Legalization of birth certificate

Legalization of birth certificate

My daughter, who studies in Groningen in the Netherlands, asked me to arrange the legalization of her birth certificate by the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs, and the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta.

On March 15, 1995, I went to the Dutch Embassy to inquire about it. A female employee explained to me in an unfriendly manner that according to Dutch regulations the birth certificate must be renewed every five years, and as far as my daughter's birth certificate is concerned, the embassy could help legalize the renewed certificate. The staff did not bother to ask if I could get a new certificate. The thing is that a birth certificate cannot be renewed unless the original one is lost. The legalization process in the Dutch Embassy will cost me Rp 138.000.

I am now confused. How can a birth certificate be renewed every five years, since it is supposed to be valid for a lifetime? I would be very grateful if the Dutch Embassy would be kind enough to clarify the matter.

MRS. YEANNE SOLEIMAN

Jakarta