NetherlandsWorldwide

Legalisation of documents from Egypt for use in the Netherlands

You want to use a document from Egypt in the Netherlands. You must first have it legalised by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then you must have it legalised by the Dutch embassy in Cairo.

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

Good to know

  • Documents in Arabic must be translated for use in the Netherlands.
  • The Egyptian civil status records office can issue a bilingual digital official copy of birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates. You can request a bilingual copy in Arabic and Dutch/English/French/German. You no longer need to have a bilingual statement translated.
  • Your document must be original and complete. If it refers to other documents or annexes, these must be included.

Legalisation of documents in Arabic is a three-step process.

Step 1: Having your document translated

If your document is in Arabic, you must have it translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.

Step 2: Legalisation by the Egyptian authorities

Have your document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Go to step 3.

Step 3: Legalisation by the Dutch embassy in Cairo

Have your document and, if applicable, the translation legalised by the Dutch embassy in Cairo.

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.

If you need to obtain another type of document, find out from the local authorities where you can do that.

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.