Ghent is home to one of the largest Turkish communities in Belgium, with several tens of thousands of residents of Turkish origin. Although the Ghent administration operates in Dutch, demand for certified French-Turkish translations remains real for federal judicial procedures and for Turkish students at UGent. A sworn translator registered with the Belgian SPF Justice is required for any legally binding translation.
The Turkish community in Ghent
Ghent has one of the largest concentrations of residents of Turkish origin in Belgium. Arriving mainly in the 1960s-1980s to work in Ghent's textile factories and steelworks, the Turkish community of Ghent has settled durably in districts such as Rabot, Sint-Amandsberg and Gentbrugge. The Ghent Turkish community is one of the most organised in Belgium, with numerous cultural associations, mosques and businesses.
The third generation speaks fluent Dutch and often French, but maintains close ties with Turkey: family reunification, marriages with partners in Turkey, management of inherited real estate and pension procedures. Ghent University (UGent) also welcomes Turkish students whose diplomas and academic documents sometimes require a certified translation.
Most frequently translated documents - French-Turkish in Ghent
- Judicial documents for Belgian courts: Ghent family court orders, Turkish divorce judgments to be recognised, civil procedure documents requiring a French translation for non-Dutch-speaking parties
- Turkish civil status records: for federal nationality and naturalisation procedures managed by the SPF Justice (federal level, therefore in French or Dutch depending on the applicant's choice)
- Academic documents: Turkish diplomas and transcripts for students applying to UGent or Ghent higher education institutions (translated mainly into Dutch, but also into French for certain bilingual institutions)
- Criminal records: adli sicil kaydı, for naturalisation procedures handled by the SPF Justice at federal level
- Succession and property documents: tapu (land title), inheritance certificates, for Turkish-Belgian families managing assets in Turkey
- Commercial contracts: for Turkish entrepreneurs in Ghent active in import-export with Turkey via Ghent Port
TranslateBE
Certified French-Turkish translation in Ghent
SPF Justice sworn translators for your Turkish documents and judicial procedures in Ghent. Free quote in under one hour.
Legal framework: French-Turkish in Ghent
In Ghent, the local administration (Stad Gent, Province of East Flanders) operates exclusively in Dutch. For strictly local procedures, a Dutch-Turkish translation is therefore required. However, federal procedures - naturalisation, residence, SPF Justice procedures - can be conducted in French or Dutch depending on the applicant's choice.
A French translation of a Turkish document may be needed in several contexts in Ghent: proceedings before a bilingual federal court, an application for recognition of a Turkish judgment (exequatur), or a procedure involving Walloon or Brussels partners or institutions. In all cases, the translator must be registered with the Belgian SPF Justice. TranslateBE offers both French-Turkish and Dutch-Turkish pairs with sworn translators.
Pricing and turnaround
The rate for a certified French-Turkish translation starts from €65 for a simple document. Academic and judicial documents are charged between €80 and €130 depending on complexity. Contracts and succession files are quoted on a bespoke basis. Standard turnaround is 3 to 5 business days; the 24-hour express option is available. Secure digital delivery anywhere in Belgium.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does UGent accept Turkish diplomas translated into French or only into Dutch?
Ghent University (UGent) is a Dutch-language institution. For Turkish diploma recognition, the translation must be into Dutch. However, some international UGent programmes accept documents in English. For Ghent higher education institutions or NARIC Flanders, a Dutch translation is systematically required. TranslateBE offers certified Turkish-Dutch translation.
Can a divorce granted in Turkey be recognised in Ghent?
Recognition of a Turkish divorce judgment in Belgium (exequatur) is a judicial procedure that first requires a certified translation of the judgment. The exequatur application is then filed with the competent court. We provide the certified translation; for the judicial exequatur procedure, consult a lawyer specialised in private international law.
Do Turkish students at UGent need special translations to enrol?
For admission to UGent, Turkish students generally need to provide their diplomas and transcripts in Turkish with a certified translation. UGent usually requires a translation into Dutch or English. Check the specific requirements of your study programme before ordering the translation.
Do you offer packages for families with several documents to translate?
Yes. For family reunification or naturalisation files containing several documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, criminal record), we offer decreasing package rates from 3 documents. Submit all your documents in a single request via our online quote form to obtain the grouped rate.
Does Ghent Port have specific requirements for Turkish commercial documents?
For standard port and commercial operations, a professional (non-sworn) translation of Turkish commercial documents is generally sufficient for customs formalities. A sworn translation is required only in cases of commercial dispute, judicial proceedings or a procedure before a Belgian or European regulatory authority.