Legalisation of documents from Poland for use in the Netherlands
You can use certain documents from Poland immediately in the Netherlands. Others must first be legalised with an apostille by the Polish authorities. This is a simplified form of legalisation which allows you to use your documents in the Netherlands.
If you want to use a Dutch document in Poland, see Legalisation of Dutch documents for use abroad.
Good to know
- Multilingual extracts from civil status records do not have to be translated or legalised.
- If your document is in Polish, ask the issuing authority to attach a multilingual standard form. If no multilingual standard form is available, the document must be translated.
- 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.
You can request multilingual extracts from the following types of record:
- birth certificates
- marriage certificates
- divorce certificates
- death certificates
A certificate of unmarried status does not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands. You should, however ask the issuing authority to attach a multilingual standard form to the document.
Multilingual standard forms are not valid in Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius. To use the document there, you must have it translated and legalised.
Notarial acts and court documents do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands. If your document is in Polish, you must have it translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.
Documents regarding your nationality or place of residence do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands. Ask the issuing authority to attach a multilingual standard form to the document.
Documents in English issued by a Polish 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.
Using documents freely within the EU
Civil status records are a type of public document. Public documents do not have to be legalised for use in another EU country. Sometimes you may need to ask for a multilingual standard form to be attached to your document. You can find more information about public documents on the European Justice website.
What documents have to be legalised?
The following documents must be legalised for use in the Netherlands.
Diplomas and professional and educational certificates must be legalised with an apostille. If your document is in Polish, you must have it translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.
Once your document has been legalised and, if necessary, translated, 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.
To use a multilingual extract from a civil status record in Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Saba or St. Eustatius, you must have it legalised with an apostille.
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 Polish, check whether you can get a multilingual extract. Or ask the issuing authority to attach a multilingual standard form to the document. In this case, the document does not need to be translated or legalised for use in the Netherlands.
If you cannot get a multilingual version, you must have your document translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.
- Have the document translated by a sworn translator in Poland (EU Justice website).
- Have the original and the translation legalised with an apostille.
- Have the original document legalised with an apostille in Poland, if necessary.
- Have the document translated by a sworn translator in the Netherlands (Legal Aid Council website). You do not need to have the translation legalised.
Where can you have your document legalised?
Your document and, if applicable, the translation must be legalised with an apostille by the Polish 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.
Find out from the Polish authorities where you can get official copies of civil status records. You can obtain many documents from your municipality.
You can request official copies of:
- birth certificates
- marriage certificates
- divorce certificates
- death certificates
If you have never been married
If you have never been married, you can get the certificate from the head of the civil status records office in the place where you live.
In all cases
You can get a certificate of capacity to marry from your municipality. This certificate contains information about both you and the person you intend to marry
This document proves that you are legally allowed to get married. It shows that you have reached the legal age for marriage and are not already married.
You are a Polish national and want to get married in the Netherlands.
- If you and your partner both live in Poland, you can get the certificate from the head of the civil status records office in the place where you live.
- If you and/or your partner live in the Netherlands, you can get the certificate from the Polish embassy or consulate in the Netherlands.
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.