I have a question about the legalization process with regards to Canadian (Ontario) birth and marriage certificates for use in Belgium.

I am married to a Belgian citizen, we currently reside in the Netherlands, but plan to move to Belgium in April. What must I do to have my certificates recognized by local authorities?

The webpage of the Canadian consulate in Brussels (http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/brussels/assi...adians09-en.asp) says that documents must be authenticated by DFAIT in Ottawa, followed by the Belgian Consulate, and finally the Belgian Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Brussels.

However, the webpage of the Belgian Consulate in Toronto (http://www.diplomatie.be/toronto/default.a...d=36&mnu=36) states that documents must be authenticated by a notary public, followed by the provincial government, and finally the Belgian Consulate.

I have relatives in the Toronto area who will be able to take care of visiting the relevant authorities for me, however I do not wish to send them down the wrong path!

Does anybody know which process is the correct one?
Alternatively, is it possible to have the certificates legalized in Europe (since, after all, I'm currently living in the Netherlands)?

Thanks

my example is my birth certificate - to have the right document to present for legal use do these things:

get the legal copy - The correct birth cert is the full page one, my little plasticied pocket version is not valid for this. In Ont apply for the document using the form you find online, sent with money order, and have them deliver it to someone you trust. The result has to be a full page that looks like it was printed from a microfilm, and it needs to have stamps and seals all over it.

** Get the document in FRENCH !!! ** if the document is in French, or Eng+Fr, you avoid the translation step below.

"notarise" means getting a notary (or lawyer with notary power) to countersign that this is your document. But when i spoke to the Toronto embassy in 2004 they said that they did not need that for a birth cert, the next step would be enough

"legalize" at a Belgian consulate in the province the document comes from. The idea is that trustworthy (Belgian) local people acknowledge that the document is like other local documents they have seen. You get a label on the back of the document with more signatures and seals.

get the document to Belgium

translate the document. IF the document is in English Only you MUST get it translated into French, Dutch or German. The translation must be done by someone certified as a legal translator for both the languages involved. You will be paying by the page. I found my translator at the info balie of the Palais de Justice in Gent.

voila, you now have a document that the Belgian government will accept as proof of who you are.