Legalization and transcription of documents
A document that is official and legal in one country is not automatically so in another country. Many documents must be legalized in order to be used in another country. The legalization process involves checking the origin of the relevant document. Legalization is an official confirmation that the signature of the civil servant that has signed a document, or the seal or stamp on the document, is legitimate.
It is not only the signature of the person that has issued the document that is legalized, the process can also legalize the signature of the legalizing registrar. Every signature, every seal and every stamp will be legalized by the person authorized to do so and who is familiar with each signature, seal or stamp. This explains why various legalizations are sometimes required, in a specific order.
A country may have signed up to a legalization treaty that encompasses agreements about how countries accept one another's official documents. In 2022, Indonesia acceded to the "Apostille Convention" of The Hague of 5 October 1961.
As from 4 June 2022, several documents issued by the authorities in Indonesia and destined for the Belgian authorities can now be legalized by means of an Apostille. An apostille means that documents do not require anymore a legalization from the Belgian embassy in order to be used in Belgium.
The documents that can obtain an Apostille are:
- Divorce Certificates
- Death Certificates
- Birth Certificates
- Marriage Certificates
- Court Orders
- Halal Certificates
- Waqaf Certificates
- Hibah Certificates
- Academic Certificates and Awards
- Skill Training Certificates
- Professional Certificates
- Sworn Translations
- Notarized Documents
- Identity Documents
- Driving Licenses
- Criminal Record Checks
- Statement Letters from Indonesian authorities
- Memorandum of Understanding
- Documents related to child custody (adoption, …)
- Determination/Intangible of Cultural Heritage Certificates
- Approval document for the Transfer/Cooperation of State-Owned Overseas Assets
For all information on Apostille in Indonesia: please contact the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia - Kementerian Hukum dan Hak Asasi Manusia Republik Indonesia, Directorate of Central Authority and International Law - Direktorat Otoritas Pusat dan Hukum Internasional
Address: Jalan H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 6-7, Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta 12940;
Website and email: apostille.ahu.go.id ; cs@ahu.go.id
Some documents are still being legalized at the Belgian embassy
The following documents can still be legalized at the Belgian embassy :
- Annex 32 (financial sponser) if required in visa application for students
- End of user certificates
- Parental authorization
- Procuration and other private documents such as a statements on honor
- Documents issued in East Timor, and already legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of East Timor
For legalization of the above mentioned documents, please make your appointment via the online appointment system.
For the fee of a legalization, see consular fee
Transcription
We strongly advise the transcription of foreign civil status certificates such as birth and marriage certificates because only then you will be able to obtain copies or extracts of the certificate in Belgium. Without the transcription you will have to revert to the issuing authority in Indonesia or elsewhere, even if you had duly registered the information with the Embassy and/or you have left Indonesia.
The certificates can be transcribed in the civil status registers of the municipality of your domicile, or of your first abode after your return to Belgium. If you are neither domiciled nor resident in Belgium, you can have the certificate transcribed in the civil status registers of the municipality of your most recent domicile in Belgium. You should contact the relevant authority in Belgium to know the requirements for the transcription. In some cases, the municipality will accept the submission of the request and documents by post.