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A document that is official and legal in one country is not necessarily official and legal in another. Many documents must therefore be legalised if you wish to use them abroad.
The legalisation process involves checking the origin of the relevant document. Legalisation is 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 legalised, the process can also legalise the signature of the legalising registrar. Every signature, every seal and every stamp will be legalised by the person authorised to do so and who is familiar with each signature, seal or stamp. This explains why various legalisations are sometimes required, in a specific order.
A country may have signed up to a legalisation treaty that encompasses agreements about how countries accept one another's official documents. Many countries have signed up to the "Apostille Convention" of The Hague of 5 October 1961. With this, just 1 legalisation is required via an apostille stamp.
Questions and answers about the legalisation of documents
For legalisation from abroad, you can also consult the website of our representative at the location concerned, i.e. Belgian embassies and consulates
In order to further refine your question, you can also use the Search criteria.
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
Please note that a document should be issued less than 6 months in order to be acceptable. In case that a document is older, please renew your document by following below procedures:
- Make a color copy of the document that will be renewed.
- Legalization of the copy by the competent authorities (E.g. Civil Registry Office, Ministry of Religious Affairs, etc.). Please make sure that the date of renewal is added on the legalization stamp.
- If translation in Indonesia is required, translate the legalized copy to the sworn translator. Please make sure that the renewal stamp is also translated.
- Obtain an Apostille legalization to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia - Kementerian Hukum dan Hak Asasi Manusia Republik Indonesia for both original legalized copy and translation.
Documents legalized at the embassy
Some documents are still being legalized at the Belgian embassy.
The following documents can still be legalized at the Belgian embassy :
- Annex 32 (financial sponsor) 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.
Legalization of the Annex 32 and other documents
Legalization of the Annex 32
The legalization of Annex 32 is needed to complete a visa application for student visa when the student has a sponsor that will finance his study and living costs during his study period in Belgium.
The sponsor has to be:
- Belgian National; or
- A citizen of the European Union who has a right of residence for more than three months in Belgium or another Member State of the European Union; or
- A third-country national who is admitted or authorized to reside in Belgium or another Member State of the European Union for an indefinite period; or
- If the sponsor lives in Indonesia or Timor Leste, he/she has to be a family member of the applicant (Max. 3rd grade family member). The family ties has to be proven by obtaining the Apostille legalization of Birth Certificate (Kutipan Akta Kelahiran) and/or Marriage Certificate (Kutipan Akta Perkawinan) and translations by the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights.
In order to analyze the financial solvability, the sponsor has to submit:
- In case he/she is employee
- Copy of ID Card;
- Copy of Family Composition (Kartu Keluarga);
- Proof of employment;
- Salary slip of the last 3 months;
- Bank statements of the last 12 months.
- In case he/she is independant:
- Copy of ID Card;
- Copy of Family Composition (Kartu Keluarga);
- Proof of entrepreneurship / business (SIUP or Akta Pendirian Perusahaan);
- Bank statement of the last 12 months;
- Proof of tax report of previous year;
- Taxpayer Identification Number (NPWP).
The forms are available in Dutch and French.
Legalization of other documents
Other documents such as a power of attorney to declare a marriage, a declaration of honor, etc. can also be submitted for legalization.
Procedure
Legalization is done at the embassy by appointment.
The person whose signature is legalized must be present in person and in possession of his/her identity card. He/she signs the document at the counter in front of the staff authorized for the legalization (do not sign the document in advance).
To come to the embassy for legalization of documents, please make your appointment via the online appointment system.
For the fee of a legalization, see consular fees.
