Registering a stillborn baby in the Netherlands
A stillbirth is registered with the municipality in which the child was born. The municipality then issues a birth certificate (geboorteakte) for a stillbirth. It does not matter how long the pregnancy lasted.
A birth certificate for a stillbirth is an official document, proving that your baby was born.
The birth certificate for a stillbirth is recorded in the Registers van de burgerlijke stand (Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships)
Choosing a surname for a stillborn baby
You may choose your child’s surname, which can be either the father’s or the mother’s surname. This choice does not affect the names of any subsequent children, meaning that you can choose a different surname in the future.
You can also register your stillborn baby in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen – BRP) if you wish. This is a different procedure from registering the birth of your baby as stillborn. You do this in the municipality where you live.
This is how it works for you
Here is some information from your municipality.
Registering a stillborn baby in the Netherlands
- A Verklaring van overlijden (death certificate). You will receive this from the doctor.
- Proof of your identity (passport, identity card or driving licence).
- Your trouwboekje (Livret de Famille or Family Book) (if you have one).
If your child was stillborn, you can register the birth at the municipality where your child was born. It is possible to acknowledge parenthood (erkenning) of your stillborn child upon registration. You can also have your child recorded in your trouwboekje (Livret de Famille or Family Book).
You can visit a City Office of your choice.
It is free to have a certificate drawn up. An afschrift (official copy) of the certificate costs: € € 16.60
This varies depending on the situation. In some cases, we can register your child immediately during the appointment. For example, if you bring the birth certificate to the appointment, or if the certificate is already in the system.
Sometimes we cannot register your child right away. For example in these cases:
- Your child was born before 1985.
- You do not know whether a deed has ever been drawn up.
- The certificate does not contain your child's first names.
- The certificate does not state whether your child was a boy or a girl.
If we cannot register your child immediately, we will try to find out for you. Sometimes this takes a few days and sometimes a few weeks.
Questions about this topic?
Contact the Municipality of Amsterdam