How do I Locate Public Records From Eeklo, Belgium?

Public records in Belgium are maintained by the city office.

Eeklo is a small city in northwestern Belgium, near the border with Holland. It has about 20,000 inhabitants. Like all cities in Belgium, the city is run by a mayor (burgmeester) and an elected college of councilors. One of the tasks of the city administration is the maintenance of public records.

Things You'll Need

• Information about which public records you are looking for (birth certificate, death certificate, etc). This information should be in Flemish.

Instructions

1. Contact the Civil Service office of the City Hall for assistance with current records of the population, such as death and birth certificates. The phone number is 011- 32-9 218 29 00. The email address is [e-mail].

2. Contact the City Archive for assistance with historical records. The City Archive may not have these documents. (They may be in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, but the city archive will probably be able to assist.) For other public records, such as city plans and zoning, the city archive will also be able to help. The phone number is 011-32-09 218 28 30, and the email address is [e-mail].

3. Search for court records (concerning lawsuits, criminal records, etc.) by contacting the Justice of Peace (Vredesgerecht). The court address is Vredesgerecht, Stationsstraat 23, 9900 Eeklo. The phone number is [phone]. See Reference 3.

4. Request a copy of the public record in question. For birth and death records, the name of the person and some other identifying facts, like the personal identification number, the last address, or similar is required. Be prepared to explain why you want these records, as it may be a matter sensitive to the privacy of the person in the record.

5. Request that the copy be mailed or emailed to you, depending on what it is to be used for. Be prepared to pay a fee for the copying of records, especially older records, and especially if they are comprehensive. If you wish the copy to be notarized, contact a notary public (Notariatskantoor). See Reference 2 for a list of legal professionals in Eeklo. It might make sense to let the notary public perform the location of the public record as well as the copying.

Tips & Warnings

• Belgians typically speak English, but be prepared to provide the names of the records you are looking for in Flemish.

• Belgian officials are normally very helpful, but their time is limited. It might make more sense to get the help of a legal professional from the start.

References

• City of Eeklo: City Services (in Flemish)
• Infobel: Justice & Law: Eeklo (in English)
• City of Eeklo: Federal and Utility Institutions (in Flemish)