Legalisation of documents from the Dominican Republic for use in the Netherlands
To use a document from the Dominican Republic in the Netherlands, you must have it legalised with an apostille by the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is a simplified form of legalisation which allows you to use your documents in the Netherlands.
Good to know
- Documents in Spanish 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.
Legalisation of documents in Spanish is a two-step process.
Step 1: Having your document translated
If your document is in Spanish, you must have it translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.
- Have the document translated by a sworn translator.
- Have the original and the translation legalised with an apostille.
Go to step 2.
- Have the original document legalised with an apostille in the Dominican Republic.
- 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.
Your document was issued in Spanish by the Dominican consulate in Oranjestad (Aruba) or Willemstad (Curaçao):
- Have the document translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.
- If you have the document translated by a sworn translator in Aruba or Curaçao, have the translation legalised.
- If you have the 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 and, if applicable, the translation legalised with an apostille. The Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues the apostilles. You can apply for the apostille online via the MIREX Servicios portal (information in Spanish).
See the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) website for the contact details of the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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.
Your document was issued in English by the Dominican consulate in Oranjestad (Aruba):
- Have the document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Department of Legislation and Legal Affairs (DWJZ) in Oranjestad.
Your document was issued by the Dominican consulate in Willemstad (Curaçao):
- Have the document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Foreign Relations Department (DBB) in Willemstad.
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 get civil status documents in 2 ways:
- From the local civil register office (oficialía del estado civil) for the place of birth.
- By writing to the central national register (Junta Central Electoral, Oficina Central del Estado Civil) in Santo Domingo. Specify the place of birth and the year of birth.
You can request official copies of:
- birth certificates (actas de nacimiento in extensa)
- marriage certificates
- death certificates
You can get a certificate of unmarried status (declaración de solteria) in 2 ways:
- From the central national register (Oficina Central del Estado Civil) in Santo Domingo.
- From a notary. You will need at least 2 witnesses. The maximum number of witnesses is 7.
You can get an official copy of a divorce certificate in 2 ways:
- From the local civil register office (oficialía del estado civil) where the divorce was filed.
- By writing to the national directorate-general for civil register offices (Dirección General de las Oficialías del Estado Civil de la República) in Santo Domingo. Specify the place of birth and the year of birth.
If the birth was not registered on time, it will have been registered with a court. You can get an official copy of the late registration in 2 ways:
- From the court where the birth was registered.
- By writing to the national civil register directorate (Dirección Nacional del Registro Civil) where a second original is kept.
If you need to obtain another type of document, find out from the local authorities where you can do that.
Help with applying for documents and having them legalised
The Consular Service Centre can assist Dutch nationals with applying for documents and having them legalised in the Dominican Republic.
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.
More about legalisation
- What is legalisation?
- Converting foreign official documents into Dutch official documents
- What is legalisation by apostille?
- Countries that are party to the Apostille Convention
- Countries where the Consular Service Centre can assist with obtaining documents and having them legalised
- Help with obtaining documents and having them legalised