What do I need to take into account if I want to marry a foreign national in the Netherlands?

Your situation

Find out below if you can marry or enter into a registered partnership in the Netherlands and what documents you need:

You live in the Netherlands and your partner lives outside the Netherlands

Nationality	Personal declaration for non-Dutch nationals required	Residence permit required	Permitted to marry or enter into a registered partnership in the Netherlands
You are Dutch and your partner is not	Yes, for your partner living outside the Netherlands	No, since your partner lives outside the Netherlands	Yes
Neither you nor your partner is Dutch	Yes, for both of you	Yes, for the person who lives in the Netherlands. You do not need a residence permit if you are a citizen of a Member State of the European Union (EU) or of the European Economic Area (EEA).	Yes

You and your partner both live in the Netherlands

Nationality	Personal declaration for non-Dutch nationals required	Residence permit required	Permitted to marry or enter into a registered partnership in the Netherlands
One of you is not Dutch	Yes, for the partner who is not Dutch	Yes, for the partner who is not Dutch. You do not need a residence permit if you are a citizen of a Member State of the European Union (EU) or of the European Economic Area (EEA).	Yes
Neither you nor your partner is Dutch	Yes, for both of you	Yes, for both of you. You do not need a residence permit if you are a citizen of a Member State of the European Union (EU) or of the European Economic Area (EEA).	Yes

You and your partner both live outside the Netherlands

Nationality	Personal declaration for non-Dutch nationals required	Residence permit required	Permitted to marry or enter into a registered partnership in the Netherlands
One of you is not Dutch	Yes, for the partner who is not Dutch	No	Yes
Neither you nor your partner is Dutch	Not applicable	Not applicable	No

Residence permit

If you need a valid residence permit, contact the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).

Declaration for non-Dutch nationals

If you or your partner is not a Dutch national and you wish to marry or enter into a registered partnership, you will need to complete a personal declaration. You can fill in and sign this declaration when you notify the municipality of your intention to marry or enter into a registered partnership.

The IND will check your residence status and the Aliens Police will conduct an investigation to ensure the relationship is genuine and rule out a sham marriage or sham registered partnership. These checks are carried out when a couple intends to marry or enter into a registered partnership for the purpose of obtaining a residence permit for the non-Dutch partner.

Marriage and dual nationality

If you or your partner is a national of another country as well as of the Netherlands, you will need to meet the requirements set out in Dutch law for marrying or entering into a registered partnership. If you meet these requirements you can marry or enter into a registered partnership, even if the other country does not permit this. You should take into account that you might have difficulty having the marriage recognised outside the Netherlands.

Certificate of unmarried status

If you have lived outside the Netherlands, the Registrar of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Registered Partnerships (ambtenaar van de burgerlijke stand) may ask you to submit certain documents they need to draw up a civil status record. They may also ask you for proof that you have not already entered into a marriage or civil partnership outside the Netherlands.

You can apply for a certificate of unmarried status in the last place you lived outside the Netherlands. In most cases you will need to have the document legalised before you can use it in the Netherlands.