Applying to get married in the Netherlands
Are you planning to get married? If you intend to get married, you must notify the municipality of this at least 2 weeks and not more than 1 year before the wedding.
There are certain requirements for marriage that everyone must meet:
- you must be at least 18 years of age;
- you cannot marry someone who is already married or in a civil partnership;
- you cannot be related to one other, e.g. grandparent, grandchild, parent, child or sibling.
Are you getting married to a non-Dutch citizen in the Netherlands? Then different conditions apply.
If you intend to marry someone of the same sex, you can get married in the Netherlands in the presence of the civil registrar. This is called a civil marriage, and you are only legally married once you have had a civil ceremony. In addition, it is possible to have a religious ceremony in some churches, but not all churches allow it. Check first with the church where you want to have the ceremony. A church wedding can only take place after the civil ceremony.
If you are getting married outside the Netherlands and are not yet 18 years old, your marriage will only be recognised in the Netherlands once both spouses have reached 18 years of age.
This is how it works for you
Here is some information from your municipality.
Wedding plans, notification
The municipality checks whether you can marry each other. If you get permission, you can marry each other.
Do you not live in the Netherlands, but do you want to get married in the Netherlands? Then read the information on the page: Getting married in the Netherlands if you live abroad.
Conditions for a marriage are:
- You are 18 years or older. Are you under 18 years old? Then your parents or the court must give permission. If you have a child or are pregnant, you may enter into a registered partnership from the age of 16;
- You are not married and you are not registered as a partner;
- One of the two partners must be a Dutch national or live in the Netherlands;
- You and your partner are not directly related to each other. (No parent or child, grandparent or grandchild, sibling, half-brother or half-sister and cousin).
- Your witnesses are 18 years or older.
Before you can get married, you must notify us of your wedding plans. You can notify us by filling out an online form, or by scheduling an appointment with our Public Affairs desk in our Municipal Hall.
Online reporting of your intended wedding is not always possible
It is not always possible to report your intended marriage or registered partnership online:
- if both of you or 1 of you were not born in the Netherlands;
- if both of you or 1 of you live abroad;
- if both of you or 1 of you do not have Dutch nationality.
In this case, please contact Public Affairs well in advance on telephone number 14 0570.
When reporting your wedding plans, we may ask for, among other things:
- A birth certificate.
- Proof of consent, for example for minors and people under supervision (guardianship).
- A valid ID.
- A copy of the basic registration of persons (containing a statement of marital status and nationality).
- Details of the witnesses and a copy of their IDs.
What you need when reporting your wedding plans may differ. Therefore, always contact Public Affairs first.
Online reporting of your intended wedding
You can register the intended date of your marrriage or partnership by reporting it via this form online.
With your online report it is useful that you have made a number of decisions and that you have certain documents at hand:
- Your choice of the day, time and location of your ceremony;
- the letter from the location where the ceremony takes place.
- if you get married or register your partnership at the Municipal Hall, then you reserve the space during the notification;
- your preference for the extraordinary civil registrar. Please note: you can only state the name in your notification if you have made an appointment with the marriage official;
- do you have an extraordinary civil servant appointed for 1 day? Please see our information page about the required documents.
- the copies of the proof of identity of yourself, your partner and the witnesses.
You add the requested files when making the online report.
Confirmation online report
After we receive your online report you will receive a confirmation of receipt via e-mail.
If your report is approved, you will receive a confirmation. You will also receive this confirmation by e-mail. If the report is not approved or if we have questions, we will contact you.
Online reporting not always possible
It is not always possible to report your intended marriage or registered partnership online. More information about this can be found in the tab with the conditions.
Reporting by making an appointment
You can make an appointment at the Public Affairs desk in Municipal Hall. When reporting your wedding plans, we may ask for, among other things:
- A birth certificate.
- A valid ID.
- Details of the witnesses and a copy of their IDs.
What you need when notifying your wedding plans may differ. Therefore, always contact Public Affairs first.
Reporting your wedding plans is free.
Costs for online reporting of your intended wedding
You immediately pay the costs for the marriage/partnership registration (and a marriage booklet, if applicable).
The notification is valid for 1 year. There must be at least 2 weeks between reporting your wedding plans and your wedding date.
Questions about this topic?
Contact the Municipality of Olst-Wijhe
Visiting addresses
Raadhuisplein 1
8131BN Wijhe
| Monday | 09.00-12.00 |
| Tuesday | 09.00-12.00 |
| Wednesday | 09.00-12.00 |
| Thursday | 09.00-12.00 |
| Friday | 09.00-12.00 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Jan Schamhartstraat 5b
8121CM Olst
| Monday | 13.30-16.30 |
| Tuesday | 13.30-16.30 |
| Wednesday | 13.30-20.00 |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | 13.30-16.30 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |