Translation and legalisation of documents

The IND does not legalise and translate documents. You can find information on where you can have documents legalised on the Netherlands worldwide website.

Do you want to have Dutch documents legalised for use abroad? You can find information on legalising Dutch documents in the Netherlands on the website of the Consular Service Center (CDC).

For most documents, the IND does not check the date on which it was issued and legalised. The details of these documents are  definite. For example, a birth certificate, marriage certificate or death certificate. The document must have been legalised before use in the Netherlands. The IND accepts a single status declaration only if it is not older than 6 months.

You cannot have already legalised documents legalised again. Do you need a more recent document? Then you have to apply for the document again and have it legalised.

You can have a foreign marriage certificate registered with the National Tasks Department of the Municipality of the Hague (only available in Dutch: afdeling Landelijke Taken van de gemeente Den Haag ). You can do this even if you do not yet live in the Netherlands. The foreign marriage certificate will then be converted into a Dutch marriage certificate. The original marriage certificate is archived. You can always request a copy from the Municipality of The Hague. You can use this copy for your application to the IND. You do not need to submit a foreign legalised marriage certificate again.