Information about legalization/apostille stamp for birth and marriage certificate
Immigrants need to bring an original legalised birth certificate for their registration with City Hall. Married couples should also provide their legalised marriage certificate.
If the certificate is not provided in English, Dutch, German or French, it must be translated by a sworn translator into one of these languages.
Please note:
- International exchange, bachelor and master students who will be living in Groningen do not have to bring a legalised birth or marriage certificate in order to register with City Hall of Groningen.
- For a marriage in the Netherlands a legalised birth certificate is required.
- In case of becoming a Dutch citizen a legalised birth certificate and a legalised marriage certificate (if applicable) must be provided.
What is legalisation?
A document issued in your home country which needs to be used in another country must be 'authenticated' or 'legalised' before it is valid and recognized in that other country (e.g. the Netherlands). The proof of legalisation is a stamp on the certificate. Further information about legalisation can be found on the website of the Dutch Embassy or Consulate-General of your country of origin.
How to arrange legalisation?
There are two sorts of legalisation which vary from country to country: please see the overview below.
- Legalisation: you need to bring your original certificate to a governmental authority of your home country first, and afterwards to the Dutch consulate of embassy.
- Apostille stamp: this is issued by a designated central authority. In the Netherlands this is the registrar at the district court. In other countries it is often the Minister of Justice or Foreign Affairs. An overview of all the designated authorities in the various countries is to be found at the website of the Hague Conference on International Private Law .
Country |
Legalization - apostille stamp birth and marriage certificates |
---|---|
Albania | apostille stamp |
Argentina | apostille stamp |
Armenia | apostille stamp |
Australia | apostille stamp |
Austria | no legalization required |
Azerbeidzjan |
Legalization by -Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbeidzjan -Dutch Consulate in Bakoe |
Bangladesh |
Legalization by -Dutch Embassy in Dhaka |
Belarus (White-Russia) | apostille stamp |
Belgium | no legalization required |
Benin |
Legalization by -Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Benin -Dutch Embassy in Cotonou |
Bolivia | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia - Dutch Embassy La Paz OR by the Honorary Consul in Cochabamba or by the Honorary Consul in Santa Cruz |
Bosnia-Herzegovina | - multilingual certificates are exempted from legalization - other certificates: apostille stamp |
Brazil | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil - Dutch Embassy in Brasilia OR by one of the Dutch Consulate-Generals in Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro OR by one of the Dutch Honorary Consulates in Belém, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manáus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador, Santos of Vitória |
Bulgaria | apostille stamp |
Cambodia | Translation in English is required before legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia in Phnom Penh - Dutch Embassy in Bangkok (Thailand) |
Cameroon | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon - Dutch Embassy in Yaoundé |
Canada | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada OR by the Official Document Services (ODS) part of the Ministry of Government in Toronto,www.gov.on.ca - Dutch Embassy in Ottowa OR by one of the Dutch Consulate-Generals in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver |
Chile | Legalization by - Ministry of Justice of Chile - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile - Dutch Embassy Santiago de Chile |
China | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Beijing OR by one of the 18 ‘Foreign Affairs Offices’ - Dutch Embassy in Beijing OR by the Dutch Consulate-General in Shanghai |
Colombia | - apostille stamp (also electronically) www.cancilleria.gov.co/apostilla |
Congo | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Congo - Dutch Consulate in Brazzaville |
Costa Rica | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica - Dutch Embassy San José |
Croatia | - multilingual certificates are exempted from legalization - other certificates: apostille-stamp |
Cuba | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba - Dutch Embassy in Havana |
Cyprus | apostille stamp |
Czech Republic | apostille stamp |
Denmark | apostille stamp |
Egypt | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt - Dutch Embassy in Cairo |
El Salvador | apostille stamp |
Equador | apostille stamp |
Eritrea | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea - Dutch Embassy in Asmara |
Estonia | apostille stamp |
Ethiopia | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia - Dutch Embassy in Addis Abeba |
Finland | apostille stamp |
France | no legalization required |
Gambia | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Gambia - Dutch Consulate in Banjul or the Dutch Embassy in Dakar (Senegal) |
Georgia | apostille stamp |
Germany |
multilingual certificates are exempted other certificates: apostille stamp |
Ghana | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana - Dutch Embassy in Accra |
Greece | apostille stamp |
Guatemala | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala - Dutch Embassy in Guatemala-City |
Honduras | apostille stamp |
Hong Kong | apostille stamp |
Hungary | apostille stamp |
Iceland | apostille stamp |
India | apostille stamp |
Indonesia | Legalization by - Ministry of Justice of Indonesia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia - Dutch Embassy in Jakarta |
Iran | Legalization of the original Farsi document is not possible in Iran. The document must be translated into English. Then legalization follows by - Ministry of Justice - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran - Dutch Embassy in Teheran |
Ireland | apostille stamp |
Italy | no legalization required |
Israël | apostille stamp |
Japan | apostille stamp |
Jemen | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Jemen - Dutch Embassy in Sana’a |
Jordan | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Jordan - Dutch Embassy in Amman |
Kazachstan | - apostille stamp |
Kenia | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenia - Dutch Embassy in Nairobi |
Kirgizia | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kirgizia - Dutch Embassy in Almaty (Kazachstan) or the Consulate in Bisjkek (capital of Kirgizia) |
Kosovo | Legalization by - Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kosovo - Dutch Embassy in Skopje (Macedonia) |
Latvia | apostille stamp |
Lebanon | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon - Dutch Embassy in Beirut |
Libya | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Libya - Dutch Embassy in Tripoli |
Liechtenstein | apostille stamp |
Lithuania | apostille stamp |
Luxembourg | no legalization required |
Macau SAR (China) | apostille stamp |
Macedonia | - multilingual certificates are exempted from legalization - other certificates: apostille stamp |
Malaysia | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia (Wisma Putra) - Dutch Embassy in Kuala Lumpur |
Malta | apostille stamp |
Mauritania | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania - Dutch Consulate in Nouakchott or the Dutch Embassy in Dakar (Senegal) |
Mauritius | apostille stamp |
Mexico | apostille stamp |
Moldavia | - multilingual certificates are exempted from legalization - apostille stamp is required |
Montenegro | - multilingual certificates are exempted from legalization - other certificates: apostille stamp |
Morocco | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco - Dutch Embassy in Rabat |
Mozambique | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mozambique - Dutch Embassy in Maputo |
Namibia | - apostille stamp |
Nepal | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal - Dutch Embassy in Kathmandu |
New-Zealand | - apostille stamp |
Nicaragua | Legalization by - Consejo Supremo Electoral, Dirección General del Registro Central del Estado Civil de la Personas - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua - Dutch Embassy in Managua |
Nigeria | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria - Dutch Embassy in Abuja |
Northern Ireland | apostille stamp |
Norway | apostille stamp |
Pakistan | Legalization by - Dutch Embassy in Islamabad http://www.netherlandsembassy.org.pk/ |
Paraguay | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay - Dutch Consulate-General Asunción OR - Dutch Embassy in Montevideo (Uruguay) |
Peru | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru - Dutch Embassy in Lima |
Philippines | Legalization by - National Statistics Office - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines - Dutch Embassy in Manilla |
Poland | no legalization required |
Portugal | no legalization required |
Romania | apostille stamp |
Russia | apostille stamp |
Rwanda | Legalization by - Office Notarial in Kigali - Dutch Embassy in Kigali Legalization by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda is not possible |
Saudi Arabia | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia - Dutch Embassy in Riyad |
Senegal | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Senegal - Dutch Embassy in Dakar |
Serbia | - multilingual certificates are exempted from legalization - other certificates: apostille stamp |
Singapore | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore - Dutch Embassy in Singapore |
Slovenia |
multilingual certificates are exempted other certificates: apostille stamp |
Slovakia | apostille stamp |
South Africa | apostille stamp |
South Korea | apostille stamp |
Spain | no legalization required |
Sri Lanka | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka - Dutch Embassy in Colombo |
Sudan | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan - Dutch Embassy in Khartum |
Surinam | apostille stamp |
Sweden | apostille stamp |
Switzerland |
multilingual certificates are exempted other certificates: apostille stamp |
Syria | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Syria - Dutch Embassy in Damascus |
Tadzjikistan | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tadzjikistan - Dutch Embassy in Almaty (Kazachstan) |
Taiwan | The Netherlands Trade and Investment Office (NTIO) Taipei is authorized to attach a so-called ‘legalization declaration’ to the documents. With this the document can be used in the Netherlands. |
Tanzania | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania - Dutch Embassy in Dar Es Salaam |
Thailand | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand - Dutch Embassy in Bangkok |
Turkey | Birth- and marriage certificates are exempted from legalization. Also an apostille stamp is not required. |
Uganda | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda - Dutch Embassy in Kampala |
Ukraine | apostille stamp |
United Kingdom | apostille stamp |
United States of America | apostille stamp |
Uruguay |
Legalization by - Dutch Embassy in Montevideo |
Venezuela | apostille stamp |
Vietnam | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam - Dutch Embassy in Hanoi OR - Dutch Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City |
Yugoslavia | See Serbia or Montenegro |
Zambia | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia - Dutch Embassy in Lusaka |
Zimbabwe | Legalization by - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe - Dutch Embassy in Harare |
Laatst gewijzigd: | 04 maart 2015 14:30 |