Legalisation : more detailed information

On this page you will find answers to your more detailed questions about the legalisation of documents.

How can Belgian documents be legalised for use abroad?

On this page you will find all the information you need to legalise Belgian documents for use abroad.

1. Last updated on

Legalisation, apostille or exemption?

Depending both on the country where you want to use the document and on the type of document, a legalisation or an apostille is required. In some cases, neither a legalisation nor an apostille is required.

A country can be party to a legalisation treaty that contains agreements on how countries accept each other's official documents.

If a country is party to the “Apostille Convention”, only one legalisation is required in the form of an apostille stamp.

Since 1 May 2018, apostilles can only be affixed electronically.

For which countries does the legalisation, apostille or exemption from legalisation and apostille apply? You can find this information via the 'Search criteria'.

Where can you apply for a legalisation or an apostille?

At the Legalisation Service of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs.

ATTENTION

For some documents, other authorities at the local, regional or federal level have to affix a legalisation first. You can check this here.

Before presenting your document at the office of the Legalisation Service, please check whether it has been signed by a public official:

• either at the municipal level: by the mayor, an alderman or a delegate municipal official whose signature has been deposited with the FPS Foreign Affairs (to be checked at your municipality).
• either by a notary, etc.,
• or by an official of a public institution whose signature has been deposited with the Legalisation Service.

Has your document been legalised by the Legalisation Service of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs? The embassy or consulate of the country where you want to use the document will then make the final legalisation. Addresses of the foreign embassies and (honorary) consulates in Belgium

If the country where you want to use the document is party to the Apostille Convention, the Legalisation Service of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs will affix the apostille stamp electronically. Once the apostille stamp has been affixed, you can use the document directly in the country of destination.

e-apostille / e-legalisation

• apostilles CAN ONLY BE affixed electronically,
• whereas legalisations can be issued both on paper and electronically.

In order for the Legalisation Service of the FPS Foreign Affairs to issue the e-apostilles and e-legalisations, a special eLegalisation website has been created, which is only accessible to accredited partners of the FPS Foreign Affairs (such as municipalities, notaries, other FPSs,…) and not to private citizens

1. If an apostille is required for your document

• Since 1 may 2018, apostilles can no longer be affixed on paper. Apostilles can only be affixed electronically.
• No document signed by a notary, for which an apostille is required (see 'search criteria'), can be submitted at the office of the legalisation service of the fps foreign affairs. These applications must be submitted by the notary via the elegalisation website (see point 1 above).

Two procedures are possible for lodging an e-apostille application

The application can be made directly by the authority that issued the document, at the request of the person concerned. The recognised accredited partner (municipalities, notaries. ) submits the application via the eLegalisation website

Payment is made directly online and the 'link' to the document with apostille is sent directly to the applicant by email. The processing time of the applications is short (within 48 hours normally) and does not involve any additional costs. The entire procedure can be done online. You do not have to go in person to the office of the Legalisation Service of the FPS Foreign Affairs.

Documents containing less than 4 (four) pages will be processed immediately. Documents containing more than 4 pages must be deposited and will be available for collection the next working day.

The apostille can be consulted on and downloaded from the LegalWeb website by using the number of the apostille and the date on which it was affixed.

2. If a legalisation is required for your document

If your document needs to be legalised, it must also be legalised by the embassy or consulate of the country of destination.

So please check first whether the foreign embassy or consulate can accept the electronic legalisation.

• If so, the authority that issued the document can submit the application for legalisation via the eLegalisation website, at the request of the person concerned, as is the case for the e-apostille. You will receive an email with the link to the legalised document.
• If not, you can always obtain a legalisation on paper at the office of the Legalisation Service (Karmelietenstraat / Rue des Petits Carmes 27, 1000 Brussels, from 9 a.m. till noon).

Always submit the original document (no scan) at the office of the Legalisation Service.

Is the legalisation carried out immediately?

Yes, as long as the applicant does not submit more than 10 documents. If you wish to have legalised more than 10 documents at the office:

• you must deposit the documents;
• you will be able to collect them the next day;
• you pay when you collect the documents.

Do you have to submit your document in person? Do you have to produce a valid identity document?

No. Anyone can submit your document. An identity document is not required.