Translation of Foreign Criminal Record in Brussels: Naturalisation & Family Reunification

The sworn translation of a foreign criminal record is a key document in two major Brussels procedures: Belgian naturalisation and family reunification. Each country has its own format and terminology - knowing these specificities will help you avoid painful rejections from the Immigration Office or SPF Justice.

Two Brussels procedures that require a translated foreign criminal record

In Brussels, requests for sworn translation of a foreign criminal record arise mainly in two distinct contexts:

• Belgian naturalisation via SPF Justice: every candidate for Belgian nationality residing in Belgium for at least 5 years (or less depending on the criteria) must provide a criminal record extract from every foreign country where they have resided for more than 6 months since the age of 18. This document must be translated by a Belgian sworn translator.
• Family reunification via the Immigration Office: when a foreign national requests to bring a family member to Belgium (spouse, adult child, etc.), the Immigration Office may require a criminal record from the country of origin translated into French or Dutch depending on the relevant region. In Brussels, both languages are generally accepted.

Brussels municipalities such as Molenbeek, Schaerbeek or Anderlecht may also request this document for certain local administrative procedures (social housing allocation, association accreditation, etc.).

Pitfalls to avoid: each country has its own format

One of the most common errors is failing to present the correct type of extractdepending on the issuing country. Here are the specificities of the most common criminal records in Brussels:

• Moroccan criminal record: there are several bulletins - bulletin no. 3 is the one issued to individuals for civil use. This is the one required for Belgian procedures. It is issued by the court of first instance at the place of birth in Morocco, or by the Moroccan Consulate in Belgium. Drafted in Arabic, it must be translated by a Belgian sworn Arabic-speaking translator.
• Algerian criminal record: Algeria issues a "criminal record extract" (bulletin no. 3) in Arabic. It is obtained either from the competent Algerian court or via the Algerian Consulate General in Brussels (often long delays: 4 to 8 weeks).
• Turkish criminal record: the "Adli Sicil Belgesi" is issued quickly via e-Devlet (Turkish online government portal) or by the Public Prosecutor's office. Document in Turkish, translated by a Belgian sworn Turkish-speaking translator.
• Romanian criminal record: the "Cazier judiciar" is issued by the Romanian National Police (IGPR). It can be requested online via the Romanian portal. Document in Romanian, translation into French or Dutch depending on the destination.

The Schengen extract: when the Immigration Office goes further

In certain sensitive files, the Immigration Office may request not only the criminal record from the country of origin but also the criminal records of all Schengen countriesin which the applicant has stayed for more than 6 months. This request for a "Schengen" extract involves contacting the authorities of each country concerned (France, Netherlands, Germany, etc.) and having each document translated separately.

Each country has its own form and issuance deadline: the French criminal record (bulletin no. 3) can be obtained within a few days on the French government website, the Dutch criminal record (VOG) can also be requested online, while other countries have more complex procedures.

Turnaround times and rates