Moroccan Divorce Recognition Belgium Civil Status Update
A divorce pronounced in Morocco can end the marriage, but Belgian administration must still recognize it and update the civil status. Without this procedure, the person may still appear as married in Belgian registers.
It is normally not necessary to divorce a second time before a Belgian court. The Moroccan decision can be recognized directly in Belgium if it meets the conditions provided by Belgian law.
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The judgment must notably be final in Morocco. A certificate from the court registry indicating the date on which the decision became final may be required.
The administration also verifies that the rights of each spouse have been respected, that the decision is not contrary to Belgian public order and that it does not contradict a judgment already rendered in Belgium.
According to the SPF Foreign Affairs, the decision must also be translated into the official language of the Belgian municipality concerned if it is drafted in Arabic.
The divorce must also cross the border
The Moroccan judgment must, if necessary, receive an apostille. This formality authenticates the document so it can be produced directly before Belgian authorities.
The person domiciled in Belgium must present the file to the civil status officer of their municipality. Failing that, they can contact their last municipality of registration or the City of Brussels. A Belgian residing in Morocco must report the change to their consulate.
After recognition, the divorce can be registered in the Civil Status Acts Database. The national register and the Belgian marriage certificate can then be updated.
As long as this procedure is not completed, a discrepancy may persist between the situation in Morocco and that known in Belgium. This inconsistency may notably complicate a remarriage or any procedure requiring recent proof of civil status.
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A Moroccan judgment must therefore not remain in a family file. You must obtain its final version, have it apostilled and translated if necessary, then present it quickly to Belgian administration.
