Essential Documents for Moving to the Netherlands

When moving to the Netherlands, there are a few important documents you will need to register as a permanent resident. As South African citizens, my husband and I required the following:

1. Your Passport

You can’t travel without it, so make sure it is valid and ready well before you need to travel outside of South Africa.

2. Your Visa

Ensure you have the necessary visas to work in the Netherlands. In most cases, you will need to visit the Embassy of the Netherlands in South Africa to sort this out. There are various types of visas, so make sure you know which one applies to you. Often, your employer or university will assist you with this process.

3. Unabridged Birth Certificates

We had our normal birth certificates, but unabridged birth certificates are required when registering at the gemeente (municipality). This can take a while at Home Affairs, so consider enlisting the help of a company to expedite the process. Ensure that the company is vetted.

4. Unabridged Marriage Certificate

You will also need to obtain an unabridged marriage certificate from Home Affairs. This certificate is the only version accepted for overseas applications. It is issued by the Department of Home Affairs and is required for both South African and non-South African couples married within South Africa.

5. Police Clearance

My husband is a Chartered Accountant and was sponsored as a highly skilled immigrant through his company. As his spouse, I was able to join him in the Netherlands. In this case, his company requested that we obtain a Police Clearance Certificate from the South African Police Service for both of us. This process can be time-consuming, so it is better to get this done early. Even if it might not be necessary, having it can prove that you do not have a criminal record.

6. Certifications & Legalisations

If you need to use South African documents in the Netherlands, they must first be legalised by South African authorities. This is done with an apostille, a simplified form of legalisation for use in countries that are signatories to the Apostille Convention. Legalising documents means that official documents executed within South Africa are affixed, sealed, and signed with either an Apostille Certificate (for Apostille Convention signatories) or a Certificate of Authentication (for non-signatories).

After preparing all your documents, you will need to get them apostilled. This is primarily done at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria. In some cases, the gemeente and the Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) may accept the apostille stamp from the High Court of South Africa. However, if you have time, it is better to do it at DIRCO, as they do not always accept the High Court’s apostille.

Helpful Links:

I hope this guide helps make your move to the Netherlands smoother!

The South African Expat