Translation for Family Reunification in Belgium: Office des Étrangers, Apostille and Deadlines

Family reunification in Belgium is a strictly regulated procedure overseen by the Immigration Office (Office des Etrangers). Every document submitted must be in order - and foreign documents must be accompanied by a sworn translation. A missing document or a non-compliant translation is enough to stall your application for months. This practical guide explains exactly which documents to translate, which ones require an apostille, and how to avoid the most common mistakes.

Who Can Benefit from Family Reunification in Belgium?

Family reunification allows a person legally established in Belgium to bring certain family members to the country. Eligible family members depend on the status of the "sponsor" (the person already in Belgium):

• Belgian nationals: may bring their spouse or registered partner, their minor children and, under certain conditions, their parents and adult children.
• EU/EEA nationals in Belgium: benefit from a more favourable regime (European Directive 2004/38/EC). They may bring their spouse, direct descendants under 21 and dependent ascendants.
• Non-EU nationals holding an unlimited residence permit or a single permit: may bring their spouse and minor children under certain income and housing conditions.

In all cases, the application is lodged either at the Belgian embassy in the family member's country of origin, or directly at the Belgian municipality if the family member is already legally in Belgium. The Immigration Office then processes the application and issues the decision.

Documents to Translate: Complete List

The following documents must systematically be submitted with a sworn translation certified by a sworn translator appointed before a Belgian Court of Appeal.

Marriage Certificate

This is the central document for spousal reunification applications. The foreign marriage certificate must be recent (some countries issue updated versions that incorporate later marginal notes). A sworn translation is mandatory if the document is not in one of Belgium's official languages.

Note: the Immigration Office will verify the validity of the marriage according to the law of the country where it was celebrated. A marriage celebrated abroad is generally recognised in Belgium, unless it is contrary to Belgian public order (e.g. polygamous marriage, child marriage).

Children's Birth Certificates

For each minor child included in the application, the birth certificate must be submitted with a sworn translation. If the child was born from a previous relationship, additional documents proving custody or parental authority may be requested.

Proof of Family Ties

In certain cases, the Immigration Office may request additional documents to prove the reality of the family relationship, particularly if the marriage was celebrated in a country with a high risk of marriages of convenience:

• Photos of the couple, plane tickets, correspondence - generally no translation required
• Foreign co-habitation certificates - professional translation generally sufficient
• Child custody judgments - sworn translation mandatory
• Paternity recognition documents - sworn translation mandatory

Proof of the Sponsor's Income

The sponsor in Belgium must prove they have stable and sufficient income to support the family members. If this income is documented by Belgian payslips, no translation is needed. However, if foreign documents are provided (foreign income statements, foreign bank statements), a professional translation is generally sufficient.

Apostille and Legalisation: When Are They Required?

A sworn translation is not always sufficient. For certain countries, original documents must first be legalised or apostilled before being translated. The order is crucial: legalisation/apostille first, translation second.

• Countries signatory to the Hague Convention (apostille sufficient): Morocco (since 2016), Turkey, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Albania... The apostille is affixed by the competent authority of the issuing country.
• Non-signatory countries (full consular legalisation required): Algeria, Tunisia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon... The procedure involves legalisation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country of origin, then by the Belgian embassy or consulate on site. This process can take several weeks to several months.
• EU countries: civil status documents between EU countries benefit from EU Regulation 2016/1191 (standardised multilingual forms). In this case, no apostille or translation is in principle required - but always verify with the receiving administration.

Immigration Office Processing Times for Family Reunification

The statutory processing times by the Immigration Office vary depending on the sponsor's profile:

• Belgian or EU nationals: the Immigration Office has 6 months from the submission of a complete file to issue a decision. In practice, the actual time frame is often 3 to 5 months.
• Non-EU nationals: the statutory period is 9 months, but this can be significantly extended if the file is incomplete.

An incomplete file (missing translations, non-legalised documents, expired documents) triggers a request for additional information. The clock then restarts from zero. This is the main reason for the excessive delays observed in family reunification cases.

Common Mistakes That Delay the File

• Submitting a non-sworn translation for a civil status document (marriage certificate, birth certificate). These documents systematically require a sworn translation, without exception.
• Omitting the marginal notes on the marriage or birth certificate. Marginal notes (recognised children, divorces, deaths) are an integral part of the document and must be translated. If your translator does not include them, the translation is incomplete.
• Translating before legalising. If your document must be apostilled or legalised, this step must precede the translation. Otherwise, you risk having to redo the translation entirely.
• Using a marriage certificate that is too old without checking whether an updated version exists. In some countries (e.g. Morocco), marriage certificates can be updated. The Immigration Office may require the most recent version.
• Inconsistent transliteration of names. The name must be transliterated in the same way across all translated documents. A variation (e.g. "Fatima" vs "Fatiha") can be enough to cause the file to be rejected or trigger a verification request.