Spanish-French Translation in Belgium: Complete Guide

The Spanish-speaking community in Belgium is one of the most diverse in the country — Spaniards, Mexicans, Colombians, Argentinians, Ecuadorians, Venezuelans and more. All of them regularly need to have their official documents translated for Belgian administrative procedures. This guide explains everything you need to know to obtain a Spanish-French or Spanish-Dutch translation recognised by Belgian authorities.

The Spanish-speaking community in Belgium

Spanish speakers in Belgium form a highly heterogeneous community. The main groups are:

• Spanish nationals: as EU citizens, they benefit from freedom of movement but often need to translate Spanish civil status documents for Belgian procedures (marriage, recognition of children, inheritance).
• Latin Americans (Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, the Dominican Republic, etc.): as third-country nationals, they frequently need translated documents for visa applications, residence permits, family reunification and naturalisation.
• Spanish-speaking asylum seekers: many Venezuelans, Colombians and Hondurans fleeing violence or persecution arrive in Belgium with documents that must be translated for the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS).

Brussels, Liège, Antwerp and Ghent have the highest concentrations of Spanish speakers. Demand for Spanish-French and Spanish-Dutch translations is particularly strong in these cities.

The most commonly translated Spanish documents in Belgium

Here are the main Spanish-language documents our clients in Belgium ask us to translate for their administrative procedures:

Partida de nacimiento — Birth certificate

Essential for registration in a Belgian population register, civil marriage, recognition of a child or family reunification. The Spanish version of this document is issued by the Registro Civil; equivalent documents from Colombia, Mexico and Argentina have different formats but are equally well handled by our specialist translators.

Certificado de matrimonio — Marriage certificate

Required for the recognition of a foreign marriage in Belgium, a spouse's family reunification, or civil registry updates. For non-EU nationals, the document must generally be apostilled before being translated.

Antecedentes penales — Police record / criminal record extract

Required for residence permit applications, work permits, naturalisations and many jobs in Belgium. The name varies by country: antecedentes penales in Spain, certificado de antecedentes judiciales in Argentina or Chile, récord policial in Peru, etc. All of these can be translated by our specialist translators.

Título universitario — University degree

To have a degree from a Spanish-speaking country recognised by the Belgian NARIC, or to apply for a job, a sworn translation of both the degree and the transcript (certificado de notas or historial académico) is generally required.

Other common documents

• Divorce decree (sentencia de divorcio)
• Certificate of single status (certificado de soltería / fe de soltería)
• Powers of attorney (poderes notariales)
• Employment contracts and foreign payslips
• Medical records for asylum or humanitarian protection files

Indicative turnaround times

Apostille and legalisation of Spanish documents

Most Spanish-speaking countries have signed the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, which simplifies the document authentication process. Here is how it works in practice:

Spanish documents (Spain, EU member)

Civil status documents exchanged between EU member states benefit from administrative simplification under EU Regulation No 2016/1191. Most Belgian municipalities accept Spanish civil status documents without an apostille for family reunification. However, for notarial, judicial or asylum-related uses, an apostille may still be required.

Latin American documents

For documents from countries such as Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela or Argentina, an apostille is generally mandatory before translation for official Belgian procedures. It is obtained in the country of origin from the competent authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, court registries, etc.).

Note: some countries (Cuba, some Central American states) are not signatories to the Hague Convention. Their documents require a longer diplomatic legalisation process, involving the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the Belgian Embassy.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Do my Colombian documents need an apostille before being accepted by Belgian municipalities?

As a general rule, yes. Since Colombia is not an EU member, its civil status documents must be apostilled before being presented to Belgian authorities. A municipality may refuse a non-apostilled document even if it comes with a sworn translation. The apostille is obtained in Colombia through the Chancellery (Cancillería) or at consulates.

I am applying for asylum in Belgium. Should I have my documents translated by a sworn translator?

In asylum proceedings before the CGRS, translations are often handled by sworn interpreters appointed by the institution itself. However, if you wish to submit documents in support of your own application, a sworn translation produced by a Belgian-accredited translator strengthens the credibility of your file.

Can a native Spanish translator certify my translation?

No. The Belgian system requires that a translator who has taken an oath before a Belgian Court of Appeal certifies the translation. Being a native Spanish speaker or a professional translator in another country is not sufficient to issue a sworn translation valid in Belgium. All our Spanish-French and Spanish-Dutch translators are officially sworn in Belgium.

Can I translate documents from Spain and Mexico in a single order?

Yes. The source language is the same (Spanish), though legal and administrative vocabulary may differ by country. Our specialist translators are familiar with these nuances and systematically indicate the country of origin and exact nature of each source document in the translation. You can order translations from multiple Spanish-speaking countries in one go.