Legalisation of documents from Lebanon for use in the Netherlands

1. Have the document translated by a sworn translator. Have your document translated into English, French or German. As far as is known, there are no translators in Lebanon who are sworn to translate into Dutch.
2. Have the original and the translation legalised.

Go to step 2.

1. Have the original document legalised in Lebanon.
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.

Your document was issued in Arabic by the Lebanese consulate in Willemstad (Curaçao): 

• Have it 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 in the Netherlands on the Legal Aid Council website.

Go to step 2.

To have a document legalised you need to make an appointment by email.

The overview of consular fees tells you how much you will have to pay and which payment methods are accepted.

• Legalisation usually takes 1 week. When your document is ready the embassy will email you an appointment time to collect it.
• Bring the original receipt with you when you come to collect your document. Someone else can hand in or collect your document for you.
  

Your document was issued by the Lebanese consulate in Willemstad (Curaçao):

• Have the document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Foreign Relations Department (DBB) in Willemstad.

You can get an official copy of a birth certificate or death certificate from the Civil Status Department.

A local civil leader (mukhtar), a first-degree family member or someone you have authorised can do this on your behalf.

To prove you are not married, you need 2 documents:

1. An individual civil status extract. You can get this document from the Civil Status Department.
2. A certificate of unmarried status from the religious authority you fall under according to the Civil Status Department. You can get this document from one of the following authorities:
   • a Christian church
   • a Sunni court
   • a Shiite court
   • a Druze court

To prove you are married, you need 2 documents:

1. An official copy of the registration of the marriage. You can get this document from the Civil Status Department.
2. An official copy of the marriage contract you signed during the marriage ceremony. This document must also state that the marriage still exists.

Instead of an official copy of the marriage contract you can also provide a statement of marriage issued by a religious authority. You can get an official copy of a marriage contract and a statement of marriage from one of the following authorities:

• a Christian church
• a Sunni court
• a Shiite court
• a Druze court

Polygamous marriage certificates cannot be legalised.

To prove you are divorced or that your marriage has been annulled, you need 2 documents:

1. An official copy of the registration of the divorce or annulment. You can get this document from the Civil Status Department.
2. An official copy of the annulment or divorce pronounced by the relevant religious authority. You can get this document from one of the following authorities:
   • a Christian church
   • a Sunni court
   • a Shiite court
   • a Druze court

Palestinians living in Lebanon cannot get official copies of documents from the Civil Status Department. They can apply to the Directorate General of Political Affairs and Refugees in Beirut instead.