Authentication / Legalization of Documents
The Government of Canada is not party to The Hague Apostille Convention. Dutch documents for use in Canada and Canadian documents for use in the Netherlands must be authenticated and legalized by the appropriate Canadian and Dutch authorities before they will be accepted.
Dutch Documents
Dutch documents for use in Canada must first be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in The Hague and then authenticated by the Consular Section of the Canadian Embassy in The Hague. A consular fee applies.
Dutch documents that have been legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague may be sent to the Consular Section by traceable mail along with a covering letter and proof of payment of the consular fees, or brought in person to the Embassy during business hours.
Canadian Documents
Canadian documents must be authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Ottawa, and then legalized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ottawa, before they will be accepted by Dutch authorities.
If you mail your document(s) for authentication in Ottawa, you should include a letter requesting that the Department forward your document(s) to the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa for legalization. You should also enclose a second letter for the Dutch Embassy with your return address in the Netherlands.
New Canadian documents
Provincial vital statistics offices issue birth, death and marriage certificates in Canada.
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