Registering a divorce in the civil registry in the Netherlands
Has a judge has agreed to your divorce (echtscheiding)? Then you and your partner will be sent a copy of the final order (echtscheidingsbeschikking). When does your divorce become final? Once you have registered the final order in the municipality’s civil registry (burgerlijke stand van de gemeente).
You can register the final order in the Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (burgerlijke stand van de gemeente). Do this at the municipality where you were married. This must be done within 6 months of the court ruling. When you have done this you are legally divorced.
This is how it works for you
Here is some information from your municipality.
Registering a divorce in the civil registry in the Netherlands
You file for divorce with the court. For this, you will need a lawyer. The court issues the decree of divorce. Is the court's decision final (irrevocable)? Then you need to report this to the municipality. Once the municipality registers the divorce in the civil registry, it is official.
This is how you report a divorce:
- You file for divorce with the court. You will need a lawyer to do this.
- Your lawyer sends the court's decision to the municipality. You can also notify the municipality yourself. Your former partner may also do this. You do this at the municipality where you were married.
You send the following documents to the municipality:
- a written request for registration in the register of births, marriages and deaths
- proof of the court ruling (the order)
- proof that you will not appeal against the court's decision (the deeds of resignation)
You can only register the divorce in the municipality where you were married. Did the marriage take place abroad? Then you must present the order to the registrar of births, marriages and deaths at the municipality of The Hague.
Did you divorce abroad? Then you have to report this to the government of that country. You will then usually receive a deed. Foreign certificates are not automatically valid in the Netherlands. Legalisation stamps or apostille stamps are required. Please contact the Dutch embassy or consulate for this. When you return to the Netherlands, report the divorce and take the foreign source documents with you so that the municipality can update your details in the Key Register of Persons (BRP).
There is no fee for registering your divorce with the municipality.
You must make the notification within 6 months of the court's final decision. The municipality will register the divorce as soon as possible once the documents are received. Only when the municipality registers the divorce in the civil registry is the divorce official.
Questions about this topic?
Contact the Municipality of Helmond