issued more quickly and it is directly verifiable by the foreign authority via a reference number. This shortens the timeframes and avoids travel, while guaranteeing the authenticity of the sworn translator's signature.