Civil Records for Belgium citizens in the United States — 2026

Civil records registration means registering births, marriages and deaths that occurred in the United States with the Belgium authorities. Essential for citizens of Belgium living abroad whose family events happen in the U.S.

Belgium consulates processing civil records

What can be registered?

• Birth registration: children of Belgium parents born in the U.S. can be registered as Belgium nationals
• Marriage registration: marriages of Belgium citizens (or mixed marriages) celebrated in the U.S.
• Death registration: death of Belgium nationals in the U.S.
• Divorce registration: U.S. divorce decrees for those married in Belgium

Required documents

• Original U.S. vital record (birth/marriage/death certificate)
• Apostille from the Secretary of State of the issuing state
• Certified translation to the official language of Belgium
• Passport and ID of the Belgium citizens involved
• Application form completed

How to register

Most Belgium consulates require an appointment to file civil records. The consulate then forwards the registration to the Belgium civil registry office.

Some consulates accept mail-in applications for civil records. Check the official site of your consulate.

Costs and processing times

Registration fees: typically free or $10-$50 per record. Processing time at the consulate: 2-4 weeks; final registration in Belgium can take additional months.