NetherlandsWorldwide

Legalisation of documents from Afghanistan for use in the Netherlands

To use a document from Afghanistan in the Netherlands, you must first have it legalised by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then go to the Afghan embassy in The Hague to get a consular certificate for your document.

Attention: The consular services of the Afghan embassy in The Hague continue. On humanitarian grounds, Dutch authorities can accept recently issued Afghan documents in Afghanistan or documents issued by the Afghan embassy. This acceptance in no way implies formal acceptance or recognition by the Kingdom of the Netherlands of the Taliban as a legitimate representative of Afghanistan.
Attention:

If you want to use a Dutch document in Afghanistan, see Legalisation of Dutch documents for use abroad.

Good to know

  • Documents in Dari or Pashto must be translated for use in the Netherlands.

  • Your document must be original and complete. If it refers to other documents or annexes, these must be included.

Step 1: Having your document translated

If your document is in Dari of Pashto, you must have it translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.

  1. Have the document translated by a sworn translator.
  2. Have the original and the translation legalised.

Go to step 2.

  1. Have the original document legalised in Afghanistan.
  2. Have the legalised document translated by a sworn translator in the Netherlands. You do not need to have the translation legalised. You can find a sworn translator on the Legal Aid Council website.

Go to step 2.

Step 2: Legalisation of your document

Have your document from Afghan civil status records and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul. Then take your document to the Afghan embassy in The Hague. Ask for a consular declaration to be drawn up for your document. You can then use your document (together with the consular declaration) in the Netherlands.

It is then also fit for use in Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius.

The Afghan embassy also issues various consular declarations that do not relate to documents issued in Afghanistan. These include declarations on whether you still have – or have lost – Afghan nationality. Consular declarations of this kind must be legalised by the Consular Service Centre in The Hague. You can then use the declaration in the Netherlands.

After legalisation

Verification of your document in the Netherlands

Legalisation does not prove the authenticity of a document or the truthfulness of its content. A municipality in the Netherlands, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) or another authority may decide to verify these things. Legalisation of your document simply means that your document bears the correct signature.

How recently must your document have been issued or legalised

Organisations have different requirements for how recently your document must have been issued and legalised. For more information, contact the organisation in the Netherlands requesting the document.

Contact

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.