NetherlandsWorldwide

Applying for a certificate of marital status in Hong Kong

Are you a Dutch national, living in Hong Kong and do you need a certificate of marital status? You can apply for this certificate at the Marriage Registration and Record Office. You can also apply for the certificate at the Dutch consulate-general in Hong Kong.

Warning: If you are registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP) in the Netherlands, apply for this document from the municipality where you are registered. You may need to have the declaration/certificate translated and legalised before you can use it outside the Netherlands.

To apply for a certificate in person, 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.

Attention: If you are applying for a certificate of marital status because you are getting married, you will also need to provide a photocopy of your partner’s valid passport or ID card.

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.

Attention: If you are applying for a certificate of marital status because you are getting married, you will also need to provide a photocopy of your partner’s valid passport or ID card.

You may need to have non-Dutch documents translated and legalised.

Do you have all the required documents? Bring the original documents and a copy of the documents with you to your appointment.

Step 2: Make an appointment

You must make an appointment at the consulate-general. Make an appointment online.

Besides documents mentioned, you also need to bring a certificate of absence of marriage record of the Immigration Department in Hong Kong.

Step 3: Pay the fee

The fee for a consular certificate is €30. You pay the fee when you submit your application.

You can find information on how to pay in the overview of consular fees.

Step 4: Receive the certificate

In most cases, you’ll receive the certificate on the same day as your appointment. If this is not possible, inform the staff member during your appointment whether you wish to collect the certificate or have it posted to you.

Check which days the consulate-general is closed.

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.