Documents for Studying in the Netherlands: Translation & Legalization

To study in the Netherlands you need your diplomas and transcripts for admission, plus identity and civil documents for the visa and municipal registration. Documents not in Dutch, English, French or German need a sworn translation, and civil documents such as a birth certificate usually need an apostille or legalisation before you leave home.

The right route depends on the country that issued the document. This guide covers the official rules from the IND, Study in NL and Netherlands Worldwide, with step-by-step routes for Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Which documents you need and when

Diploma recognition: Nuffic and IDW

You do not have to get your diploma recognised before you apply. The Dutch institution consults Nuffic, the Dutch ENIC-NARIC, free of charge for you. Institutions may add their own requirements, and the final decision may differ from Nuffic's first evaluation.

If you want an independent comparison, IDW compares a nationally recognised foreign diploma (from a program of at least 1,000 hours) with the Dutch system for €148.83. It is advice only and does not guarantee admission, and IDW says processing times are currently longer than usual. You can look up your country for free on the Nuffic education systems pages.

For how specific diplomas compare, see Netherlands university admission requirements.

Translation rules

The IND accepts documents in Dutch, English, French or German. Other documents must be translated by a sworn translator: either sworn in by a Dutch court, or translated abroad and then legalised. You can find a sworn translator in the Netherlands in the Wbtv register.

• Translated in your home country: legalise both the original and the translation.
• Translated in the Netherlands by a Wbtv sworn translator: legalise only the original at home; the translation needs no legalisation.
• Universities have their own rules for academic documents, for example Wageningen asks for a certified English translation of a bachelor's diploma and a sworn translation of transcripts.

Apostille or legalisation?

Legalisation confirms that a document was issued by the right authority and that the signature is genuine. Study in NL explains that it normally happens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and then at the Dutch embassy or consulate there. If the issuing country is a member of the Apostille Convention, an apostille replaces the Dutch embassy step.

Check your country on the Netherlands Worldwide apostille list and then on its country-specific legalisation page. Iran, Nigeria, Egypt and Afghanistan are not on the apostille list.

Country routes: Afghanistan, Pakistan and India

Afghanistan

1. 1

   Legalise in Kabul

   Have the document legalised by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.

2. 2

   Consular declaration in The Hague

   Take it to the Afghan embassy in The Hague for a consular declaration. No further legalisation is needed after that.

3. 3

   Translate Dari or Pashto documents

   Use a sworn translator into Dutch, English, French or German. If translated in Afghanistan, legalise both; if translated by a Wbtv sworn translator in the Netherlands, only the original.

On humanitarian grounds, Dutch authorities may accept recently issued Afghan documents or documents issued by the Afghan embassy; Netherlands Worldwide notes this is not recognition of the Taliban. Documents must be original and complete.

Pakistan

Pakistani documents are legalised by the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Islamabad or at its camp offices in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar or Quetta. Netherlands Worldwide says that once legalised the document is fit for use in the Netherlands. Urdu documents need a sworn translation, following the same two options as above. Legalisation only confirms the signature, so a Dutch authority such as a municipality or the IND may still verify the document.

India

Indian documents need an apostille from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Documents in English need no translation; documents in Hindi must be translated by a sworn translator. If you translate in India, apostille both the original and the translation.

Iran

Iran has a three-step route. First, a sworn translator in Iran translates the Persian document into English. Second, the English translation is legalised by the Iranian Ministry of Justice and the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Third, the translation is legalised by the Dutch embassy in Tehran, which you book through its online appointment system. Netherlands Worldwide says you can usually collect the document the same or the next working day, but the embassy does not post documents, so you must collect them in person.

Nigeria

Nigerian documents are legalised by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Documents in English do not need translation. Birth certificates can only be issued by the National Population Commission (NPC) and must then be legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As with every country, a Dutch municipality or the IND may verify the document separately, because legalisation only confirms the signature.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh, like Pakistan, appears on the apostille list with the note that the Netherlands does not recognise apostilles it issues. Do not rely on an apostille alone. Follow the Bangladesh page under Legalisation on Netherlands Worldwide, and check with your university which academic documents it wants certified, because universities set their own rules for admission documents.

Rules that catch people out

• Arrange legalisation before departure. Study in NL says you must do this before you leave; it is much harder from the Netherlands.
• The IND will not help. It does not legalise or translate documents.
• No double legalisation. An already legalised document cannot be legalised again. If you need a fresh one, request a new document.
• Originals and completeness. Documents must be original and complete, including any annexes they refer to.
• Recent financial papers. Bank and sponsor documents for the IND may not be older than 3 months.
• Recency rules differ. Netherlands Worldwide says birth and marriage certificates stay valid once legalised, but other organisations may set their own age limits.

Document deadlines are separate from application deadlines

Many universities set a second deadline for final documents and payment, after the application deadline. Missing it can cost you your place even if you were admitted. Examples for the September 2027 intake from official pages:

• Saxion: final diploma, translations and language certificate by 1 July 2027 for most non-EU applicants, but by 1 May 2027 for Afghan, Bangladeshi, Indian, Iranian, Nepalese, Nigerian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Yemeni nationals.
• Wageningen University & Research: MSc documents by 1 May 2027 after a Studielink application by 15 April; bachelor's students must send certified documents and pay tuition by 1 July 2027.
• The Hague University of Applied Sciences: for the 2026/27 intake, documents including the language test were due by 15 June.

Ask your university early which documents must be certified copies, whether it wants sworn translations of transcripts, and whether it accepts digital diplomas. Start the legalisation route at the same time as your application, not after admission, because ministry appointments and translator waiting times can take weeks.

Document checklist for non-EU students

1. 1.Valid passport (at least 6 months beyond your MVV application, with 2 blank pages).
2. 2.School diploma and transcripts, or bachelor's diploma and transcripts.
3. 3.Translations of all academic documents not in English or Dutch.
4. 4.English test certificate from a test centre.
5. 5.Birth certificate with apostille or legalisation, plus translation if needed.
6. 6.Proof of funds or deposit receipt (not older than 3 months).
7. 7.Signed Antecedents Certificate (form 7601).
8. 8.Health insurance policy covering your stay.

Next, read the Netherlands student visa guide to see how these documents feed into your permit, or go back to the complete Netherlands study guide. You can also track deadlines for free on FindUniPath.