NetherlandsWorldwide

Legalisation of documents from the British Virgin Islands for use in the Netherlands

If you want to use a document from the British Virgin Islands in the Netherlands, you must first have it legalised by the local British authorities. This is done with an apostille. This is a simplified form of legalisation which allows you to use your documents in the Netherlands.

Attention: If you want to use a Dutch document in the British Virgin Islands, see Legalisation of Dutch documents for use abroad.

Good to know

  • Documents in English do not have to 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.

Where can you have your document legalised?

Have your document legalised by the local British authorities in Road Town on the island of Tortola. See the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) website for contact details.

Once your document has been legalised it is fit for use in the Netherlands.

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

Don’t have the document you need?

Find out below where to obtain a document that you need but do not yet have.

You can request civil status records on the website of the government of the British Virgin Islands.

You can request official copies of:

  • birth certificates
  • marriage certificates
  • divorce certificates
  • death certificates

You can request a certificate of unmarried status on the website of the government of the British Virgin Islands.

If you need another type of document, ask the local authorities where you can get this document.

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.