This page covers written translation. For an interpreter at a meeting, a notary or a clinic, see the Dutch interpreter page.
Both the Netherlands and Belgium keep registers of sworn translators ("beëdigd vertaler"), and inside those countries many offices expect their stamp. For procedures started from Georgia, a translation certified here is often the normal route. We check the requirement of the specific office before starting.
Dutch or Flemish - which do you need?
Dutch and Flemish are the same written language, with one official spelling shared by the Netherlands and Belgium. The differences lie in vocabulary, particularly in legal and administrative terms, because the two countries have different legal systems. A Belgian "gemeente" issues documents with different names and formulas from a Dutch one.
For that reason we ask whether a translation is for the Netherlands or for Belgium, and use the terminology of that country. You do not need to know which variant to ask for - only where the document is going.
Which Dutch documents we translate
Personal and residence
- Passport and ID
- Birth and marriage certificates
- Municipal register extracts
- Criminal record certificate
- Residence permit and IND letters
Study and work
- Diploma and supplement
- School certificate and transcripts
- Admission letters and study agreements
- Employment contracts
- Work certificates and references
Business and technical
- Contracts and powers of attorney
- Company documents and registry extracts
- Transport and shipping documents
- Agricultural and technical specifications
- Medical reports
Dutch into Georgian
Dutch documents come into Georgian for Georgian registries, courts, banks and companies: a marriage or birth registered in a Dutch or Belgian municipality, a court decision, a contract with a Dutch supplier, a certificate for goods, a medical report after treatment abroad.
Dutch and Belgian extracts from population registers contain many coded fields and abbreviations. We translate each field and write out abbreviations, so the Georgian official sees the full meaning of the record.
Georgian into Dutch
Georgian documents go into Dutch for the IND and municipalities in the Netherlands, for Belgian communes and the immigration office, and for universities and employers in both countries. The translation uses the administrative terms of the destination country and its formats for dates and addresses.
Names are copied from the Latin spelling in your passport. Dutch and Belgian registers link your records by name, date of birth and passport data, so all documents in a file must show the name identically.
Tell us whether the translation is for the Netherlands, Belgium or Suriname. The language is the same, but the offices use different terms, and the translation should read like their own documents.
Surname particles: van, de and van der
Dutch surnames often begin with particles - "van", "de", "van der", "ter" - which are part of the surname but are sorted and capitalised by special rules. In the Netherlands "van" is written in lower case after a first name ("Jan van Dijk") and with a capital when the surname stands alone ("Van Dijk"); Belgian practice differs.
In a Georgian translation we write the full surname, including the particle, exactly as it appears in the original, and keep that form throughout. This prevents a person being recorded under "Dijk" in one document and "Van Dijk" in another.
Dutch translation for study and residence
Dutch and Flemish universities ask for the diploma, the supplement or transcripts and sometimes the school certificate, translated into Dutch or English and usually apostilled. Recognition of Georgian qualifications in the Netherlands is often handled through Nuffic; in Belgium, through NARIC-Vlaanderen. Both need a complete translation of every subject and grade.
Residence procedures - for study, work, family or as a partner - require birth and marriage certificates, sometimes a criminal record certificate, with apostilles and translations into Dutch, English, French or German, depending on the office. We check which languages the office accepts, since this can save a translation.
Legal, business and logistics documents
Legal. Contracts, powers of attorney and court decisions under Dutch or Belgian law, with consistent terminology. See legal translation. Logistics and shipping. Much of Georgia's trade with Western Europe passes through Rotterdam and Antwerp. Bills of lading, customs documents, transport contracts and warehouse agreements are translated with the terms of the trade kept precise. Business. Agreements, offers and correspondence with Dutch and Belgian partners in trade, food, flowers and finance.Medical, technical and agricultural Dutch
Medical. Hospital letters, test results and prescriptions, with doses and drug names checked separately. See medical translation. Technical and agricultural. The Netherlands is a leader in greenhouse horticulture, seeds, irrigation and dairy technology, and Georgian projects often use Dutch equipment and know-how. We translate specifications, manuals and project documents with consistent technical terminology. See technical translation.Dutch translation with notarization and apostille
For official use in Georgia a Dutch translation is notarized. Georgia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname are all parties to the Apostille Convention, so Georgian public documents for these countries usually carry an apostille. See notarization and apostille and legalization.
Some multilingual international civil status extracts, issued under conventions of the International Commission on Civil Status, can be used without translation in the countries that accept them. If your document is of that type, we will tell you, and you may not need a translation at all.
How a Dutch translation order runs
Send the document
A photo, scan or PDF by WhatsApp or email, with the country and office it is for.
Price and deadline
We confirm the price, the deadline and whether notarization, an apostille or a sworn translation abroad is needed.
Translation and checking
The text is translated in the right variant; names, particles, dates and numbers are checked against the original.
Delivery
Electronic copies by email and certified paper in Tbilisi or by courier.
Price and turnaround for Dutch translation
The price depends on the direction, the volume, the subject and the certification. Packages for one application are quoted together. See translation prices.
A certificate is usually ready within one or two working days; academic, legal and technical documents take longer. Tell us your deadline and we will plan around it.
Studying, living or trading in the Netherlands or Belgium? Send us the documents and tell us the country - you will get the price, the deadline and the right form of certification.
Call: 501 113 200Frequently asked questions about Dutch translation
Do you translate in both directions?
Yes, from Dutch into Georgian and from Georgian into Dutch, for personal, academic, legal, business, logistics and technical documents.
Is Flemish different from Dutch?
The written language is the same, but Belgian legal and administrative vocabulary differs from Dutch usage. We use the terminology of the country the translation is for.
How do you handle "van" and "de" in surnames?
The full surname, including the particle, is written exactly as in the original and kept the same throughout the translation.
Do Dutch offices accept English instead of Dutch?
Some do, including the IND for certain documents. We check which languages your office accepts, which can save a translation.
Is an apostille needed?
For Georgian public documents used in the Netherlands, Belgium or Suriname, usually yes. All are parties to the Apostille Convention.
How long does a Dutch translation take?
A certificate is often ready within a day or two; longer documents take more time. We confirm the deadline when we see the file.
Can I order from the Netherlands or Belgium?
Yes. Send the documents online; we email the translation, and certified paper can be sent by courier.