Legalisation of documents from Norway for use in the Netherlands
You can use certain documents from Norway immediately in the Netherlands. Others must first be legalised with an apostille by the Norwegian authorities. This is a simplified form of legalisation which allows you to use your documents in the Netherlands.
Good to know
- Documents in English issued by a Norwegian embassy or consulate do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands.
- Documents in Norwegian must be translated.
- Certain documents, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates and extracts from the population register, are issued in English on request. 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.
What documents do not have to be legalised?
The following documents do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands.
Documents in English issued by a Norwegian embassy or consulate do not have to be translated or legalised for use in the Netherlands.
These documents can also be used in Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius.
What documents have to be legalised?
The following documents must be legalised for use in the Netherlands.
Civil status records must be legalised with an apostille. This also applies to official copies of or extracts from civil status records.
You can request official copies of:
- birth certificates
- marriage certificates
- divorce certificates
- death certificates
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.
A certificate of unmarried status must be legalised with an apostille.
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.
Diplomas and professional and educational certificates must be legalised with an apostille.
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.
If you have another type of document, find out from the organisation in the Netherlands requesting the document whether it needs to be legalised.
Check whether you need a translation
If your document is in Norwegian, ask if it can also be issued in English. A document in English does not need to be translated for use in the Netherlands.
If your document is in Norwegian, 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.
- Have the original document legalised with an apostille in Norway.
- 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.
Where can you have your documents legalised?
You can get an apostille from the Norwegian authorities. 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 usually get official copies of or extracts from civil status records from the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten).
You can request official copies of:
- birth certificates
- marriage certificates
- divorce certificates
- death certificates
You can get a certificate of unmarried status from the Norwegian population register. In Norwegian this document is called utskrift av registrerte opplysninger(printout of registered information).
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.