Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union and the seat of NATO: it is home to over 350,000 expatriates, the majority of whom are English speakers working at the European Commission, Parliament, Council of the EU or in business districts. For any procedure with Brussels municipalities or federal administrations, a sworn French-English translation produced by a translator registered with the SPF Justice is essential.
Brussels, world capital of institutional English
No city in Europe concentrates as many English-speaking institutions as Brussels. The European Commission, European Parliament, Council of the EU and NATO employ tens of thousands of officials whose primary working language is English. The districts of Ixelles, Etterbeek and Uccleconcentrate the majority of these English-speaking expatriates, who need certified translations for their residency, civil status and employment procedures with Brussels municipalities.
Beyond the institutions, Brussels hosts the headquarters of hundreds of multinationals and international lobby groups whose internal and contractual documents are drafted in English, but must be translated whenever they are submitted to a Belgian administration.
Documents frequently translated between French and English in Brussels
- European institution employment contracts: temporary agent and contractual staff contracts in English, to be validated with municipalities or the NSSO for social security affiliation
- DBS checks and English-language criminal records: Disclosure and Barring Service (UK), FBI Background Check (USA) for immigration or employment files with Brussels administrations
- University diplomas: British, American and Irish diplomas for recognition via NARIC Belgium or access to regulated professions
- English-language civil status documents: birth, marriage and divorce certificates required by the 19 Brussels municipalities for civil status procedures
- Post-Brexit residency files: proof of work and residence for British nationals regularising their status with the Office of Foreigners, whose offices are in Ixelles
- HR documents from EU institutions: job descriptions, appraisals and employment certificates in English to be translated for personal files
TranslateBE
French-English translation in Brussels
SPF Justice sworn translators accepted by the 19 Brussels municipalities, the Office of Foreigners and European institutions. Quote in 1 hour.
Accreditation and legal validity
In Brussels, any sworn translation must be produced by a translator registered with the national SPF Justice register. This register is available online: the translation bears the translator's handwritten signature, official stamp and registration number. This document is admissible by the 19 Brussels municipalities, the Office of Foreigners (DVZ/OE), courts of first instance and commercial courts, as well as by the administrations of European institutions for their internal HR files.
Rates and turnaround times in Brussels
A sworn English-French translation is billed from €65 for a one-page document. Large files - institutional contracts, foreign transcripts - are quoted individually within one hour. Standard turnaround: 3 to 5 working days; the 24-hour expressoption is available for urgent files. Delivery by secure digital means, with postal dispatch of the certified original to your Brussels address on request.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do EU institutions in Brussels have their own translation service?
Yes: the Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) of the European Commission and the European Parliament translation service handle official translations of institutional texts in all 24 EU languages. However, these services do not process personal documents for officials or job applicants. For any private document - civil status certificate, diploma, criminal record - agents and contractors of the institutions use external accredited agencies such as TranslateBE.
My Commission employment contract is in English - do I need a sworn translation?
For procedures internal to the European Commission, a sworn translation is generally not required. However, if you need to produce this contract before a Brussels municipality (for registration in the foreigners register), a Belgian social security body or a Belgian bank, a certified translation into French or Dutch will be required. Belgian administrations do not accept official documents drafted solely in English.
DBS check from the UK - how do I get it validated in Brussels?
A DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service, formerly CRB check) issued in the United Kingdom must be accompanied by a sworn translation into French to be accepted by Brussels administrations and the Office of Foreigners. TranslateBE translates this document with the signature and stamp of a translator registered with the Belgian SPF Justice. If the document also needs to be used outside Belgium, an apostille may be required - we advise you on the steps to follow.
What is the turnaround for an express EN-FR translation in Brussels for an EU file?
On the 24-hour express option, TranslateBE processes your file as a priority: a simple document (civil status certificate, DBS check) is delivered within 24 working hours of receipt of the digital original. For multi-document files (contract + diploma + criminal record), the express turnaround is 48 hours. Delivery is by secure digital means; the paper original can be sent by registered post to your Brussels address or directly to the institution concerned.
Urgent French-English translation in Brussels?
Our SPF Justice sworn translators process your file in 24 hours. Accepted by all Brussels municipalities and European institutions.