afschrift

Afschrift is an official copy or extract of a document or entry from a public register, issued by the authority that maintains the record. It is intended to reproduce the contents of the original document without requiring the original to be presented, and it often carries an official seal or signature to certify its authenticity.

Common contexts for an afschrift include civil-status records such as birth, marriage, and death certificates; notarial acts; court decisions; and entries in official registers such as municipal civil registries, land registries, or company/business registers. An afschrift may be described as a certified copy or extract and is typically used as evidence in legal, administrative, or genealogical matters.

Legal status and variants can vary by jurisdiction. An afschrift is generally more formal than a simple kopie (copy) and may be required to be a faithful, certified reproduction of the original. For international use, an afschrift may need additional formalities such as legalization or an apostille, depending on the destination country.

Obtaining an afschrift usually requires a request to the relevant authority—such as a municipality for civil-status records, a court or notary for certain acts, or a registry authority for land or business records. Identification and a fee are commonly required, and delivery may be in paper or digital form. In practice, afschriften are essential resources for proving civil status, ownership, or legal rights, and they are widely used in administrative processes and genealogical research.