Applying for an Attestatie de vita (certificate of life) in the Netherlands
Does an organisation outside the Netherlands (e.g. a pension fund) need proof that you are alive? Then you need an Attestatie de vita (certificate of life). You can apply for this at your municipality.
There are 2 types of proof of life documents that are available in the Netherlands:
- The Attestatie de vita is an international document in Dutch and French. This document comes from the Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (registers van de burgerlijke stand). You can use the certificate outside the Netherlands. You can also get an annex to the certificate explaining the document in German, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Turkish.
- The Bewijs van in leven zijn (certificate of existence) is an excerpt taken from the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen – BRP). This states that you are registered as alive in the BRP. This extract is in Dutch and can be used in the Netherlands.
This is how it works in your (future) place of residence
Proof of being alive (attestation de vita)
You can apply for an Attestatie de vita (certificate of life) from the municipality where you live and are registered. You can only make the application yourself. Someone else cannot do it for you. You must make an appointment with the municipality to apply for a certificate of life.
Making an appointment with the municipality
We only work by appointment.
If you prefer not to schedule the appointment online, you can also do this by telephone on telephone number (0541) 58 81 11.
You can only request proof of being alive from the municipality where you are registered.
Do you need proof of being alive while you're abroad? Then the registrar of births, marriages and deaths must sign it.
To request an extract, you need:
- A valid ID
- A statement of the reason for requesting proof of life. For example, if you need proof for a pension application, you must submit a statement showing this.
Please note: You must apply for your proof of life yourself. No one else can do this for you.
A certificate of life costs: € 13,-
You pay a fee for this service. For more information, contact the municipality.
You will receive the certificate immediately.
Questions about this topic?
Contact the Municipality of Oldenzaal