Welcome to our section of frequently asked questions! We have compiled the questions most frequently asked by our customers to give you a clearer idea of the service we provide.
A sworn translation means that a translator registered with a Belgian court gives legal value to the translated document. It is mandatory in many cases, such as for marriages, births, court rulings, contracts, diplomas, etc. If you are unsure, contact the relevant authority to find out whether you need to submit a sworn translation of the official document.
Belgian sworn translations are accepted abroad if they are accompanied by legalisation or an apostille, depending on the country in which they will be used. However, we recommend that you check the requirements of the destination country.
To check this information, you can visit the Belgian Federal public service of Justice (FPS Justice) website and enter the translator’s name to see which languages they are authorised to translate into.
The cost of a sworn translation in Belgium varies depending on the document and language. In general, the average price is €40 per page. However, sworn translators are free to set their own rates, even though they are required to comply with official standards. The cost increases if an apostille or legalisation by the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs (FPS Foreign Affairs) is required.
A sworn translation is carried out by a sworn translator registered with a Belgian court. This means that they are accountable to the judicial authorities. Sworn translations can only be carried out by translators who have obtained a certificate of legal knowledge, unlike translations that can be carried out by people who do not have a translation qualification.
Legalisation authenticates the signature on a document, but does not confer any authenticity on the content of the document. Legalisation by the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs (FPS Foreign Affairs) costs €20. To find out whether your document needs to be legalised, please consult https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/legalisation documents/search-criteria-legalisation, or contact the authority requesting the sworn translation.
The legalisation of a sworn translation by the Belgian Federal public service of Justice (FPS Justice) or a court is free of charge. To use official documents abroad, you sometimes need legalisation by the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs (FPS Foreign Affairs) or an apostille, which currently costs €20.
