Legalisation of documents from Zimbabwe for use in the Netherlands
You want to use a document from Zimbabwe in the Netherlands. You must first have it legalised by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then you must have it legalised by the Dutch embassy in Harare.
Good to know
- Documents in Shona and Northern Ndebele must be translated for use in the Netherlands. Follow steps 1 to 3.
- Documents in English do not have to be translated for use in the Netherlands. Follow steps 2 and 3.
- 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 Shona or Northern Ndebele, 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.
Go to step 2.
- Have the original document legalised in Zimbabwe.
- 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.
Step 2: Legalisation by the Zimbabwean authorities
Have your document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Step 3: Legalisation by the Dutch embassy in Harare
Have your document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Dutch embassy in Harare.
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.
- Legalisation takes 3 working days. The embassy will contact you when your document is ready.
- Legalised documents can be collected on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9.00 and 11.00. You do not need to make an appointment, but first check which days the embassy is closed.
- You can also ask for your document to be returned to you by post.
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 an official copy of a birth certificate from the department of births at the office of the Registrar General in Harare. You will need to provide the following information:
- your full name
- your date and place of birth
- your birth registration number
Contact details:
Registrar General
Central Registry for Passports, Citizenship, Births, Deaths and Marriages
Private Bag 7734
Causeway, Harare
You can get a certificate of unmarried status from the department of marriages at the office of the Registrar General in Harare. You will need your birth certificate for this. Certificates of unmarried status are valid for 6 months.
Contact details:
Registrar General
Central Registry for Passports, Citizenship, Births, Deaths and Marriages
Private Bag 7734
Causeway, Harare
You can get an official copy of a marriage certificate from the department of marriages at the office of the Registrar General in Harare. You will need to provide the following information:
- the full names of you and your spouse
- the date and place of your marriage
Contact details:
Registrar General
Central Registry for Passports, Citizenship, Births, Deaths and Marriages
Private Bag 7734
Causeway, Harare
You can get an official copy of a divorce certificate from the court that granted the divorce.
For divorces in Harare
Registrar of the High Court
P.O. Box 8050
Causeway, Harare
For divorces in Bulawayo
Assistant Registrar of the High Court
P.O. Box 579
Bulawayo
You can get an official copy of a death certificate from the office of the Registrar General in Harare. You will need to provide the following information:
- the full name of the deceased person
- the date and place of death
Contact details:
Registrar General
Central Registry for Passports, Citizenship, Births, Deaths and Marriages
Private Bag 7734
Causeway, Harare
If you need to obtain another type of document, find out from the local authorities where you can do that.
Help with obtaining documents and having them legalised
The Consular Service Centre can assist Dutch nationals with obtaining documents and having them legalised in Zimbabwe.
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.