Criminal Record Certificate Translation for the Netherlands

Which application, and who receives it

In the Netherlands a criminal record certificate may be requested in certain professional registrations, in recruitment and in residence procedures, and the party asking may be an employer, a professional body or the IND. A frequent source of confusion is that the Dutch VOG and the Turkish criminal record certificate are two different documents; separating out which one is wanted at the start prevents the wrong document being submitted. The document is read together with the other application papers and with the passport, and the spelling of the name must be the same in all three.

Inconsistent conversion of Turkish special characters makes the identity check harder. The translation carries names and identity data across in a way that is consistent with the official documents, without interpretation.

Barcode, verification and record lines

The barcode, QR code and verification reference on the e-Devlet printout show that the document can be checked; the translation notes that these are present with a [barcode] and [QR code] marker and does not decode what they contain. Where the document shows an entry, every line is translated exactly, including the nature of the offence, the decision and the date; nothing is summarised. Because the document shows how current it is by its recent date, having the translation done while the document is fresh is the safest route; ask the receiving party how long it holds good.

It shows the Turkish record only

A Turkish criminal record certificate shows the position on record in Türkiye alone; it does not cover periods spent in other countries. A Dutch authority may ask for a separate document from every country in which the person lived for a given period, so what the Turkish document covers must be plain from the translation. The translation neither widens nor narrows that scope: it keeps the source, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Türkiye, and reflects as it stands that the document relates only to the national record. The IND or the employer decides, under its own rules, which countries’ documents it expects; the applicant’s task is to obtain the right document for each country required. Seeing this distinction at the outset prevents the mistaken belief that a single Turkish document will prove an entire history, and the delays that follow from it.

A Turkish criminal record certificate is not a VOG

The document most often requested in Dutch job applications is the VOG (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag); it is issued by a Dutch authority and does not take the place of a Turkish criminal record certificate. The Turkish document is a separate one showing a person’s history in Türkiye, and it is carried across with that identity in the translation; it is not described as a “VOG”. Establishing at the outset which of the two the receiving party wants matters: some procedures ask for the Turkish criminal record certificate to cover time abroad, others for the Dutch VOG. The translation carries the document across as it stands, preserving its source.

The “no record” wording and terminology

The outcome that there is no criminal record, often the only substantive information the document carries, is conveyed plainly, in a way that gives the sense of geen strafblad; a vague translation weakens the assurance the document offers. Where there is an entry, every line is translated exactly. The institution heading (Ministry of Justice, Directorate General of Criminal Records and Statistics) is given with a descriptive rendering, and the distinction between a criminal record certificate and an archive record is kept.

The Rbtv registration must be visible in the translation

In the Netherlands the translator producing an official translation is expected to be entered on the register of sworn translators (Rbtv); the registration number appears on the declaration page of the translation and the institution can verify it. A translation without that number may be put on hold, however faultless its content, because its source cannot be verified. Where the translation is produced in Türkiye, a sworn translator signs it, it goes through notarisation and an apostille is added; confirm with the institution which route will be accepted.

Currency, apostille and common mistakes

The document shows a particular date, and most institutions expect a recently issued copy, so having the translation done while the document is fresh is safer. Work to the “recently dated” test rather than to a specific number of days. Common mistakes:

• Confusing the document with the Dutch VOG.
• A translation that does not carry an Rbtv number.
• Obtaining the apostille after the translation.

The Netherlands is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention; confirm the current position on the official HCCH list. You can see the level of certification required for other documents on our document types page and the cost on our pricing page, and upload your document for a quote. Details vary from one procedure to another; check with the institution before you apply.