Legalisation of documents from Serbia for use in the Netherlands
You can use certain documents from Serbia immediately in the Netherlands. Others must first be legalised with an apostille by the Serbian authorities. This is a simplified form of legalisation which allows you to use your documents in the Netherlands.
Good to know
- Multilingual extracts from civil status records do not have to be translated or legalised.
- If your document is in Serbian, you must have it 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.
Multilingual extracts from civil status records 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
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. 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.
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 Serbian, check whether you can get a multilingual extract. A multilingual extract does not need to be translated or legalised for use in the Netherlands.
If you cannot get a multilingual extract, you must have your document 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.
- Have the original document legalised in Serbia.
- 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 document legalised?
Your document and, if applicable, the translation must be legalised with an apostille by the Serbian 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 get official copies of these documents from the civil status records office in the municipality where the event took place.
You can get a certificate of unmarried status from the municipality where you live.
You can get an official copy of a divorce certificate from the court that granted the divorce.
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.