Legalisation of documents from Sweden for use in the Netherlands
You can use certain documents from Sweden immediately in the Netherlands. Others must first be legalised with an apostille by the Swedish authorities. This is a simplified form of legalisation which allows you to use your documents in the Netherlands.
Good to know
- Certain documents including birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates and death certificates do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands. Ask the issuing authority to attach a multilingual standard form to the document. If no multilingual standard form is available, you must have the document translated.
- Your document must be original and complete. If it refers to other documents or annexes, these must be included.
What documents do not have to be legalised?
The following documents from Sweden do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands.
Civil status records do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands. Ask the issuing authority to attach a multilingual standard form to the document.
You can request official copies of:
- birth certificates
- marriage certificates
- divorce certificates
- death certificates
Certificates of unmarried status do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands. Ask the issuing authority to attach a multilingual standard form to the document.
Documents regarding your nationality or place of residence do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands. Ask the issuing authority to attach a multilingual standard form to the document.
Notarial acts and court documents do not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands. If your document is in Swedish, you must have it translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.
Documents in English issued by a Swedish embassy or consulate do not have to be translated or legalised for use in the Netherlands.
These documents can also be used in Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius.
Using documents freely within the EU
Civil status records are a type of public document. Public documents do not have to be legalised for use in another EU country. Sometimes you may need to ask for a multilingual standard form to be attached to your document. You can find more information about public documents on the European Justice website.
What documents have to be legalised?
The following documents must be legalised for use in the Netherlands.
Diplomas and professional and educational certificates must be legalised with an apostille. If your document is in Swedish, you must have it translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.
Once your document has been legalised and, if necessary, translated, 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.
If you want to use another type of document, find out from the organisation in the Netherlands requesting it whether it needs to be legalised.
Check whether you need a translation
If your document is in Swedish, check whether the issuing authority can attach a multilingual standard form. With a multilingual standard form, the document does not need to be translated or legalised for use in the Netherlands.
If you cannot get a multilingual standard form, you must have the document translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator.
- Have the document translated by a sworn translator in Sweden (EU Justice website).
- Have the original and the translation legalised with an apostille.
- Have the original document legalised with an apostille in Sweden, if necessary.
- Have the legalised document translated by a sworn translator in the Netherlands (Legal Aid Council website). You do not need to have the translation legalised.
Where can you have your documents legalised?
Your original document and, if applicable, the translation must be legalised with an apostille by the Swedish authorities. See the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) website for contact details.
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 office of the Swedish tax agency (Skatteverket) in the municipality where you were born. You will need your personal identity number (personnummer).
You can get a marriage register extract (registerutdrag vigsel) or a civil registration certificate (personbevis) from the Swedish tax agency (Skatteverket). You will need your personal identity number (personnummer). These documents do not state where the marriage took place.
If you need to prove where you got married you can provide the marriage register extract or civil registration certificate together with:
- a certified copy of the original marriage certificate (intyg vigsel) you received when you got married. This document states where the marriage took place. You can have a certified copy of the original document made, and use it as evidence to supplement the extract from the tax agency; or
- the celebratory certificate (vigselbevis) you received when you got married. This certificate has no legal status but it can be used as supporting evidence.
You can get a certificate of unmarried status (hindersprövning) from the Swedish tax agency (Skatteverket). You will need your personal identity number (personnummer). This certificate is valid for 4 months from the date of issue.
If you need to obtain another type of document, ask the local authorities where you can get this document.
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.