Birth certificate

A birth certificate provides written proof that your birth is recorded in the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. You can request a copy of the certificate in Dutch or as a multiple-language (international) extract. You request this in the municipality where you were born.

Conditions

• You were born in The Hague.

• Were you born abroad? You can register your foreign birth certificate with the Registry Office of the Municipality of The Hague. You can then request a copy or extract.

How does it work?

An authority asks for your birth certificate. You request this in the municipality where you were born. You will then get a copy or a multiple-language (international) extract of the certificate. The original certificate remains the property of the municipality.

Which document do I need?

Usually the authority requiring the certificate will tell you which document you need. It will also indicate how old the document may be. The difference between the copy and the multiple-language (international) extract:

• A copy is exactly the same as the certificate itself. It is also called a certified, official or authenticated copy. The copy is only available in Dutch.
• A multiple-language (international) extract contains a summary of the certificate. The extract has an explanation in 10 languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish and Serbo-Croatian.

When you apply for the certificate you can indicate which document you would like to have.

Fees

€ 15.70 (rate in 2023) excluding postage costs. After you have applied you will receive the invoice by email.

How long does it take?

The municipality will send you your copy or multiple-language (international) extract within 3 weeks. When you receive it depends on the postal service.

Good to know

• The time of birth is on the birth certificate. Are you requesting an adoption certificate? Then the time of birth is not on the document.
• You can also request a copy or extract for someone else. Read more about this under Request a civil status document for someone else.
• Was the birth certificate drawn up more than 100 years ago? Then you will need to contact The Hague City Archives.
• If you would like to use the document abroad, then you often need an 'apostille'. You can request this through the court. Read more about the legalisation of Dutch documents on the website of the Dutch government.
• Do you need to have the document translated? You can have it translated by a sworn translator. For documents which are needed within the European Union you can request a multilingual standard form along with the document from the Netherlands.

Apply

Apply for the birth certificate

Also see

• Register a foreign certificate
• Adoption certificate
• Request a civil status document for someone else