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Contact Information 4200 Linnean Avenue NW Washington, DC 20008 1-877-DUTCHHELP (phone) 1-877-388-2443 (phone) 202-362-3430 (fax) Consular Section Open to the public Monday - Friday from 09:30am - 12:30pm. Please schedule your appointment at www.dutchappointments.com |
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» Home
» Dutch Citizen Services
»
Legalization & Apostilles
What is legalization? Official documents that are issued in one country that will be used abroad (e.g. for registration), need to be legalized or 'authenticated' by the appropriate authorities in the issuing country as proof that the document was issued by a competent official. I.e. proof that the certificate is genuine and not fraudulent. The type of legalization/authentication required depends on the country the documents come from, possibilities are:
Legalization is in most countries performed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Justice. Please contact your government to ask which type of legalization is required and which authority to go to. Authentication of US documents by US authorities: www.travel.state.gov/family/hague_issues/hague_issues_562.html Please refer to the next paragraph for apostille instructions. Apostille procedure The apostille - a special kind of letter and stamp - is the shortest process of legalization. An apostille is not the same as a 'raised seal', these are two separate things. An apostille can be used if both countries (the country issuing the document and the country in which the document will be used) are part of the international "The Hague Apostille Convention* ". The Netherlands, including the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, and the USA are amongst others part of the apostille convention. In the USA, State Departments issue apostilles, the process varies per state >> Documents issued in the United States that are going to be used in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands apostilles can be requested at the regional court house ("Arrondissements rechtbank") >> Documents issued in the Netherlands that are going to be used in the US. For other countries, please contact the government concerned for more information. Useful links
Please note that 'abolishing' in this case means 'simplification'. See hcch.net |
