Legalisation of documents

On this page, you will find all the information on how to legalise a document.

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All official documents submitted for  C and D visa applications must be legalised by the authorities of the countries in which they were issued.

Documents issued in a language other than one of the official languages of Belgium or English should be translated into French, Dutch or German. If the translation is done locally, it must be legalised by the authorities of the country in which it was issued. If the translation is done by a judicial translator in Belgium and bears a seal, it would be accepted without the need for further legalisation.

Please note: documents for use in Belgium (e.g. registration at city hall) must always be translated to the official language of the town/city in question.

An official and legal document in one country does not automatically qualify as such in another country. Therefore you need to have your documents legalised before being able to use them in Belgium or in another country. The legalisation certifies the origin of the document. It is an official confirmation of the veracity of the signature, the seal or the stamp of the civil servant that has signed the document.

If a translation of the document is done abroad, it will also need to be legalised.

A country may be bound by a legalisation treaty that contains agreements on how countries accept official documents from each other. A large number of countries are bound in this way by the Apostille Convention of the Hague of 5 October 1961. In this case, a single legalisation is necessary via a stamp mentioning Apostille.

Belgium is bound by the Apostille Convention with the following countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, St Vincent & Grenadines, St Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Anguilla (UK), Cayman (UK), Virgin Islands (UK), Montserrat (UK)

The documents that have an Apostille of the authorities of these countries do not need to be legalised by the Embassy of Belgium in Kingston.

You will find below the addresses of the relevant authorities for Apostille in the different countries of the jurisdiction of the Embassy of Belgium in Kingston.
 

Countries Where to Get a Police Clearance Where to Legalise a Document
ANGUILLA The Commissioner of Police 
Police Headquarters 
The Valley 
1-264-497-3740
Government House 
Anguilla 
1-264-497-2621/2662 
1-264-4973314 (fax) 
governorsoffice@gov.ai
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA In person: St. John’s Police Station 
Newgate 
1-268-4620-2095 
By Letter: Commissioner of Police 
Royal Antigua & Barbuda Police Force 
Police Headquarters 
Criminal Records Office 
American Road 
Email:pd@candw.ag
Fax: 1-268-462-2385
Governor General 

Or

Registrar of the High Court 
High Street 
St. John’s 
1-809-462-3147

BARBADOS Central Police Station 
P.O. Box 84 
Coleridge Street 
Bridgetown, St. Michael 
1-246-430-7100
Registrar of the Supreme Court of Barbados Law Courts 
Bridgetown 
1-809-427-5537 
Or
The Permanent Secretary & The Chief of Protocol 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
1 Culloden Road 
St. Michael 
1-246-431-220/2231
CAYMAN In person: Criminal Records Office 
Royal Cayman Islands Police Service 
Windjammer Plaza, Walkers Road 
George Town 
By Mail: P.O. Box 909 
Grand Cayman KY1-1103 
Cayman Islands 
1-345-945-4924/645-4924
Must be hand delivered to 
The Customer Service Rep. 
2nd Floor Sussex House Building 
Passport & Corporate Service Office 
Grand Cayman KY1-9000 
Cayman islands 
1-345-943-7678 
1-345-945-4355 (fax)
DOMINICA Criminal Investigation Department 
Police Headquarters 
Roseau 
1-767-448-2222
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
4th Floor 
The Financial Centre 
Kennedy Avenue 
Roseau 
1-767-266-3213/3276 
1-767-448-8960 (fax)
GRENADA Criminal Records Office 
Police Headquarters 
Millinni Building, Gore Street 
St. Georges 
1-473-440-2823
Registry General’s Office 
Ground Floor 
Ministerial Complex 
Botanical Gardens, St. Georges 
1-473-440-2649 
Or
The Prime Minister’s Office 
6th Floor 
Ministerial Complex 
Botanical Gardens 
1-473-443-4688 
Or
Deputy Registry-General 
1st Floor, Ministerial Complex 
Botanical Garden, Tanteen 
1-473-440-2806
GUYANA Georgetown Clearance Office 
Eve Leary Kingston 
Georgetown 
011-592-226-9834
General Registrar Office 
GRO Building 
Robb Street 
Georgetown 
011-592-226-1291 
011-592-227-6861 (fax) 
groguyana@gmail.com
MAAGDENEILANDEN Police Headquarters 
Road Town 
Tortola, BVI 
1-284-494-3822
Registrar of Courts 
Tortola, BVI 
1-284-494-3492 
1-284-494-6664 (fax)
JAMAICA Inland Revenue Department Offices (Tax Office) 
https://www.mns.gov.jm/resource/how-obtain-police-record
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
2 Port Royal Street 
Kingston
Tel: +1 876 676 4028-30 
Mail: mfaft@gov.jm
Opening hours: 8:30 am–4:00 pm
MONTSERRAT Criminal Investigation Department 
Police Headquarters 
P.O. Box 177 
Plymouth 
1-664-491-2555
Public Service Reform Unit 
3 Farara Plaza 
Brades 
1-664-491-6524/9202 
1-664-491-9751 (fax) 
psru@gov.ms
ST. KITTS & NEVIS Criminal Records Office 
Police Headquarters 
Royal St. Kitts & Nevis Police Force 
P.O. Box 189 
Basseterre 
1-869-465-2641/2241
The Deputy Registry of the Supreme Court 
Ministry of Legal Affairs 
P.O. Box 186 
Government Headquarters 
1-809-465-2521
ST. VINCENT & the GRENADINES Criminal Records Office 
Police Headquarters 
Kingstown 
1-784-456-1810
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
3rd Floor, Administrative Centre 
Bay Street, Kingstown 
1-890-456-1111 
(they will forward documents to the Registrar’s Office)
ST. LUCIA Royal St. Lucia Police Force 
Police Headquarters 
Castries 
1-758-456-3744 
Tic.ou@hotmail.com
Registrar of the High Court 
Registry Department 
Peynier Street 
Castries  
1-809-452-1257
SURINAME Commissariaat van het district waar de aanvrager verblijft Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken 
Henck Arronstraat, 8 
Paramaribo 
Tel: +1 597 47 12 09 
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Police Administration Building 
Edward & Sackville Street 
Port of Spain 
1-868-627-4140 
By Mail: Office of the Senior Superintendent 
Criminal Investigations Department & Criminal Records Office 
Police Headquarters 
Cnr. Of St. Vincent & Sackville Streets 
Port of Spain 
info@yyps.gov.tt
or
Any Police Station in T&T
Consular Affairs Division 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Level 12, Tower C 
International Waterfront Complex 
1a Wrightson Road 
Port of Spain 
1-868-623-6894/627-6859/623-5853 
consular@foreign.gov.tt
or
Registrar General Office 
Registration House 
72-74 South Quay 
Port of Spain 
1-868-623-9435 
info@legalaffairs.gov.tt