Legalisation of documents

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Where to legalise a foreign document intended for Belgium or Luxembourg

All documents to be legalised have to be submitted to our external partner TLScontact. For more information, please consult the TLScontact website

Foreign documents intended for Belgium will be legalized electronically (if the document is legalised at the Embassy of Belgium in Yaoundé). The electronic legalisation can be viewed and downloaded via Legalweb using the file number and the date of issue (closing date on your receipt).

How to legalise a foreign document intended for Belgium or Luxembourg

1. Get a certified copy from the local authority that issued the original document ; 

2. Legalise the certified copy at the Ministry of external relations (Minrex) ; 

3. Submit legalised certified copy of the document and the original document at TLSContact. 

 

N.B: 

- If you wish to legalise a certificat (birth, mariage, death) that has been reconstituted, you must legalise the judgment accompanying said certificat. 

- If you wish to legalise a birth certificat that has been issued following a recognition, you must legalise the declaration/certificat of recognition accompanying said birth certificat. 

Parental authorisation

Legalisations requested directly at the Embassy only concern the legalisation of parental authorisations:

The parent(s) who are not travelling with the child must go to the Embassy in person to sign and have the parental authorisation legalised. The parent(s) must bring:

  • The original birth certificate of the child concerned and a simple photocopy
  • The original declaration of recognition or judgment (if applicable) and a simple photocopy
  • A photocopy of the passport of the child concerned
  • A photocopy of the passport of the accompanying person
  • The original identity card of the parent(s) signing the authorisation and a simple photocopy
  • The sum of 13,200 CFA francs for legalisation fees, preferably payable by OM or Mobile Money. Other currencies are not accepted
  • The form pre-filled (choose one of the forms hereunder) but not signed. The form must be signed during your appointment

 

Note: If you are filling out the “Parental Authorisation for Studies” form, you must provide proof of enrollment or admission to a school or university in Belgium. 

 

Aurotisation parentale Court Séjour EN.pdf

Autorisation parentale Court Sejour FR.pdf

Autorisation parentale Etudes EN.pdf

Autorisation parentale Etudes FR.pdf

Autorisation parentale Regroupement familial EN.pdf

Autorisation parentale Regroupement familial FR.pdf


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