A foreign civil status certificate can only be transcribed in Belgium when it is duly legalized and translated by a sworn translator into the language of the city administration.
- How to obtain civil status certificates
- Which Japanese authorities can issue civil status certificates?
- Transcription of foreign civil status certificates
Issues concerning the civil status of a person (birth, lineage, adoption, name, marriage, divorce, decease,…). can be very complex. Questions related to civil status can not be answered by phone. Always submit your personal case in writing (via e-mail) to the Embassy of Belgium in Tokyo
The Belgian civil code is applicable to all Belgians, living in Belgium or abroad. You can read more on the website of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs
How to obtain civil status certificates
You must request the civil status certificates from the competent local administration that issued the certificate when the event took place (birth, marriage, etc.). If the event took place in Belgium, you must request the Belgian certificate directly from the municipal office. The same applies to a foreign certificate transcribed into the Belgian registers: you must contact the municipal office directly.
Which Japanese authorities issue civil status certificates?
Coming soon
Transcription of foreign civil status certificates into the Belgian registers
The Embassy must be notified of all changes in your civil status (birth of a child, marriage, divorce) so the relevant data can be recorded in the consular registers and the National Register. However, the certificate itself will not be transcribed by the Embassy. It is highly recommended to personally take the necessary steps to have your certificate transcribed into the register of a Belgian municipality.
Why transcribe a certificate?
In accordance with article 48 of the Civil Code, it is possible to have the foreign certificate transcribed in a Belgian municipal office. If the certificate is transcribed, you will always be able to request a copy or extract of the certificate from your municipal office. If you choose not to have the certificate transcribed, you will have to request the original certificate, with all necessary legalizations and translations, from the relevant foreign authority each time you have a need for it, which could be costly, time-consuming, and inconvenient. In order to avoid any problems in the future, we strongly advise you to have the certificate transcribed as soon as possible.
Where?
The transcription can be done by the municipal office of the city where you will live after your return to Belgium. If you do not plan on living in Belgium, you can have the certificate transcribed at the administration of the city where you last lived, the city where your parents live, or the city where you were born. In the absence of any of the aforementioned, you can ask the city of Brussels to do the transcription.
- If you were married in Belgium and got divorced abroad, the divorce judgment proclaimed abroad will have to be transcribed by the city administration that originally registered your marriage.
How?
Visit the website of the competent municipal office or contact them directly for detailed and practical information.
