Netherlands Embassy in Canada
The Dutch Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, provides consular assistance to Dutch citizens currently residing or planning to reside in Canada. The Embassy also serves foreigners who want to live in the Netherlands, invest, or visit for a holiday.
This guide provides all you need to know about the services offered by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Canada, processing times, fees, as well as the procedures you’ll have to follow and the documents to submit.
If you’re planning to move to the Netherlands or to visit for business purposes or studying, it helps to know in advance what documentation you will need.
Table of Contents
The Dutch Embassy in Canada
The Dutch embassy processes passport and identity (ID) card applications, visas, and issues consular certificates such as certificates of residence and certificates of life.
There is the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa, as well as a number of Dutch Consulates in Canada. There is a Consulate General in Toronto and one in Vancouver, as well as Honorary Consulates in Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg.
Each Embassy or Consulate is responsible for a specific region in Canada.
Processing time
The Embassy does not legalize Canadian documents for use in the Netherlands.
Both Canada and the Netherlands have signed The Hague Apostille Convention. This replaces the authentication and legalization process with a single step, called an Apostille. Apostilles are issued by Global Affairs Canada or a provincial competent authority. The time it takes to get your document apostilled depends on the current waiting time at either Global Affairs Canada or the provincial competent authority.
Global Affairs Canada takes up to 20 business days if the documents are sent by mail or courier, and this does not include shipping time to and from Global Affairs Canada.
It’s a lengthy process, but there are ways to make it more manageable. We’ll share how in this guide.
Language requirements
If the document you need to attest is not in English, or French, you may need to have it translated. The following requirements apply:
- Your document must be translated by a sworn translator.
- It must be translated into Dutch, English or French.
- If the sworn translator is not registered in the Netherlands, you must also have the translation legalized.
- If you use a translator based in Canada, they must be certified by the professional translators association of the province or territory concerned.
Payment methods
Global Affairs Canada does not charge for Apostilles, however you will need to pay for a translation and/or notarization.
Contact details
The Embassy of Netherlands in Ottawa
-
350, Albert Street | Suite 2020
K1R 1A4
Ottawa, ON - (+1)6132375031
Netherlands Consulate in Toronto
-
1 Dundas Street West
Suite 2106
M5G 1Z3
Toronto, ON - (+1)4165982534
Netherlands Consulate in Vancouver
-
Three Bentall Centre
Suite 883 | PO Box 49068
595 Burrard Street
BC V7X 1C4
Vancouver - (+1)6046846448
Honorary Consulate in Calgary
-
24192 Aspen Dr
Calgary, Alberta SW,
T3R 1A4, Canada - (+1)403 542 6470
Honorary Consulate in Edmonton
-
Suite 600, 10665 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, AB
T5J 3S9 - (+1) 780 504-2666
Honorary Consulate in Fossambault-sur-le-Lac
-
24 Gauvin Street
Fossambault-sur-le-Lac, Quebec
G3N 0E4 - (+1) 418 880-0059
Honorary Consulate in Montreal
-
1010 Sherbrooke Street West
Suite 2200
Montreal QC H3A 2R7 - (+1)5142842322
Honorary Consulate in Timberlea
-
7 Brunello Boulevard
Suite 615, Timberlea
Nova Scotia, B3T 0J6 - (+1) 902 476 5328
Honorary Consulate in Saskatoon
-
407 David Knight Lane
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7K 5M1 - (+1) 306 227 5363
Honorary Consulate in Winnipeg
-
405 Gerard DriveSt Adolphe, Manitoba,R5A 0A4
- (+1)204 802 0902
Opening Hours
Dutch Embassy
- 8:30AM - 12.00PM Monday, Tuesday, Friday (by appointment only).
Netherlands Consulate in Toronto
-
10.00 - 12.30 Monday
9:00AM - 12.30PM Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (by appointment only)
Netherlands Consulate in Vancouver
- 9:30AM - 12.30PM Monday to Friday (by appointment only).
Honorary Consulates in Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg
- By appointment only via email.
Honorary Consulates in Fossambault-sur-le-Lac, and Montreal
- By appointment only.
Honorary Consulate in Calgary
- Contact the consulate for consular hours.
Legalization
Since both Canada and the Netherlands are now signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention, the authentication and legalization process has been replaced by an apostille. Canadian documents being used in the Netherlands for personal or business matters must be apostilled by Global Affairs Canada or a provincial competent authority.
Prior to this, documents had to first be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada and then legalized by the Dutch embassy. Some countries still use this process, so it’s important to check exactly what is needed. The terms authentication, legalization, attestation and apostille are often (yet incorrectly) used interchangeably.
Below are some of the documents you can get apostilled by Global Affairs Canada or a provincial competent authority.
- Diplomas
- Certificates
- Civil status records
- Original birth certificates
- Original marriage certificates
- Original death certificates
- Official copies of divorce certificates
- Certificate of unmarried status
Legalization of Dutch documents for use in Canada
You can apply for an apostille stamp for your documents from any district court against a fee. You can find a list of Dutch courts here. Diplomas, medication certificates and documents from the Tax administration need to be legalized by another organization before you can get an apostille from the court.
Once you receive the apostilled document, you can use it in any of the countries that are members of the Apostille convention, including Canada.
Always check if you need to translate your documents before submitting them in Canada.
The Apostille convention does not apply to documents issued by diplomatic or consular officials, such as a declaration or certificate of unmarried status from a foreign embassy in The Netherlands, or documents for commercial transactions or customs declarations.
The below tables outline the process of legalizing Dutch documents to be used in Canada, including all the criteria for legalization, fees, and submission process.
Legalisation of documents Netherlands
| Business and trade documents | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
In order to use a Dutch business document or trade document abroad, you need to have it legalized. This is done with a stamp or sticker. After legalization, you can use the document abroad. |
|
Description |
Business documents:
Trade documents:
|
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need to use Dutch business or trade documents abroad. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
39 |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
|
| Education documents | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
In order to use a Dutch education document abroad, you need to have them legalized. This is done with an apostille stamp. After legalization, you can use the document abroad. |
|
Description |
|
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need to use Dutch education documents abroad. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
unknown |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
The apostilled document can be used in Canada and other countries that are members of The Hague Apostille Convention. |
| Government-issued documents | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
In order to use a document issued by the Dutch government abroad, you need to have them legalized. This is done with an apostille stamp. After legalization, you can use the document abroad. |
|
Description |
|
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need to use documents issued by the Dutch government abroad. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
Unknown |
|
Processing Time |
Unknown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
Once your document has been apostilled, it can be used in all countries that have signed The Hague Apostille Convention |
| Legal documents | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
In order to use a Dutch legal document abroad, you need to have it legalized. This is done with an apostille stamp. After legalization, you can use the document abroad. |
|
Description |
|
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need to use Dutch legal documents abroad. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
Unknown |
|
Processing Time |
Unknown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
Once your document has been apostilled, it can be used in any country that has signed The Hague Apostille Convention. |
| Translated documents | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
In order to use Dutch documents abroad, you may need to have it translated. After translation, you may also need to legalize both the source document and the translation. This is done with a stamp or sticker. After legalization, you can use the source document and the translation abroad. |
|
Description |
Translated documents |
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need to use Dutch legal documents abroad and may need to translate them. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
Unknown |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
Once your document has been apostilled, it can be used in any of the countries that have signed The Hague Apostille Convention. |
| Medical documents | |
|---|---|
|
When is an attestation needed? |
In order to use a Dutch medical document abroad, you need to get it legalized. This is done with an apostille stamp. After legalization, you can use the document abroad. |
|
Description |
|
|
Who can apply? |
Persons who need to use Dutch medical documents abroad. |
|
Fee (in CAD) |
Unknown |
|
Processing Time |
Unkown |
|
Criteria for attestation |
|
|
How to submit |
Once your document has been apostilled, it can be used in any country that has signed The Hague Apostille Convention. |
How DAC can help you
The legalization process can be overwhelming, especially on top of relocation to another country or big life changes. It is a time-consuming process with varied document requirements, fees, and other elements that you might not have time to consider.
If you have Dutch documents to prepare for Canada, the process can get more complicated as it involves liaising with different Dutch entities, depending on by whom the document was issued.
Our expert team can take care of the process for you, ensuring you meet all document requirements when submitting your request and that your timelines are met.
Get in touch with our expert team to request a quote and a free document evaluation.
Q&A
How do I legalize my Canadian documents to use them in the Netherlands?
Both Canada and the Netherlands are members of The Hague Apostille Convention. Canadian documents must be apostilled by Global Affairs Canada or a provinicial competent authority before they can be used in The Netherlands. You may need to get your document translated or notarized before it can be apostilled.
– Global Affairs Canada apostilles documents issued by the Government of Canada and documents issued or notarized in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon. If your document was notarized in one of these provinces or territories but issued elsewhere, you will still send it to Global Affairs Canada.
– Documents issued or notarized in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan must be submitted to these provinces’ competent authority. If your document was notarized in Alberta, Ontario, or Saskatchewan, send it to that province’s competent authority, regardless of where it was issued. In British Columbia and Quebec, the competent authority authenticates a notarized document only if the original was issued there.
The time it takes for Global Affairs Canada or a provincial competent authority to issue the apostille varies. It can take a number of weeks.
Legalizing your documents for use abroad can be a complex process with many documents and waiting times involved. At Document Authentication Canada we work closely with the Netherlands Embassy in Canada and Global Affairs Canada to facilitate and expedite the legalization process. Get in touch with our expert team for assistance.
Do I need to translate my Dutch document before legalization?
If the document you need to legalize is not in Dutch, English, or French, you may need to have it translated. The following requirements apply:
- Your document must be translated by a sworn translator.
- It must be translated into Dutch, English, or French.
- If the sworn translator is not registered in the Netherlands, you must also have the translation legalized.
- If you use a translator based in Canada, they must be certified by the professional translators association of the province or territory concerned.
You should confirm with the Dutch Embassy in Canada regarding the translation of documents.
Who can have documents legalized at the Dutch Embassy in Canada?
You can either be a Dutch national residing in Canada, or a Canadian seeking to go live or work in the Netherlands. You’ll need to obtain an apostille for your documents to be valid in either country.
Looking for a Faster Apostille?
Other Consular Services offered by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Canada
The Dutch Embassy offers a number of other services related to passports, ID cards, Visas, consular certificates, MVV applications, and consular declarations. All the fees for these services are listed here. The following subsections give information about each of these services.
Passport
If you’re a Dutch national living in Canada, you can renew or apply for a Dutch passport or ID card. You can do so at the Dutch Embassy or Consulates in Vancouver, Toronto, or Edmonton. You can also lodge your application at a Dutch border municipality or at the Schiphol desk. If applying in Edmonton, there is an additional service fee.
You can go through the checklist for applying for a passport to know exactly what documents you need.
Your passport will be ready in about 3 weeks, but it may take longer if the department is dealing with a lot of applications. If additional documents are required, it may take longer. You will receive it by post, which is why you need to include an Xpresspost envelope with your application.
ID Card
To apply for an ID card, you must first go through the checklist to know exactly what documents you need.
If you are applying for a passport and an ID card, you must make a separate appointment for each application.
Your ID card will be ready in about 3 weeks. If additional documents are required, it may take longer. You must collect the ID card at the Embassy in Ottawa, or the Consulates in Vancouver or Toronto. You need an appointment scheduled via email to pick it up.
Visas at the Embassy of the Netherlands
There are 5 types of visas that can be obtained from the Dutch Embassy in Canada. You can also submit your application at the Dutch visa application centers (VAC) in Vancouver, Edmonton, or Toronto.
The 5 types of visas are the following:
- Long-stay Caribbean visa (for Dutch territories in the Caribbean)
- Short-stay Caribbean visa (for Dutch territories in the Caribbean)
- Long-stay visa (MVV)
- Short-stay Schengen visa
- Airport transit visa
The following subsections give more information about each visa.
Long-stay Caribbean visa
If you live in Canada and need a visa to collect your residence permit for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, this is the one you need. You can only apply for a long-stay visa if you have also applied for a residence permit.
You’ll need the application form along with official documents.
Short-stay Caribbean visa
If you live in Canada and want to apply for a visa to visit Aruba, Curaçao or the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom for up to 90 days, this is the visa you need.
You need the application form along with official documents and documents related to the purpose of your visit.
For every document, you must bring the original and one photocopy with you. The Embassy or Consulate cannot make photocopies for you. You will be informed within 15 calendar days whether your application has been successful.
Long-stay visa (MVV)
If you want to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days, you will need a residence permit. In many cases you will also have to apply for a long-stay visa before you travel to the Netherlands. This visa is also called an authorization for temporary stay (MVV).
You must apply for this type of visa via a host or apply yourself at the Dutch Embassy or Consulates. This depends on the nature of your stay.
If the purpose of your stay is study, work, a work placement, cohabiting with or marrying someone who lives in the Netherlands, or family reunification, you need to apply via a host. If you are going because this is the orientation year as a highly-skilled migrant seeking employment, or you’re an independent entrepreneur, start-up, or foreign investor, you should apply for yourself.
You’ll need the MVV issue form and official documents. The process will take around 100 days.
Short-stay Schengen visa
If you live in Canada and want to apply for a short-stay visa for the Netherlands, this is the visa you’ll need.
You’ll need official documents and a completed and signed visa application form. Once you’ve collected all documents, you can make an appointment. You can apply for your visa up to 6 months ahead of your trip. You must apply no later than 45 days before your trip.
Airport transit visa
If you live in Canada and want to apply for an airport transit visa for the Netherlands, this is the visa you’ll need.
You are considered to be in transit at a Dutch airport if you change planes on the way to your next destination without leaving the international transit zone or your plane makes a brief stop and you stay on the plane or wait in the international transit zone.
You’ll need official documents and a completed and signed visa application form.
Consular Declarations
A consular declaration is an official document drawn up by an embassy or consulate. This service is only available for Dutch nationals abroad. You might need this document if you need to submit one to the Social Insurance Bank (SVB), a pension fund, a Dutch municipality, or the authorities in the country where you live.
You can apply for consular declarations at a Dutch Embassy or Consulate. These are the types of declarations you may require:
- Dutch nationality certificate
- Certificate of residence
- Certificate of life
- Certificate of conduct (VOG)
- Certificate of marital status
- Certificate of legal capacity to marry
To obtain a certificate of residence, you will need a valid Dutch passport or ID card, proof of address and proof that you are legally resident in the country in question.
Once you have gathered all the documents, make a PDF of eacg and and email them to the embassy or consulate general. It takes approximately 10 working days to process the application.
When complete, you will receive a reference number by email, together with information about how to pay. Once the payment has been received and processed, you will receive the certificate by email or post.
You can obtain a certificate of life at the Embassy or Consulates. You need to book an appointment online as you need to appear in person. The document is generally prepared while you wait, and when this is not possible, you have to come back another day or let it be sent to you by mail.
Unmarried status declaration Netherlands and Dutch nationality certificates cannot be obtained from the Embassy or Consulates but they may help direct you to the right authorities to contact.
You can find more information about all types of consular declarations here.
Q&A II
How can I apply for a Netherlands visa from Canada?
You can apply for a visa at the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa by booking an appointment. You can also submit your application at the Dutch visa application centers (VAC) in Vancouver, Edmonton, or Toronto.
The above guide explains the 5 different types of visas that are available and the document requirements.
Can I renew my Dutch passport online?
No, you can’t. You can only renew your Dutch passport in person.
You can either visit the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa or the Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver by booking an appointment. Another option is to visit the Honorary Consulate in Edmonton, also by booking an appointment. You can also lodge your application at a Dutch border municipality or at the Schiphol desk.
How do I get a Dutch passport in Canada?
You obtain a Dutch passport by visiting the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa or the Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver by booking an appointment. Another option is to visit the Honorary Consulate in Edmonton, also by booking an appointment. You can also lodge your application at a Dutch border municipality or at the Schiphol desk.You can check the document requirements by running through the checklist.
How many Netherlands Embassies are in Canada?
There is one Dutch Embassy. However, there are also two Dutch Consulates and 7 Honorary Consulates which offer the same services. The contact details and opening hours of each Dutch mission can be found above.
IN CONCLUSION
This guide should have provided a clearer idea of the Canadian apostille process and all the services that are provided by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Canada: services related to passports, visas, ID cards, and consular declarations.
There is, admittedly, a lot to sort through to legalize your documents ahead of a move, a new job or a commercial undertaking.
At DAC, we help facilitate the legalization of documents in Canada, navigating through the bureaucracy on your behalf so that you avoid unnecessary delays. Get in touch with our expert team to request a quote and a free document evaluation.
About The Author
Lori, Director of Operations
Lori Shepherd is a licensed Paralegal, Notary and Mediator in the City of Ottawa and holds a B.A. from Carleton University. A native to the City, she has lived and worked across Canada and overseas. Lori is client focused and dedicated to clear and concise communication to ensure clients feel secure in using our services.
