In this guide
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What Is an Apostille?
Legalisation makes an official document suitable for use in another country: it proves who issued the document and that the signature and form are correct. An apostille is a shortened form of legalisation, a stamp or sticker on an official document (Rechtspraak). A document with an apostille is ready for use in all countries that have joined the Apostille Convention (the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961).
The Netherlands has been a party to the Convention since 1965 (ratified 9 August 1965, in force 8 October 1965). The HCCH status table listed 130 contracting parties on 30 June 2026 (hcch.net, checked 8 October 2026). Check the table for your own country before you start.
Apostille vs Full Legalisation: Which Do You Need?
The route depends on where the document comes from.
- Document from a country that is party to the Apostille Convention: the apostille is placed in the country where the document was issued.
- Document from another country: the document has to be legalised in another way. NederlandWereldwijd shows, per country or territory, how to have a document legalised for use in the Netherlands (Rijksoverheid). Legalisation is usually done by the government of the country where the document comes from, or by a Dutch embassy. In some cases the Consulair Dienstencentrum (CDC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can legalise a document or help (Rijksoverheid).
Legalisation can take a long time, so start early (IND). A document that has already been legalised cannot be legalised again: if you need a recent document, request and legalise it again (IND).
Which Documents Do Expats Typically Need Apostilled?
For an IND application you usually need official foreign documents that are legalised and, if necessary, translated, for example a birth certificate, marriage certificate or a declaration of being unmarried (ongehuwdverklaring). For most documents the IND does not look at the issue date or the date of legalisation, because the data in them is final, such as a birth, marriage or death certificate. The IND accepts a declaration of being unmarried only if it is no older than 6 months (IND, checked 8 October 2026).
Other bodies, such as your municipality or your employer, may ask for foreign official documents too. Ask each body which documents it needs and in what form; our BSN registration guide covers the registration step.
If you are applying for a highly skilled migrant visa, the IND tells you which documents your permit type needs. For degrees you may use our diploma evaluator tool.
A foreign marriage certificate can be registered with the municipality of The Hague (Landelijke Taken); the foreign certificate is then converted into a Dutch one, and you can use a copy of it for the IND instead of a newly legalised foreign certificate (IND).
How to Get Dutch Documents Apostilled
If you have a Dutch document that you need to use abroad, you get the apostille from a Dutch court (rechtbank).
- Check whether you need one. Within the EU an apostille is often no longer needed. NederlandWereldwijd’s page on legalising Dutch documents tells you whether and when you should go to a court.
- Check the signature. You can only get an apostille if the document carries a signature. If it does not, ask the organisation that issued it to sign it and say that you will use the document abroad (NederlandWereldwijd).
- Check whether another legalisation comes first. Some documents first need another body’s signature, for example a diploma signed by DUO, a medicine statement signed by the CAK, certain Belastingdienst documents, or certain documents from UWV, Kadaster, SVB or ABP at the CDC (Rechtspraak). Documents of a notary or sworn translator first have to be legalised in the name of the president of a court.
- Bring the paper document to a court. You need the official document on paper, not digital. You may choose the court yourself, except for court judgments, for which you go to the court that issued them. Not every court location handles apostilles, and how you apply differs per court (Rechtspraak). Someone else may also apply for you; no power of attorney is needed.
- Pay the fee. Requesting an apostille or legalisation costs €27 in 2026 (€26 in 2025). How you pay differs per court (Rechtspraak, checked 8 October 2026).
The foreign body that wants your document decides how long the apostille stays valid, so ask that body (Rechtspraak).
How to Get Foreign Documents Apostilled for Use in the Netherlands
For a document from another country you cannot get an apostille in the Netherlands. You must get the apostille in the country where the document was issued, and where you can do that differs per country; the HCCH website shows where (NederlandWereldwijd, checked 8 October 2026).
The IND does not legalise or translate documents itself (IND). For the procedure per country, see NederlandWereldwijd. Practical steps:
- Check on the HCCH status table whether your country is a party to the Apostille Convention.
- Find the competent authority for your country via the HCCH website, or the legalisation route on NederlandWereldwijd.
- Ask the issuing body for an official document, because the authority will not stamp your own copy. Check with the authority what it accepts.
- Keep copies of every document before you send anything.
Sworn Translations: When You Need Them
An apostille does not translate the document. If your document is not in Dutch, English, French or German, you must have it translated into one of these languages (IND, NederlandWereldwijd).
- Translated in the Netherlands: the translator must be sworn in at a Dutch court. You can search for a sworn translator at www.bureauwbtv.nl. A translation made in the Netherlands does not need to be legalised.
- Translated abroad: in most cases the document and the translation both have to be legalised, and a translation made abroad also needs an apostille (IND, NederlandWereldwijd).
The apostille goes on the original document; the translation is a separate document.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
Starting too late. Legalisation can take a lot of time (IND). Ask the authority in your country how long it takes before you plan your move.
Using a copy. The Dutch courts only work with the official document on paper, so a digital-only document must first be obtained on paper (Rechtspraak). For a foreign document, ask the apostille authority what it accepts.
Assuming the apostille is enough for everyone. Each body, such as the IND or your municipality, tells you what it needs. Check the requirements of the body you submit to.
Forgetting that some documents expire. The IND only accepts a declaration of being unmarried that is not older than 6 months (IND).
Not checking whether your country is party to the Convention. If it is not, the apostille route does not apply; see NederlandWereldwijd for the route.
Sending originals without keeping copies. Scan or photograph every document before you send it.
After Your Documents Are Accepted: What Comes Next
Once your apostilled documents are in order, you will typically use them in a larger process. If you are registering in the Netherlands for the first time, see our BSN registration guide. If you are applying for a work or residence permit, they form part of the IND application for your highly skilled migrant visa.
You will also want to get your DigiD set up, your digital identity for Dutch government services. If your documents include a degree, our diploma evaluator tool can help you understand what is needed, and the visa and permit finder is a good place to start if you are still working out which permit applies.
Quick Reference: Apostille Checklist
- Confirmed whether the issuing country is party to the Apostille Convention (or identified the legalisation route if not)
- Identified the competent authority in the country of issue
- Obtained an official document (not a self-made copy) for each document
- Checked how long the authority takes, and started early
- Arranged translations for documents not in Dutch, English, French or German
- Used a translator on the Wbtv register (bureauwbtv.nl) if the translation is made in the Netherlands
- Confirmed the requirements of the body you submit to (IND, municipality, employer)
- Kept copies of all documents before sending
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get an apostille in the Netherlands?
It depends on the court and how you apply. At the Amsterdam court, for example, a private person who comes to the counter before 16:30 can wait for the apostille, and requests by post are handled once the original document and the payment have arrived (rechtspraak.nl, checked 8 October 2026). Check the page of your chosen court. For a document from another country, ask the authority in that country.
Do I need a sworn translation alongside my apostille?
Only if the document is not in Dutch, English, French or German. The IND then requires a translation; in the Netherlands it must be made by a translator sworn in at a Dutch court, whom you can find at bureauwbtv.nl. A translation made in the Netherlands does not need to be legalised, but one made abroad does (IND and NederlandWereldwijd, checked 8 October 2026). Confirm with the receiving authority.
My country is not a member of the Apostille Convention. What do I do?
Then an apostille does not apply and the document has to be legalised in another way. NederlandWereldwijd shows per country how to have a foreign document legalised for use in the Netherlands, usually through the government of the country where the document comes from or through a Dutch embassy (Rijksoverheid, checked 8 October 2026). Check the HCCH status table to see whether your country is a member.
Can I get an apostille on a copy rather than the original document?
The Dutch courts need the official document on paper; a digital-only document cannot be presented, so you first have to get the official document on paper from the issuing organisation (rechtspraak.nl). For a foreign document, ask the apostille authority in the issuing country what it accepts.