Since Romania joined the European Union in 2007 and freedom of movement was fully liberalised in 2014, the Romanian community in Belgium has grown rapidly to reach more than 100,000 Romanian speakers. Seasonal workers, healthcare professionals, domestic staff - demand for certified French-Romanian translation in Belgium is rising steadily. Our translators are registered with the FPS Justice.
The Romanian community in Belgium: a rapidly expanding presence
Romania has become one of the main countries of origin for new foreign residents in Belgium. Since the opening of the European labour market to Romanian nationals, arrivals have accelerated. Several profiles of Romanian migrants can be identified in Belgium: seasonal agricultural workers (mainly in Flanders, in the provinces of Antwerp and East Flanders), construction workers, home carers and healthcare professionals (nurses and nursing assistants).
Romanian is a Latin language, which gives it a superficial resemblance to French. This apparent similarity can create an illusion of mutual comprehension, but legal and administrative translation between French and Romanian requires precise mastery of both legal systems. A poorly translated document can lead to file rejections or costly delays.
The main situations requiring a certified translation in Belgium are:
- Registration with a Belgian municipality: Romanian nationals must register with their municipality of residence with translated civil status documents
- Acte de naștere (birth certificate): the most frequently translated Romanian document, required for school enrolment, civil status procedures and family reunification
- Certificate de căsătorie (marriage certificate): for family reunification files and procedures with the Immigration Office
- Cazier judiciar (criminal record): required for certain regulated jobs and long-term residence permit applications
- Romanian diplomas: recognised through NARIC-Belgium for access to regulated professions (healthcare, teaching)
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Certified French-Romanian translation in Belgium
Sworn translators registered with the FPS Justice. Accepted by all Belgian municipalities, the Immigration Office and NARIC-Belgium. Free quote within 1 hour.
Particularities of Romanian documents: beware of older registers
Romanian documents have an important characteristic that Belgian authorities do not always know: a significant portion of Romanian civil status registers - particularly for people born before 1990 - are handwritten in registers that may be in poor condition, partially illegible or in a non-standardised format. Translating these handwritten documents requires specific expertise.
Romania has also undergone several administrative reforms that have changed civil status document formats. An experienced sworn translator familiar with Romanian documents must know these changes in order to correctly identify the information on the document and produce a faithful translation.
Legal framework: sworn translator registered with FPS Justice
In Belgium, any official translation of a Romanian document must be carried out by a sworn translator registered with the Belgian FPS Justice. This professional is authorised to certify that the translation is consistent with the original. Their translations are accepted without reservation by Belgian municipalities, the Immigration Office (DVZ/OE), the FPS Interior, courts and NARIC-Belgium.
Pricing and turnaround
Our rates for certified French-Romanian translation start from €65per document. A standard turnaround of 2 to 4 business days is guaranteed. The express 24-hour service is available for urgent situations (municipality appointment, tight administrative deadline). For older handwritten documents, additional time may be required depending on the condition of the document.
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