Notarizing U.S. documents from the Netherlands: founders, employees and families in Amsterdam

If you are in the Netherlands and need a U.S. document notarized, you can usually use a U.S. consular appointment, a Dutch notaris, or remote online notarization with a U.S. commissioned notary by video. What decides it is what the U.S. bank, investor, registered agent or attorney will accept, so ask them before you book anything.

This guide covers the U.S. side and the logistics for Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven and the rest of the country. For Dutch law or Dutch use of a document, ask a professional in the Netherlands.

Who needs a U.S. notarization in the Netherlands?

Founders with a U.S. entity

A Dutch startup raises money from U.S. investors and sets up a Delaware parent or U.S. subsidiary. Directors in Amsterdam are then asked for notarized documents: officer certificates, board or stockholder consents, beneficial ownership declarations for a U.S. bank, or a new signatory form. The company's lawyers prepare the content; the signature is what tends to cause delays.

Employees with U.S. equity or accounts

People who work or worked for a U.S. company may hold shares or options through a U.S. plan administrator. Transfers, name changes after marriage or claims on a deceased relative's account can require notarization.

Families and individuals

Americans living in the Netherlands, and Dutch citizens who once lived in the United States, sign affidavits, vehicle title transfers, lease terminations or powers of attorney for someone handling their U.S. affairs.

First, find out what the U.S. side wants

Before choosing a route, send the recipient three short questions:

1. Do you accept remote online notarization by a U.S. notary for this document?
2. If you accept a foreign notarization, do you need any additional certification?
3. Do you need a wet ink original, and where should it be sent?

For company documents, also ask whether a specific form, signer title, or attached certified copy of a board resolution is required. The guide on notarizing a corporate resolution explains what banks typically look for.

Option 1: the U.S. consulate route

The U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam offers notarial services by appointment for documents intended for the United States, while the U.S. Embassy is in The Hague. Check the embassy website for current arrangements. Consular notarization is widely recognized by U.S. institutions.

The constraints are appointment availability and the need to appear in person with the unsigned document and your passport. Getting several directors to the same appointment is rarely realistic.

Option 2: a Dutch notaris

A Dutch notaris is a legally trained professional with a broader role than a U.S. notary public. Many notariskantoren handle English documents and can legalize a signature, but the result is a Dutch notarial act. Some U.S. recipients accept it directly; others ask for an additional certification.

Confirm certification with the U.S. recipient and Dutch formalities with the notaris. This route suits recipients that want paper and accept a foreign notary.

Option 3: remote online notarization with a U.S. notary

With remote online notarization, a U.S. commissioned notary notarizes your signature during a recorded video session. You confirm your identity with your passport, sign electronically and receive the notarized document as a secure file. For a company, each director can sign in a separate session from home or office on the same day, and the files reach the bank together.

The remote notarization service for signers abroad confirms acceptance with the recipient first, then schedules sessions around your calendar. The guide on how a remote online notarization session works describes it step by step.

Some recipients refuse electronic notarization for deeds or certain stock transfer forms. Ask first.

Paper originals and shipping

When a wet ink original is needed, the order matters: print the final version, sign only in front of the notary, scan every page, then ship by tracked courier and share the tracking number. If several directors must sign one original, plan the route of that sheet before anyone signs.

The print, sign, scan and mail service handles printing and the scanned record, and international mailing covers tracked shipping between the Netherlands and the United States, including onward delivery to a bank or registered agent.

Practical points for signers in the Netherlands

• Name particles. Names such as van der Berg or de Vries are written differently across systems. Make sure the name on the U.S. document matches your passport, including capitalization, or ask the recipient how to handle it.
• Signer title. For company documents, the title under your signature (director, CEO, secretary) must match the U.S. company records.
• Time zones. The Netherlands is usually six hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast, so a late afternoon session reaches U.S. banks in their morning.
• Identity. A valid passport is the most practical ID for a U.S. remote session.

For the substance of a company document or the tax effect of a transfer, rely on your lawyers and accountants. Notarization confirms who signed, not what the document decides.

How TR Signing Group handles it

TR Signing Group reviews the recipient's instructions, confirms the route and, for companies, lines up every signer and document in one plan. When remote online notarization is accepted, Tanim Raquib, a commissioned New Jersey notary public, holds the sessions at times that suit you through the international signer service. When originals are required, TRSG coordinates printing, signing and tracked shipping. Request a quote or book a free 15-minute call to plan your signing.