Netherlands Worldwide

Legalisation of documents from Canada for use in the Netherlands

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To use a document from Canada in the Netherlands, you must first have it legalised by the Canadian authorities. Then you must have it legalised by the Dutch embassy in Ottawa or the consulate-general in Toronto or Vancouver.

Attention: If you want to use a Dutch document in Canada, see Legalisation of Dutch documents for use abroad.

Good to know

  • Documents in English or French do not have to be translated.
  • Your document must be original and complete. If it refers to other documents or annexes, these must be included.

Legalisation of documents from Canada is a two-step process.

Step 1: Legalisation by the Canadian authorities

Have your document legalised (also called ‘authenticated’) by one of the following:

Step 2: Legalisation by a Dutch mission in Canada

Once your document has been legalised by the Canadian authorities, have it legalised by the Dutch embassy or one of the Dutch consulates-general in Canada.

After this, your document 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.

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 in The Hague can only assist Dutch nationals with having documents legalised in Canada.

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.