Have you arrived from Brazil and need to have Brazilian documents translated for a procedure in Belgium? Here is which records to translate, how to handle the Brazilian apostille and the sworn translation from Portuguese, and how to build an accepted file.
📖 See also: apostille or legalisation · Hague Convention · documents for immigration · sworn translation guide
Which Brazilian documents to have translated?
Depending on your procedure (residence, marriage, nationality, diploma equivalence), the Belgian administration generally requires a sworn translation of the Brazilian records. The most requested:
- Civil status records: certidão de nascimento (birth certificate), certidão de casamento (marriage certificate).
- Criminal record extract (atestado de antecedentes criminais).
- Diplomas and transcripts (histórico escolar) for an equivalence or a job.
- Powers of attorney and court judgments for family or property procedures.
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Brazilian documents to translate for Belgium?
Sworn Portuguese-French translation of your records, names consistent with your Belgian papers. Quote within 1 hour.
Brazilian apostille before the translation
Brazil is a member of the Hague Convention, which simplifies authentication: the apostille is obtained in Brazil from a cartório (authorised notary) or from the court. To understand the difference between apostille and legalisation, consult our guide apostille or legalisation, and confirm with the recipient authority whether it requires the apostille before or after the translation.
Tradutor juramentado or Belgian sworn translator?
Brazil has its own system of tradutor juramentado. Be careful: for use in Belgium, a Belgian sworn translator registered in the national register (RNEJ) is required. A translation produced in Brazil is generally not recognised as such by the Belgian administration; so plan a sworn translation from Portuguese into French or Dutch in Belgium.
Good to know: ask the administration for the precise list of the records and the target language (French or Dutch depending on the region). Also check the consistency of your surname and first name between the Brazilian record and your Belgian papers to avoid a rejection.
How to proceed
- Gather your recent Brazilian records and confirm the list with the administration.
- Have the documents apostilled in Brazil (cartório or court) if required.
- Entrust the sworn Portuguese-French translation to a Belgian sworn translator.
- Specify the spelling of your name as it appears on your Belgian papers.
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A consistent and accepted Brazilian file
Sworn translation of your records, diplomas and criminal record, with data aligned with your Belgian documents.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does a Brazilian record need to be apostilled before translating it?
Often yes. As Brazil is a member of the Hague Convention, the apostille is obtained locally from a cartório or from the court. Check the exact order with the Belgian administration and via our apostille or legalisation guide.
Is a translation made by a tradutor juramentado in Brazil valid in Belgium?
Not automatically. For local use, the Belgian administration asks for a translation by a Belgian sworn translator registered in the RNEJ. See our sworn translation guide.
Into which language should I translate in Belgium?
Into French or Dutch depending on the region and the service. Ask the administration for the target language before ordering.
Which documents for an immigration file?
Civil status records, criminal record and diplomas are the most common. Consult our guide to documents for immigration.
Urgent Brazilian procedure to complete?
Express available for your Brazilian records. Sworn translation ready for the Belgian administration.