Registering a stillborn baby in the Netherlands

When your child is born lifeless, you report the birth in the municipality where your child was born. A 'certificate of birth (lifeless)' is then drawn up.  

Your child has lived for a short time

You register the birth in the municipality where your child was born. If your child died in the same municipality, you also file the death certificate there. If your child died in another municipality, you will file the death certificate there.

Who can file the death certificate?

• one of the parents  
• an undertaker
• someone who was present at the birth, e.g. a friend or family member  
• hospital staff

Conditions

Before the burial or cremation takes place, you report a lifeless birth or the birth and death of your child. You can make an appointment for this by phone or WhatsApp +31 73 - 615 51 55.

Requirements for the declaration

You bring the following to the appointment:  

• valid proof of identity of the person making the declaration  
• death certificate issued by the attending physician  
• B-envelope with information from the doctor about your lifeless child, if applicable
• your marriage booklet, if applicable

My child was born lifeless a long time ago or died shortly after birth

If your child was born lifeless a long time ago or lived shortly after birth and was not registered at that time, you can still do so. Was your child born in 's-Hertogenbosch? If so, please contact us via telephone number +31 73 - 615 51 55. We will then check whether a deed already exists or what needs to be done in your case to draw it up.  

It is also possible that the deed of your long (lifeless) child did not include first names. This too can still be done. Please contact us via telephone number +31 73 - 615 51 55 to find out what needs to be done in your case to add the first name(s) to the certificate.

Register lifeless child in the BRP

From 4 February 2019, it will be possible to apply to the municipality where you live to register your lifeless child. To register your child in the Basic Registration of Persons, a deed is required. Do you live in 's-Hertogenbosch, but your child was born abroad? We can give you more information about this, what to do best in this situation. Please contact us by phone or Whatsapp +31 73 - 615 51 55.

Costs

Preparation of the deed is free of charge. You pay a fee for requesting a transcript. For more information, contact the municipality via telephone number or WhatsApp +31 73 - 615 51 55.

Good to know:

• It is not compulsory to include the child with your personal data. You choose whether you want this.  
• This choice is personal. You make a request for yourself to add the child to your personal data. If the other parent also wants this, the other parent must also make a request for themselves. This can only be done in person. (not by post and not by e-mail).  
• You can always change your choice again.

What happens to the registration

Your child will be registered in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP). Once the municipality has registered your child in the BRP, it may be a few days before the child details are visible MijnOverheid.nl. The registration is not passed on to other organisations using the BRP. Your health insurance, the Tax Office or the Social Insurance Bank will therefore not be notified.

Further information

If you live in 's-Hertogenbosch, make an appointment with the municipality of 's-Hertogenbosch via telephone number or WhatsApp +31 73 - 615 51 55.