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Legalisation of documents from Rwanda for use in the Netherlands

To use a document from Rwanda in the Netherlands, you must first have it legalised by the Rwandan Ministry of Justice. Then you must have it legalised with an (e-)apostille by the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An (e-)apostille is a simplified form of legalisation which allows you to use your documents in the Netherlands.

Warning: Rwanda has joined the Apostille Convention as of June 5, 2024. Has your document been issued and legalised by the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs before June 5, 2024? Then you can still have that document legalised by the Dutch embassy in Kigali.
Attention: If you want to use a Dutch document in Rwanda, see Legalisation of Dutch documents for use abroad.

Good to know

  • Documents in Kinyarwanda must be translated for use in the Netherlands. Follow steps 1 and 2.
  • Documents in French or English do not have to be translated for use in the Netherlands. Follow step 2.
  • Your document must be original and complete. If it refers to other documents or annexes, these must be included.

Step 1: Having your document translated

If your document is in Kinyarwanda, you must have it translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.

  1. Have the document translated by a sworn translator.
  2. Have the original and the translation legalised.

Go to step 2.

  1. Have the original document legalised in Rwanda. You can read how to do this at step 2.
  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.

Step 2: Legalisation by the Rwandan authorities

Have your document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by:

  1. The Office Notarial de Kigali at the Rwandan Ministry of Justice.
    and
  2. The Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Protocol department) in Kigali.
    Was your document issued on or after June 5, 2024? Then you can apply for an e-apostille online via the Rwandan government website Irembo Gov.

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.

Legalisation by the Dutch embassy in Kigali (only for documents issued < 5 June 2024)

Have your document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Dutch embassy in Kigali.

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

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

  • The consular desk is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After handing in your document it will be ready the next day that the consular desk is open. The embassy will contact you when your document is ready.
  • Legalised documents can be collected by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 13.30 and 16.30.
  • The embassy does not send documents by post.

Don’t have the document you need?

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

If you have a Rwandan ID number, you can apply for the documents below via the Rwandan government website Irembo Gov.

Points of attention

  • When applying for a certificate, you can indicate in which language you would like to receive it. If you apply for the certificate in English or French, you do not need to have it translated for use in the Netherlands.
  • After you have received the certificate, you must print it out and have it legalised as described above.
  • In case you don't have a Rwandan ID number but you do have a National Population Registry (NPR) number, you can apply for a Rwandan ID number online. You can use that ID number to apply for a certificate online.
  • In case you don't have a Rwandan ID number or an NPR number, you can first apply for an NPR number online via the Irembo website. You must provide proof that you were born in Rwanda. After payment you will receive an NPR number with which you can apply for an ID number online. If you do not live in Rwanda, you can do the biometric verification at a Rwandan embassy near you.

You can get an official copy of a birth certificate (acte de naissance/attestation de naissance), marriage certificate (attestation de mariage) or divorce certificate (acte de divorce) from the municipality (commune) where the event took place.

You can request a certificate of unmarried status (attestation de célibat) from the municipality (commune) where you were born or where you live.

You can get an official copy of a death certificate from the municipality (commune) where the deceased was born.

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 Rwanda.

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.

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