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

Your (future) place of residence falls under:

Municipality of Groningen

Here is some information from your municipality.

Registering a stillborn baby in the Netherlands

Before you can register your baby in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP), you must first report the death. Make the declaration in the municipality where the event took place.

The funeral director can do this online. A parent, hospital, or attendee can make an appointment to file the declaration.

Needed during the appointment

Valid ID of the person making the declaration.
Certificate of death issued by the attending physician.
B envelope (intended for the Central Bureau of Statistics) containing information from the doctor about your child's death.

You can register your child in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP).

What you need to know

You must apply for registration in the municipality where you live.
You can only update your own data personally. The other parent cannot do this for you.
For registration, it does not matter when the child was born or the length of the pregnancy.
To register your child, you will need a "certificate of child born lifeless" or a "certificate of birth (lifeless). Your municipality will request the certificate from the municipality where the baby was born.

Making an appointment

You can make an appointment via the contact form. Bring valid proof of identity with you to the appointment.

Online

Through an online form you can register online. You need a DigiD to do this.

In writing

Send the documents below to: Municipality of Groningen, Department of Civil Affairs, PO Box 30026, 9700 RM Groningen.

-Copy of valid passport, ID card or driver's license.
-Completed and signed application form for registration of a lifeless born child (pdf 160 kB). The document is in Dutch.