Belgian companies and Indians resident in Belgium can manage most Indian legal work without travelling. Documents are signed before a Belgian notary where needed and apostilled by the Legalisation service of the FPS Foreign Affairs, then stamped on arrival in India. We open liaison and branch offices through an Indian bank, draft and negotiate contracts, register trademarks, and handle property and estate work through a power of attorney. Calls are scheduled in Brussels time, with India three and a half to four and a half hours ahead.
- Document route
- Notary, then apostille from FPS Foreign Affairs
- Time difference
- India is 3h30 (summer) to 4h30 (winter) ahead
- Foreign judgments in India
- Not reciprocating: fresh suit
- Apostille with India
- In force
The Belgium India connection and the matters it creates
The Indian community in Antwerp has been part of the diamond trade for generations, and many families divide their business and lives between Antwerp, Mumbai and Surat. Their Indian legal needs revolve around family partnerships, property, succession between generations and cross-border trade contracts. In Brussels and the university towns of Leuven and Ghent, Indian professionals work for EU institutions, multinationals and research centres, and they bring the usual NRI matters of property, tax and family paperwork.
Belgian companies generally approach India cautiously at first. Many begin with a liaison office to study the market or support Indian customers, then move to a branch or a subsidiary once revenue justifies it. Our page on branch and liaison offices in India explains the RBI conditions. Supply, distribution and service contracts with Indian partners are the other big area of work, and we review those under Indian law before signature.
Signing, notarisation and apostille in Belgium
Belgium and India are both parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, which applies between them. Apostilles in Belgium are issued by the Legalisation service of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs (SPF Affaires etrangeres or FOD Buitenlandse Zaken), and electronic apostilles are available for many documents. Notarial deeds and signature certifications by Belgian notaries can be apostilled directly; some local authority documents may need a preliminary check first.
Language is the practical difficulty. Belgian documents are issued in Dutch, French or German, and Indian authorities need English. A sworn translator's English version, certified and itself apostilled where required, should travel with the original. For powers of attorney and board resolutions we draft directly in English, so the notary only certifies signatures. Originals must be stamped in India within three months of arrival, so courier them as soon as the apostille is issued.
Most requested services from Belgium
Belgian requests split between business entry and contracts on one side and family property and succession on the other. These six services are the ones Belgium-based clients ask for most.
Branch & Liaison Office
Belgian companies often test India with a liaison office before committing to a branch or subsidiary.
Commercial Contracts
Supply, distribution and diamond trade agreements with Indian parties need Indian law review and enforceable dispute clauses.
Power of Attorney
Residents of Belgium rely on a relative or agent in India, authorised by a notarised and apostilled power of attorney.
Apostille & Attestation
Belgian residence, work and family files need apostilled Indian certificates, and Indian offices need apostilled Belgian ones.
Wills & Probate
The EU Succession Regulation and Indian succession law can conflict, so an Indian will for Indian assets is essential.
Trademark Protection in India
Belgian brands in food, chocolate, beer and design products face copying in India unless registered.
Tax treaty, social security and remittances
India and Belgium have a double taxation avoidance agreement, and a social security agreement that helps employees posted between the two countries avoid paying contributions twice for a limited period. Belgian companies paying royalties, fees for technical services or interest to or from India should check the treaty rates and the conditions for claiming them, including a tax residence certificate and Form 10F.
For individuals, Belgium taxes worldwide income of its residents, and foreign property is declared in the Belgian return. Indian rent and capital gains are taxed in India first. Money moves from India to Belgium through NRO accounts up to USD 1 million per financial year after Form 15CA and 15CB, while NRE balances are freely repatriable. Belgian inheritance tax is set by the regions, so an Antwerp, Brussels or Liege resident faces different rules, a point for Belgian advisers that we coordinate with.
Succession, family law and Belgian judgments
Belgium applies the EU Succession Regulation. Your estate is generally governed by the law of your habitual residence unless you choose the law of your nationality. India, however, applies its own succession law to immovable property in India. A Belgian will or a Belgian notary's declaration of inheritance is therefore not always enough for an Indian registrar or bank. A separate Indian will covering Indian assets avoids that conflict.
Belgium is not a reciprocating territory under section 44A of the Code of Civil Procedure, so Belgian money judgments and divorce decrees cannot be executed in India as they stand. A fresh suit is filed in India relying on the Belgian judgment, which must satisfy section 13. Commercial parties often choose arbitration, for example at CEPANI in Brussels, because Belgium is a New York Convention state and foreign awards can be enforced in India under Part II of the Arbitration Act.
Working with us from Belgium
A Brussels morning overlaps with the Indian afternoon, so most video calls are held between 8.30 am and 12.30 pm Belgian time. We share drafts by email for comments, and documents can be signed electronically where Indian law allows, for example many company forms and contracts. Property deeds, wills that will be registered and powers of attorney for sale still need wet-ink signatures and apostille.
International couriers usually take four to six working days from Brussels or Antwerp to North India. Diamond traders and other Antwerp families often travel to Mumbai and Surat regularly, so we sometimes plan signing during a planned visit instead. For business clients we can also coordinate with a company's Indian distributor or plant to collect documents locally. See also our country page for the Netherlands if your group operates across the Benelux.
All services for clients in Belgium
NRI Property Law
- Property Disputes
- Encroachment & Illegal Possession
- Partition of Family Property
- Buying & Selling Property
- Title Search & Due Diligence
- Tenant Eviction
- Builder Delay & RERA
Inheritance & Documents
Cross-Border Family Law
- Divorce for NRIs
- International Child Custody
- Maintenance & Alimony
- Marriage Registration
- 498A & Dowry Case Defence
- OCI Card Issues
Doing Business in India
- Company Setup for Foreigners
- Indian Subsidiary Setup
- Branch & Liaison Office
- FDI & FEMA Compliance
- Trademark Protection in India
- Commercial Contracts
- Employment Law for Foreign Employers
- GST for Foreign Businesses
- Investing in Indian Startups
- Legal Advisory for NRI Investors
Disputes & Enforcement
- International Arbitration
- Enforcing Foreign Judgments
- Money Recovery from India
- Shareholder Disputes & NCLT
- Accident Compensation Claims
- Cyber & Investment Fraud
- Criminal Defence & Look Out Circulars
Cross-Border Tax & Money
Indian missions in Belgium
The embassy in Brussels handles consular work for India in Belgium and is also accredited to Luxembourg and the European Union.
- Embassy of India, Brussels
Frequently asked questions
Is a Belgian apostille enough for India?
Yes. The apostille is in force between Belgium and India, so a document apostilled by FPS Foreign Affairs needs no further legalisation by the Indian embassy. Translations into English are still required if the document is in Dutch, French or German.
Can a Belgian company open a liaison office in India quickly?
It needs approval routed through an authorised dealer bank under RBI rules, and the parent must meet profit and net worth conditions. Expect several weeks once documents are complete.
Will a Belgian divorce be recognised in India?
It may be, if it meets the tests in section 13 of the Code of Civil Procedure, especially jurisdiction and a ground recognised by the applicable Indian law. Belgium is not a reciprocating territory, so orders for money cannot be executed directly.
Does the EU Succession Regulation cover my Indian flat?
From the Belgian side the regulation aims to cover the whole estate. India still applies its own law to immovable property in India, so the two may conflict. An Indian will for Indian assets reduces the risk.
Can we sign Indian contracts electronically from Belgium?
Many commercial contracts can be signed electronically and remain valid in India. Stamp duty still applies, and the contract should be stamped in India within three months of arrival or execution.
Do Antwerp diamond companies need special Indian approvals?
Trading itself is governed by Indian foreign trade policy and customs rules, and the Kimberley Process applies to rough diamonds. Corporate presence in India follows normal FDI rules.
How are Belgian translations handled?
A sworn translator in Belgium prepares the English version, which is attached to the original and, where needed, apostilled. We check that names and figures match before you send it.
Can I get my Indian police clearance certificate from Belgium?
Yes, through the Embassy of India in Brussels, which can issue police clearance certificates to Indian passport holders on application.