International Adoption in Ghent: Documents to Translate and Procedure

Ghent families pursuing international adoption must navigate the Flemish adoption procedure with Kind en Gezin and ultimately obtain recognition from the Ghent family court. Certified translations of international adoption documents are required at every stage. TranslateBE provides sworn translations accepted by all relevant Ghent and Flemish authorities.

📖 See also: International adoption document translation in Belgium · Adoption document translation in Antwerp · Adoption document translation in Brussels

International adoption in Ghent and East Flanders

Ghent is East Flanders' capital and one of Belgium's most vibrant, cosmopolitan cities. Ghent families wishing to adopt internationally follow the Flemish procedure coordinated by Kind en Gezin, the central authority for intercountry adoption in Flanders. The judicial phase of the procedure is handled by the Familierechtbank (family court) in Ghent, which is part of the Court of First Instance of East Flanders.

Throughout the procedure - from the initial approval dossier through to the Belgian judicial recognition of the foreign adoption - all foreign documents must be accompanied by certified Dutch translations if they are not already in Dutch, French, German or English. Only sworn translations produced by translators registered on the SPF Justice list are accepted by Kind en Gezin and the Ghent family court.

Documents typically required in a Ghent adoption dossier

A complete adoption dossier submitted to Kind en Gezin and the Ghent family court includes certified Dutch translations of:

• The child's birth certificate from the country of origin
• The foreign adoption judgment or decree
• The certificate of adoptability issued by the foreign central authority
• Consent and relinquishment documents
• The Hague Convention Article 23 certificate (where applicable)
• Social reports and home study assessments prepared abroad
• Medical and police clearance certificates from the country of origin
• Correspondence from foreign adoption agencies and central authorities

Adoption from Morocco, Vietnam and China: key considerations for Ghent families

Three countries represent a significant share of intercountry adoptions processed by Flemish authorities:

• Morocco: Morocco operates a kafala (guardianship) system rather than full adoption. Documents are in Arabic and require certified Dutch translation. Belgian courts have specific jurisprudence on the recognition of Moroccan kafala decisions.
• Vietnam: Vietnam is a Hague Convention member. Vietnamese adoption documents require certified Dutch translation from Vietnamese, including the certificate of adoptability and the foreign court order.
• China: China's CCCWA (China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption) issues specific approval and matching documents in Mandarin. Certified Dutch translation of these documents - as well as the child's Chinese birth certificate and household registration documents (hukou) - is required.

Civil registration in Ghent after adoption

Once the Belgian family court has recognised the foreign adoption, the Ghent commune (Stad Gent) registers the child in the civil registers. This requires a certified Dutch translation of the child's original foreign birth certificate. TranslateBE provides this translation for all language pairs, ensuring that the registration process can proceed without delay.

Online and expert service for Ghent families

TranslateBE's fully online service is available 7 days a week. Ghent families can submit their adoption dossier documents at any time, receive a detailed quote within one hour, and receive the certified Dutch translations within the agreed deadline.