Field :: Law

Bruxelles-Tour-finances

Legal and sworn translations

AQCIS Language Services will translate any legal documents from English or German into French.

The specialised agency will also proofread French-language texts to ensure that they are perfectly suited to their intended purpose, in accordance with the rules of French usage.

If required, translations can be sworn for an official use in Belgium or abroad (Francis Auquier is a sworn translator, listed in the national register of sworn translators and interpreters under number VTI 2056400).

Companies and law firms

Articles of association, contracts, agreements, memoranda of understanding (MoU)

Minutes of board meetings and general assemblies, convening notices, announcements

Legal notices, general terms and conditions, terms of use

Internal regulations

Safety instructions

Personal data protection statements (GDPR)

Private individuals (citizen affairs)

Civil status documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.)

Certificates of residence, affidavits of single status

Divorce judgements, court rulings

Filiation, custody

Foreign legislation

Diplomas, transcripts, course titles

Affidavits, certificates and administrative documents

Authorities and judicial services

Expert reports

International judicial cooperation

Internal regulations

Foreign legislation
(Germany, Austria, Switzerland; United States, United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Philippines, etc.)

Judgements and rulings in civil law

Legal aid, legal assistance

	Sworn translations and legalisation: Certified or sworn translations are translations made by a sworn translator (certified translator). They must fulfil a number of conditions in terms of form, notably as regards legal statements and their signature. The legalisation of a sworn translation is the official confirmation of the signature appearing in the document against the signature entered in the national register of sworn translators and interpreters of the Belgian judicial authorities.
	A brief history of the legalisation of sworn translations in Belgium (recent history) On the 1^st of January 2020, in Brussels, the legalisation process was taken over by the service in charge of the national register of sworn translators and interpreters. The legalisation service run by the Court of First Instance in Brussels was put to an end. Since the 1^st of January 2021, the legalisation service of the national register of sworn translators and interpreters has handled the legalisation process for sworn translations from all Belgian judicial districts. Between the 1^st of March 2021 and the 30^th of November 2022, sworn translators who had received an official stamp from the judicial authorities did not need to submit their sworn translations to the legalisation service any more. The official stamp that was valid until the 30^th of November 2022 confirmed the validity of the sworn translator’s signature as a means of legalisation.
	Since the 1^st of December 2022, the legalisation process has been electronic, and sworn translators have legalised their sworn translations by signing them with a digital signature. To be officially legalised, a document must be digitally signed in PDF format. In order to have a valid sworn translation on paper, the digitally signed PDF document must be printed and signed by hand by the sworn translator. There is no official stamp any more, but the sworn translator may affix a personal stamp. The identity of the sworn translator who has signed a sworn translation with the new, electronic legalisation process can be verified and confirmed by checking the national register of sworn translators and interpreters: FPS Justice — search for a translator or interpreter by language, name or VTI number
	More information on the national register: FPS Justice: National Register Address: boulevard de Waterloo 80, 1000 Brussels, Belgium More information on legalisation: FPS Justice: Legalisation Notice from Brulocalis, the association of the city and communes of Brussels (30 November 2022): Sworn translators and interpreters will soon be allowed to sign sworn translations digitally Information from the European e-Justice portal, all EU countries: European e-Justice: Find a legal translator or interpreter Information from the European e-Justice portal, Belgium: European e-Justice: Find a legal translator or interpreter - Belgium

Other useful information and lists of Belgian sworn translators:

Traducteur juré belge
Find a sworn translator in Belgium

Belgian Chamber of Translators and Interpreters
Directory

Photo credit: Francis Auquier, Hadelin Auquier