What do I need to take into account if I decide to get married or form a civil partnership outside the Netherlands?

Consent of the country in which the marriage or civil partnership will take place

If you wish to marry or form a civil partnership outside the Netherlands you will need to check whether as a foreign citizen you can do so under the law of the country in question. To find out, you should consult the foreign authority responsible for conducting marriages and civil partnerships. You cannot marry at a embassy or consulate of the Netherlands outside the Netherlands.

Documents required for marriage or civil partnership outside the Netherlands

The foreign authority that conducts your marriage or registers your partnership can tell you which documents you require. These may include a copy of your birth certificate or a certificate of marital status.

Registering a foreign marriage certificate or certificate of civil partnership

If you live in the Netherlands, you will need to register your foreign marriage or civil partnership with the municipality. This is not possible if you are a Dutch citizen living outside the Netherlands. Dutch citizens living outside the Netherlands are advised to register their foreign marriage certificate or certificate of civil partnership in the Dutch register. You can register the foreign marriage certificates or certificate of civil partnership with the municipality of Den Haag (in Dutch). You will then be able to apply for an extract or certified copy of the document at any time.

Legalisation of a foreign marriage certificate or certificate of civil partnership

If you wish to register your foreign marriage certificate or certificate of civil partnership in the Netherlands you will first need to have your foreign certificate legalised. This can be done by the authorities in the country where you were married. The Dutch diplomatic mission in the country in question can then legalise the marriage certificate or certificate of civil partnership.

Declaration of intent to marry

The local authorities in some countries ask for a declaration of intent to marry. The Dutch embassy or consulate in the country where you wish to marry can issue this declaration.

Certificate of unmarried status or certificate of the capacity to contract marriage

Some countries require you to prove you are not married or that you have not already formed a civil partnership with someone else. In that case you will require a certificate of unmarried status or a certificate of the capacity to contract marriage. The foreign authority that will marry you or register your partnership might ask for one of these certificates. You can apply to the Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships in your last place of residence for these documents.

If you are a Dutch citizen living outside the Netherlands and wish to marry outside the Netherlands, you can contact a municipality that has an RNI-loket (RNI-desk).

There are 19 municipalities in the Netherlands that handle matters relating to the Registratie Niet-ingezetenen – RNI (Non-residents Records Database. You can contact one of these RNI municipalities for any RNI-related matters. Which one you choose is up to you.

The following municipalities maintain an RNI-desk are: Alkmaar, Almelo, Amsterdam, Breda, Doetinchem, Eindhoven, Groningen, Goes, Heerlen, Leeuwarden, Leiden, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Den Haag (The Hague), Utrecht, Venlo, Westland and Zwolle.

The extract contains information on your marital status at the moment of emigration.