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

Your (future) place of residence falls under:

Municipality of Westerwolde

Here is some information from your municipality.

Registering a divorce in the civil registry in the Netherlands

Where you register your divorce will depend on the country where you got divorced.

Divorced in the Netherlands

Did you get divorced in the Netherlands? In that case, your lawyer will send the divorce decree to the municipality where you were married. The municipality will then register your divorce.

Are you living in a different municipality to where you got married? The municipality will communicate this to your home municipality.

Divorced abroad

Did you get divorced abroad and live in the Netherlands? Then you must register your foreign divorce in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP). You do this at the municipality where you are registered. Phone: +31 599 32 02 20 or e-mail: gemeente@westerwolde.nl.

Registering your divorce with the municipality is free of charge. Do you need evidence of the divorce? A transcript or extract of the divorce certificate will cost: €15.70.

For more details, please contact the municipality. Phone: +31 599 32 02 20 or e-mail: gemeente@westerwolde.nl.

Once the documents have been received, the municipality will register the divorce as soon as possible. Only after the municipality registers the divorce in the civil registry, the divorce is official.