International Succession in Ghent: Documents to Translate

Dealing with a cross-border estate in Ghent? As Flanders' leading university city and a growing hub for international business, Ghent sees an increasing number of international successions each year. Sworn translation of succession documents is required by local notaries and the Ghent Court of Appeal.

International succession in Ghent: a university city with global connections

Ghent is home to Ghent University, one of the largest and most internationally oriented universities in Belgium, which attracts researchers, professors and staff from around the world. The city's thriving creative, technology and chemical industries (BASF, Volvo, ArcelorMittal) add further layers of international professional residents. These communities - along with Ghent's large Turkish and Moroccan communities and its growing number of expat families - generate a steady flow of cross-border succession cases.

As the seat of the Ghent Court of Appeal - the appellate jurisdiction for the entire Flemish region outside Antwerp - Ghent also plays a central judicial role for succession disputes arising throughout East and West Flanders.

EU Succession Regulation 650/2012 and Ghent

EU Succession Regulation 650/2012, in force since 17 August 2015, determines that the law of the country of the deceased's habitual residence governs the succession. For most Ghent residents, this means Belgian law applies. The Regulation also makes the European Certificate of Succession issued by a Belgian notary valid throughout the EU without further legalisation.

Despite this, Ghent notaries and the Ghent Court of Appeal require sworn translations into Dutch of any foreign-language document submitted as part of succession proceedings. This applies to documents from EU and non-EU countries alike.

Ghent notaries and courts for international successions

• Notaries of the Ghent district: Ghent's notarial community is well versed in complex international succession files, particularly for Turkish, Moroccan and Eastern European communities as well as international academics.
• Ghent Court of First Instance: handles civil succession disputes in the Ghent arrondissement, sitting in Dutch.
• Ghent Court of Appeal: the regional appellate court for succession matters, and also the court with which sworn translators throughout Flanders must be registered.
• SPF Finance - Ghent: processes inheritance tax declarations for the East Flemish province.

For the full Belgian legal framework, see our national guide on international succession translation in Belgium.

Documents commonly translated for Ghent international successions

• Turkish inheritance certificates (veraset ilamı) and property documents
• Moroccan family record books (livrets de famille) and heirship documents
• Academic employment contracts and pension entitlement documents for foreign researchers
• Dutch (Netherlands) verklaringen van erfrecht and notarial deeds
• Foreign death certificates, wills and testamentary dispositions
• Foreign property title deeds and land registry extracts
• Powers of attorney from heirs residing abroad
• Foreign bank statements and financial asset inventories

Turnaround times and pricing

• Standard delivery: 2 to 5 working days depending on volume and language pair
• Express delivery: 24 to 48 hours on request
• Pricing: from €80 per document depending on length and language
• Complete file quotations with possible discount for multi-document estates