Legalizing your diploma
When going abroad the recognition of your educational documents is a major issue. For assessment many countries will only accept legalized documents. Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO), section Diploma-recognition & Legalization, legalizes Dutch educational documents on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
Attention:
- DUO does not legalize foreign diplomas; for this you must address the authorities of the country of origin.
- before coming to our office you first have to send us the documents by fax (050-5998799) or e-mail (ks.dw@duo.nl). Please put your telephonenumber on the document.
You have to wait for our reaction, before coming to Groningen!
Legalization, how does it work? Which documents can be legalized by the section Diploma-recognition & Legalization? Are there any fees attached? Under here you will find detailed information.
Click here for the visiting address.
1: What is legalization?
Legalization implies the verification of the name and function of the person who or the organization that signed the diploma on behalf of the awarding institution. Legalization thus informs foreign authorities of the legitimate status of the diploma concerned.
Legalization is done by means of two different procedures, depending on the country of choice. For so-called Apostille countries one stamp will suffice, i.e. of the City Courthouse in Groningen. In all other cases you will need two stamps, i.e. one of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the second one of the Embassy (or Consulate) of the country of choice. Both procedures meet the international standards of the so-called ‘legalization chain’.
2: Apostille
Countries that are party to the Apostille Treaty can be found here. If the country of your choice is enlisted the City Courthouse in Groningen will provide you with the needed Apostille stamp, on condition the document has been legalized in the first place by DUO in Groningen.A personal visit to Groningen means that you can acquire both stamps within a couple of hours, assuming of course that the pre-required verification is succesful (see here after under 4.). Keep in mind that the City Courthouse in Groningen closes at 16.30
3: Which documents can be legalized?
DUO legalizes documents on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This means that legalization is strictly limited to those diploma's (and transcripts) of study-courses that are recognized by that Ministry. Recognition of the course turns out of its accreditation.
Higher education
Courses which have been recognized, are registered in the Central Register of Courses of Higher Education (in Dutch: Centraal Register Opleidingen Hoger Onderwijs (CROHO)). The name under which the course is registered in CROHO is leading. For legalization the data on the original educational document therefore must be identical to the data in CROHO.
We advise you to always get in touch with the section Diploma-recognition and legalization beforehand about the documents you wish to have legalized. Then you will know immediatley whether you need to go to DUO or not. You can also fax a copy of your diploma to (050) 599 87 99 immediatley, stating ‘verification of educational documents’and your personal details and telephone number.
4: Verification
As mentioned before, each document is subject to verification before it can be legalized. We verify whether the details on the diploma correspond with the details the institution of education has provided. If the details on the diploma are not known in the files, we ask the institution to verify the data and signature(s) on your diploma. We also ask the institution for the name of the official who is qualified to sign (the signatory of your diploma) and his function. That information will be added to the legalization stamp.
5: Timetable
Certainly for those visiting us in Groningen, we strive to deal with your request the very same day. This is of course important when you offer your documents in person. Be aware that in some cases the required verification may not be succesful. This can cause delay and sometimes the need for a renewed appointment.6: National holidays and school holidays
During holidays verification is often not possible, due to the fact that schools and universities are closed. You should therefore avoid these periods as much as possible.7: Legalization, how does it work
You are offered two choices:
- a personal visit.
Our opening hours are from 10.00 till 16.00 during working days. Our adress:
Kempkensberg 12, 9722 TB Groningen.
When you are going to a country that is party to the Apostille Treaty you can acquire the Apostille stamp at the City Courthouse in Groningen after you have been to DUO. Be there in time for the sake of verification and keep in mind that the City Court House closes at 16.30. DUO provides a map showing you the way to the Courthouse (a 30 minute walk appr.). (avoid the holidays as much as possible). - sending it by mail.
Always send your documents by registered mail. Remember that sending them by mail is at your own risk: DUO is not accountable for the contents of your post package. Once legalized DUO will return your documents by registered mail unless you want to collect them personally. The Apostille Stamp can also be arranged for you by DUO: for this a small additional and total fee of 9 euros will be charged (see question 2a on the applicationform).
8: Legalization and payment
| Legalization | Costs |
|---|---|
| Legalization by DUO, per document | 6,- |
| Apostille stamp by the Courthouse, per document | 18,- |
| Apostille stamp arranged by DUO (total fee) | 9,- |
Visitors can pay the required fees by bankcard (pin-code). If you send it by mail you need to complete and sign the authorization (eenmalige machtiging) at the bottom of the applicationform.
When you are living abroad and you don't have a Dutch bankaccount you cannot use the authorization (eenmalige machtiging). You have to transfer the amount as follows:
Bankaccountnumber 5699.99.936 in the name of Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, Groningen, the Netherlands
IBAN-number: : NL07RBOS0569999936
Swift Adres RBOSNL2A
Please mention your filenumber (kenmerk) on the transfer.