Legalisation of documents

How to legalise a document?

Documents from Tanzania

How to legalize documents from Tanzania
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If you want to use a document from Tanzania in Belgium, you must first have the document legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tanzania and then by the Belgian Embassy in Dar Es Salaam.  

Attention: if you want to use a Belgian document in Tanzania, you can find information on the website of Foreign Affairs.

Important

  • Documents in Kiswahili must be translated into a Belgian national language for use in Belgium. 

  • Your document must be original, without lamination. If there are references to other documents or attachments, they must also be included.  

  • Date of issue of the document must be less than 6 months old to be legalized.

Translate your document 

The document will be translated in Tanzania: 

  • Translate the original document into a Belgian national language
  • Have the original document legalized by following the 2-step procedure below 

OR

The document will be translated in Belgium: 

  • Have the original document legalized by following the 2-step procedure below
  • Have the legalized document translated by a sworn translator in Belgium. The translation does not need to be legalized. 

Legalization of the document 

Step 1: legalization by the Tanzanian authorities 

  • Have the document - and if applicable the translation of the document - legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is only possible on Tuesday and Thursday morning.
  • Attention: documents from Zanzibar must also be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dar Es Salaam. Legalization by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Zanzibar is not recognized by our Embassy. 

Step 2: legalization by the Belgian embassy in Dar Es Salaam

Once the document is legalized, you can use the document in Belgium.  

Where can you apply for official documents in Tanzania 

You can request certificates of civil status from Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA), P.O. Box 9183, Dar Es Salaam. 

You can get official copies of: 

  • Birth certificates: to request an official copy of a birth certificate, you will need a photocopy of the original certificate, which shows the document number and the name of the district.
  • Marriage certificates: you can get an official copy of a civil or religious marriage certificate if it was made after May 1971.
  • Divorce certificates
  • Death certificates 

Attention: you can obtain Zanzibar documents from the Office of the Registrar General, P.O. Box 772, Zanzibar.

Certificate of no impediment 

You can request a certificate of no impediment from Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA), P.O. Box 9183, Dar Es Salaam. You can obtain this document in Zanzibar from the Office of the Registrar General, P.O. Box 772, Zanzibar.

Legalization of diplomas and credits issued in Tanzania

  • Take the original credit lists and degrees, and make colored copies of them, without lamination.
  • The colored copies must be stamped "certified copy of original' by the respective school.
  • Go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dar Es Salaam for legalization on the copies.
  • Then make an appointment online with the Belgian Embassy of the legalization of the documents. You must come by with the copies and the original documents.

Legalization of Annex 32

The sponsor's signature is legalized. The person whose signature is being legalized must be present in person and he/she must be in possession of his/her identity card. He/she signs the document at the counter in front of the person authorized for legalization (i.e. do not sign the document in advance). 

Other documents

If you need another type of document, please ask the local authorities for information.