NetherlandsWorldwide

Applying for a certificate of legal capacity to marry in Senegal

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Are you a Dutch national living in Senegal and you need a certificate of legal capacity to marry? If you have never lived in the Netherlands and wish to marry in Senegal, you can get this document by emailing the Dutch embassy in Dakar.

Warning: If you are a Dutch national and live in the Netherlands (or have lived in the Netherlands previously), the step-by-step plan on this page does not apply to you. You can get a certificate of legal capacity to marry (verklaring van huwelijksbevoegdheid) from the Dutch municipality where you live or the last municipality you lived in before you left the Netherlands. Go to the website of the relevant municipality for more information.

Through the steps below, apply for a certificate of legal capacity to marry via e-mail.

Step 1: Gather the documents that you need

To apply for a certificate of legal capacity to marry, you will need to provide a number of other documents. The certificate of legal capacity to marry will also give the details of the person you intend to marry.

Which documents must you and your partner provide?

  • A valid Dutch passport or Dutch identity card (ID card).

  • A valid passport or identity card (ID card).

  • Proof of registration in the municipality where you live, bearing your address.
    If this is not available in your country, you can instead provide a bank statement or utility bill from the past month bearing your name and address, or a rental contract bearing your name and address.
  • An official copy of your birth certificate.
  • Official proof from a Dutch or foreign government authority stating that you are not married.
    This cannot be a self-declaration or a document drawn up by a notary.
  • If you were previously married or in a registered partnership:
    • proof of divorce (divorce certificate or court judgment)
      or
    • proof of termination of registered partnership
      or
    • a death certificate

You may need to have non-Dutch documents translated and legalised.

Do you have all the required documents? Then make a pdf of each document. A photo of your documents is not allowed.

Step 2: Email the documents to the embassy

Send an email to the Dutch embassy in Dakar:

dak-ca@minbuza.nl

In your email you should state:

  • the type of document you need (in the subject line)
  • your initials and surname (in the subject line)
  • your phone number
  • why you need the certificate. This will be included on the certificate.

Attach the required documents to your email as PDFs.

You may be asked to send extra documents if your application is not complete, if anything is unclear or we have questions.

You can use the smartphone app KopieID to make a secure copy of your identity document using your phone or tablet. Find out more about the KopieID app on Rijksoverheid.nl (information in Dutch).

If the attachments exceed the maximum size for 1 email, divide the documents over 2 or more emails.

Step 3: Pay the fee

Applying for a consular certificate costs money. Once we have established your application is complete, you will receive an email containing:

  • Your reference number.
    Give this number as the payment reference when you pay the fee. If you do not, it may take longer for your certificate to be issued.
  • Information about how to pay.
    You will need to transfer the amount in euros to account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.

Follow the payment instructions in the email.

The fee for a consular certificate is €30.

Step 4: Receive the certificate

Once your payment has been received and processed, it will take on average 10 working days to process your application. If you are asked to send extra documents because your application is not complete, it will take longer.

Once your payment has been received and processed, you will receive the certificate by email. The certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of issue.

You will receive a multilingual standard form in Dutch, English, French and German. On the back of the form there will be an explanatory note in Spanish, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Turkish. If you need the certificate in another language, you will need to have it translated by a sworn translator. Ask the organisation requesting the certificate whether you need to have the certificate and/or the translation legalised.

Contact

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us using the contact form.