Convert a foreign certificate into a Dutch certificate

All Dutch citizens (and status holders) with a foreign certificate can make a request at the Municipality of The Hague. Also Dutch citizens who are living abroad. (Adoptive) parents, (adopted) children, spouses and civil partners, grandparents, grandchildren, brothers and sisters can also make a request at the municipality.

• Request to have your certificate registered using the online form. You can also register several certificates at the same time.
• You will get a confirmation email with a reference number (LTK-nummer).
• Is your request complete? Then the municipality will ask you to send in the official documents (not a copy).
• Is your request incomplete or have you not sent in all of the documents? Then the municipality will not be able to process your request.
• Has the municipality approved and registered your documents? Then the municipality will inform you about this.
• You will get back the original documents. The municipality will return them by registered post. You will receive an invoice for the postage costs.

Were any of the documents forged, falsified or obtained through fraud? The municipality will not register them and will not return them to you. It will report this to the police.

• The person named in the document must have (had) Dutch citizenship. Or have asylum status in the Netherlands.
• The foreign certificate must be drawn up and issued to you by a competent authority (an organisation which has the power to perform this function).
• You need to have certain certificates legalised (made official with a signature and stamp). Look at the Begin external link: website of the Government of the Netherlands(External link), end external link..
• The certificate must be written in Dutch, English, French or German. For other languages a certified translation is required. The translation is done by somebody who is allowed to translate official documents. Use a Begin link: multilingual standard form, end link. for a certificate from the European Union (EU). Request this form from the authority where you got the certificate.

• The foreign certificate which you want to have registered. If it is necessary, legalised and translated.
• A copy of a Dutch identity card or a Dutch passport, or a Dutch nationality certificate for the person named in the document.
  A copy of a Dutch identity card or a Dutch passport, or a Dutch nationality certificate is also needed for children..
• In the case of asylum status: a copy of a valid Dutch residence permit.
• A copy of the passport or identity document for the person who is making the request.

The documents you send in may be more than 6 months old.

Additional documents

In the following cases you have to send additional documents. Click on the subjects to see what you need:

You can only make your request online.

• Scan all the documents which are needed for your request. Scan the front and the back of your documents.
• Look up your Begin link: citizen service number (BSN), end link. .

Converting your certificates is free. You pay only for the postage costs for returning your original documents by registered post.

Your request can take up to 8 months. It is not possible to request an expedited procedure.

• You will not get a citizen service number (BSN) when you convert your document into a Dutch certificate. More information about the BSN can be found under Begin link: Burgerservicenummer (BSN)- citizen service number, end link. .
• Would you like to look at your converted certificate? Apply for a copy on the page Begin link: Certificates and official documents, end link. .

• Begin link: Change your registered sex (transgenders born abroad), end link.
• Begin link: Register foreign documents in the BRP, end link.