Applying for a certificate of marital status in Benin
If you are a Dutch national living in Benin you can apply for a certificate of marital status (declaration célibat) by sending an email to the Dutch embassy in Cotonou.
To apply for a certificate by email, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Gather the documents that you need
To apply for a certificate of marital status, you will need to provide various documents. Which documents you need to provide depends on your situation. You may need to have your documents translated and legalised.
To apply for a certificate of marital status, you will need:
- A valid Dutch passport or Dutch ID card.
- Proof of registration in the municipality where you live, bearing your address.
If this is not available in the country where you live, you can instead provide a bank statement or utility bill from the past month bearing your name and address, or a rental contract bearing your name and address. - Official proof from a Dutch or foreign government authority stating that you are not married. This cannot be a self-declaration or a document drawn up by a notary.
If you have deregistered from the Personal Records Database (BRP) in the Netherlands, you should apply for a certificate in the form of an extract from the Non-Residents Records Database (RNI). This will show your marital status at the time you left the Netherlands.
Additional documents if you have been living outside the Netherlands for a long time
If you live outside the Netherlands, you must provide additional documents to show that you have never been married or are now divorced. If you cannot provide official documents, you should provide other documents that prove your marital status. This could be proof of registration with the immigration authorities, tax returns or insurance policies.
To apply for a certificate of marital status, you will need:
- A valid Dutch passport or Dutch ID card.
- Proof of address and proof of registration in the municipality where you live.
If this is not available in the country where you live, you can instead provide a bank statement or utility bill from the past month bearing your name and address, or a rental contract bearing your name and address. - Proof of divorce (divorce certificate or court judgment), proof of termination of previous registered partnership or a death certificate.
Additional documents if you have been living outside the Netherlands for a long time
If you live outside the Netherlands, you must provide additional documents to show that you have never been married or are now divorced. If you cannot provide official documents, you should provide other documents that prove your marital status. This could be proof of registration with the immigration authorities, tax returns or insurance policies.
You may need to have non-Dutch documents translated and legalised.
Do you have all the required documents? Then make a pdf of each document. A photo of your documents is not allowed.
Step 2: Email the documents to the embassy
Send an email to the Dutch embassy in Cotonou:
In your email you should state:
- the type of document you need (in the subject line)
- your initials and surname (in the subject line)
- your phone number
- why you need the certificate. This will be included on the certificate.
Attach the required documents to your email as PDFs.
You may be asked to send extra documents if your application is not complete, if anything is unclear or we have questions.
You can use the smartphone app KopieID to make a secure copy of your identity document using your phone or tablet. Find out more about the KopieID app on Rijksoverheid.nl (information in Dutch).
If the attachments exceed the maximum size for 1 email, divide the documents over 2 or more emails.
Step 3: Pay the fee
Applying for a consular certificate costs money. Once we have established your application is complete, you will receive an email containing:
- Your reference number.
Give this number as the payment reference when you pay the fee. If you do not, it may take longer for your certificate to be issued. - Information about how to pay:
You will need to transfer the amount in euros to the account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.
Pay the total amount according to the payment instructions received.
The fee for a consular certificate is €30.
Step 4: Receive the certificate
Once your payment has been received and processed, it will take on average 10 working days to process your application. If you are asked to send extra documents because your application is not complete, it will take longer.
Once your payment has been received and processed, you will receive the certificate by email.
You will receive a multilingual standard form in Dutch, English, French and German. If you need the declaration/certificate in another language, you will need to have it translated by a sworn translator. Ask the organisation requesting the certificate whether you need to have the certificate and/or the translation legalised.
Contact
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.