This page covers the practical issues of working with Dutch documents - surname particles, identifying the issuing authority, the difference between the Netherlands and Belgium, and interpreting. For general written translation of texts, see Dutch translation.
tussenvoegsel - the surname particle that often gets lost
A large share of Dutch surnames contain a so-called tussenvoegsel - a particle that stands before the surname: van, de, der, van der, van den, ten, ter. This is the element that is most often lost or carried over wrongly in translation.
The first difficulty: the particle is an inseparable part of the surname, and leaving it out changes the name. If the passport says van der Berg, keeping only Berg in the translation creates an inconsistency.
The second: the particle is written sometimes with a capital and sometimes with a lower-case letter, depending on whether the first name precedes it. Dutch and Belgian practice also differ here. In the translation the entry is carried over exactly as it is in the document - we do not correct the capitalization of the original.
The third: in alphabetical sorting and in electronic systems the particle is often placed in a separate field. So the same person's surname may be written in a different order in different documents - in some starting with the particle, in others with the particle given at the end. This is not a mistake, but it needs to be noted so that the authority does not see two different surnames.
The BRP and types of extracts
In the Netherlands a person's data are kept in the population database - the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP), while certificates are issued by the local municipality (gemeente). An extract can have different contents: it may only confirm the residential address, or it may be fuller, with data on family status and parentage.
Before translation it is important to establish which type of certificate you need for the receiving authority - because different extracts contain different fields. As a rule, this can be seen clearly from the form.
Personal documents contain the BSN - the citizen service number. It is carried over into the translation unchanged, just like the document number and the date of issue.
The Netherlands or Belgium - a different country, a different authority
Besides the Netherlands, Dutch is also used in the Flanders region of Belgium. The language is the same, but the administrative system is completely different: different authorities, different forms, different terminology, different procedures.
A Belgian document also often appears in a multilingual context, because besides Dutch, French and German are official in the country too. So the same type of document may be drawn up in a different language depending on the region - and sometimes one form carries two languages.
During the assessment, the first thing we establish is which country's authority issued the document - this determines the terminology and the further procedure. If the form is bilingual, both texts are reflected in the translation.
Flemish and Dutch - features of Belgian documents
Flemish (Vlaams) is the variety of Dutch spoken in the north of Belgium, in Flanders. It is not a separate official language: in Belgium the official name is Nederlands, that is, Netherlandic, and the literary standard and spelling are shared with the Netherlands - they are set by a joint body of the two countries, the Nederlandse Taalunie. Flemish differs in pronunciation and partly in vocabulary, and in official documents the difference shows mostly in administrative terms. So a Flemish document is translated by the same Dutch interpreter, with knowledge of Belgian authorities and terms.
In Belgian personal documents the main identifier is the national register number (rijksregisternummer) - 11 digits, of which the first six show the date of birth (year, month, day), the next three are a sequence number and the last two are check digits. This number is carried over into the translation unchanged. The Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual, so a document issued there may be in Dutch, in French or in both languages. Belgium has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 1976, so the apostille on a Belgian public document is, as a rule, affixed in Belgium, and it too becomes part of the translation.
Educational documents and recognition
Dutch academic documents are a separate group: a diploma is often accompanied by a grade supplement listing the subjects, hours and grades. If the authority has asked only for the diploma, you may not need the supplement - we clarify this in advance so that you do not order unnecessary work.
The grading system differs from the Georgian one. In the translation the grade is carried over as it is in the original, with the scale indicated; no conversion is made, because recognition of a qualification is the competence of the relevant institution, not of the translator.
Names that are not translated
The official names of authorities, registers and documents keep their original form in the translation, with an explanation where needed. The reason is practical: the receiving authority checks the origin of the document precisely by its original name, while a "meaning-based" translation breaks that link.
The same applies to abbreviations of a company's legal form, which are part of the name and remain unchanged.
Interpreter
Interpreting in connection with Dutch is often needed at business meetings, online consultations, medical visits and administrative procedures. The service is provided by prior arrangement - tell us the subject, the format and the duration.
In the Netherlands, official translation is governed by the system of sworn translators (beëdigd vertaler). If the document has to be submitted there, check in advance with the receiving authority which form is acceptable - this is their internal rule.
Business documents and company data
In the documents of a Dutch company, the main identifying element is the trade register number, which is given on the extract together with the issuing chamber. This number, like the abbreviation of the company's legal form, remains unchanged in the translation - it is precisely by these that the legal entity is identified.
The extract often states the scope of the directors' powers and the rules of representation. These wordings require particular accuracy, because it is on their basis that a bank or a partner decides who has the right to sign. Conveying the general meaning is not enough here.
In contracts, special attention is paid to the date format and to the way amounts are written. In European practice the decimal and thousands separators may be used differently from Georgian practice, so the figures are carried over into the translation exactly, keeping the format of the original.
Certificates, validity periods and electronic issue
Most Dutch certificates are now issued electronically and contain a verification element - a code or a link with which the receiving party can confirm that the document is authentic. In the translation this element is reproduced unchanged.
Many certificates have a validity period, which the receiving authority checks. The translation does not change or renew the validity period - it reflects the state of the original. So if the certificate has expired, you first need to obtain a new one and only then order the translation.
If the document exists only as a digital file and was never issued on paper, please send us the file itself, not a screenshot - the verification element is often lost when the document is printed or photographed.
Multilingual and international forms
In European practice, multilingual civil status forms are common: the field names are printed in several languages, while the data filled in are in only one. Such a form often reduces the need for translation, because the receiving authority already understands what the fields mean.
If you have such a form, be sure to mention it during the assessment - you may not need a full translation at all, or translating only the filled-in fields may turn out to be enough. We will tell you this in advance and will not offer you services you do not need.
At the same time, the existence of a multilingual form does not automatically mean that the receiving body will accept it without a translation - this is determined by its internal rules and should be checked in advance.
Choosing the direction of translation
When ordering, it is important to specify which direction you need: from Dutch into Georgian or from Georgian into Dutch. This affects both the turnaround time and the possible form of certification.
If a Georgian document has to be submitted in the Netherlands or Belgium, check in advance which form the receiving body requires - some authorities require a translation certified locally. If, the other way round, a foreign document is to be submitted in Georgia, a translation into Georgian is usually enough, with notarization where needed.
What to send us
All pages in full, with the seals and the back side. Also - the spelling of the first name and surname from the passport, including the particle. It is exactly this entry that serves as the reference for the translation.
If the document was issued electronically and contains a verification code, this element too is reproduced unchanged in the translation, because it is what confirms that the document is authentic.
For official submission, see notarized translation and apostille, and for civil status documents - marriage certificate translation and birth certificate translation.
Need a Dutch translation? Send us the document or give us a call. We will tell you the turnaround time and the form required, and help you prepare the document correctly.
Call: 501 113 200Questions about Dutch documents and surnames
My surname contains "van der" - does it stay in the translation?
Definitely. The tussenvoegsel is an inseparable part of the surname, and leaving it out changes the name. In the translation it is reproduced exactly as it is in the passport.
My surname is in a different order in different documents - is that a mistake?
No. In electronic systems the particle is often in a separate field, so the order may differ. We note this so that the authority does not treat it as an inconsistency.
Is a Belgian document the same as a Dutch one?
The language is the same, but the administrative system is different - different authorities, forms and terminology. In Belgium a document may also be drawn up in French. We establish the issuing country during the assessment.
Are Flemish and Dutch the same language?
Yes, the literary and official language is the same. Flemish is the Dutch spoken in Flanders, Belgium, which differs in pronunciation and some words, while the spelling is shared with the Netherlands. In Belgian official documents the language is called Nederlands, so they are translated by a Dutch interpreter, taking into account Belgian authorities and the national register number.
Which BRP extract should I get?
That depends on which fields the receiving authority requires - some only need confirmation of the address, others also of family status. We recommend clarifying this in advance.
Does the grade supplement have to be translated together with the diploma?
That depends on the requirement of the receiving institution. If only the diploma is needed, you may not need the supplement - we clarify this in advance.