I am going in circles trying to make sure we have the proper paperwork for bringing a few of our U.S. prescriptions with us that fall under the Netherlands Opium Act. Our doctor thinks we just need a letter saying they are prescribed but every official site I find says medications that are listed in the Opium Act can only be brought into the Netherlands with an "official certificate". The Netherlands embassy in Wa DC said it needed a legalized document but couldn't tell me how/where and referred me to my doctor. The Netherlands CAK (phone tree default thankfully is hang on and well get a person so I didn't need to know Dutch to navigate it) were not helpful and said to contact our embassy here; they said contact Netherlands of course. Our doctor is not an expert on foreign country customs/immigration and we don't want an issue getting there or while there. I am not able to get thru the Netherlands Customs phone tree which is in Dutch and don't feel comfortable posting personal medication information on their Facebook page to get info. Anyone know how to get help? Our trip is coming up fast.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11180 posts
The Netherlands embassy in Wa DC said it needed a legalized document but couldn't tell me how/where and referred me to my doctor.
The embassy didn't specify/identify what a 'legalized document' ( "official certificate") is?
I wonder if they mean your MD has to provide a Notarized letter/statement regarding the medical necessity and strength/quantity of the meds.
Posted by
Chicago
2675 posts
Have you tried contacting this email address: schengen@cak.helptu.nl
https://www.incb.org/documents/Travellers/files/NET_ENG_2023.2.pdf
Or I found this form on the Netherlands Central Administrative Office website. Your dr. could probably use this form or write a letter that has all this info. in it:
https://www.hetcak.nl/publish/library/20/engelstalige-medicijnverklaring.pdf
Posted by
WA USA
1083 posts
I would have your Doctor include the information that is on the form Carrie provided. I think it's important to have the information on the facilities letter head and not just on a generic form.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Carrie,
Thanks for trying to help.
Yes I spoke to the CAK. I wanted clarification on some of the items on the Schengen form. They said the Schengen form is only for Netherland citizens traveling to another Schengen country; it is not for people from non-Schengen countries (like the U.S.) coming into the Netherlands. They said to get a certificate from my physician and get an apostille (which from my searching means "authenticated") but they can't tell me what that authentication means or where to get that authentication.
Joe32F
Thanks for trying to help.
No they didn't explain well at all.
Gail
I think putting it on his letterhead is what the doctor is planning. The sites and embassy indicated that something more is required because of the type of medication though but they're not helpful getting that figured out.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7034 posts
I'm pretty sure when they say 'authenticated' they mean notorized, which shouldn't be hard for your doctor to have done.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11180 posts
An "apostille" is more than just notarized.
apostille
: a document used in international law that is issued by a government in accordance with the Hague Convention and that certifies that another document has been signed by a notary public
https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/apostille
Posted by
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
320 posts
Apostilles usually have to be done in the state where the document was issued or notarized (or at the federal level as appropriate). It's done by a government office (Secretary of State), not just any notary public. There are usually limited places where it can be done quickly in person, but in my experience you can also send in the request if you have time to receive it back via mail. In Maryland, for example, you can go in person to the Secretary of State's office in Annapolis or you can mail it in. The apostille is then affixed to the document.
This is only meant to be background information about apostilles. I am not a lawyer and am not offering legal advice. But I'd never heard of an apostille until I needed one, so I thought I'd share a little knowledge.
Posted by
Hickory, NC USA
437 posts
I have gotten many apostilles for visas. First you get the notarized document from your doctor. Then you send it to that state's Secretary of State along with a few dollars and the apostille is essentially verifying that the notary is real, currently licensed and their notarization is valid. I mailed mine in, and it took something like 10 days. They send you back your original notarized document with the sheet that is the apostille attached, as I recall - at least in Florida, GA and SC.