Register a divorce
To terminate a marriage, you will need a lawyer or attorney. This person should file for a divorce on your behalf. The court then grants your divorce. This is called the divorce settlement (echtscheidingsbeschikking). A divorce becomes official when the settlement has been registered at the Registry Office. The official date of divorce is the date the divorce settlement is registered.
- Were you married in the Netherlands and was the divorce granted by a court in the Netherlands?
Then you will need to have the settlement registered at the Registry Office of the municipality where you were married. - Were you married in the Netherlands and divorced abroad?
Then the divorce needs to be registered in the municipality where you were married. - Were you married and divorced abroad and was your foreign marriage certificate registered at the Registry Office of the Municipality of The Hague?
Then you need to have your foreign divorce registered at the Registry Office of the Municipality of The Hague. - Were you married and divorced abroad and do you live in the Netherlands and is your foreign marriage certificate not registered at the Registry Office of the Municipality of The Hague?
Then you need to have your foreign divorce registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP) of the municipality in which you reside. - Were you married abroad and was the divorce granted by a court in the Netherlands?
Then you need to have your divorce registered at the Registry Office of the Municipality of The Hague. - Was the divorce granted by the court (Gerecht in Eerste Aanleg) in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba?
Then the divorce needs to be registered at the Registry Office of the Municipality of The Hague, unless the wedding took place on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. In this case the divorce needs to be registered at the Registry Office of the island where the wedding took place.
Divorce granted by a court in the Netherlands
- an original copy of the irrevocable decree from the court
- a request for registration
- an akte van berusting (waiver of remedies)
The municipality might need additional information or documents. Other documents are also needed for divorces granted by the court (Gerecht in Eerste Aanleg) in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.
Divorce granted by a foreign authority
For more information go to the page Begin link: Register a foreign certificate, end link. .
You must ask to register the Dutch divorce settlement within 6 months after it has become irrevocable. This means that it is no longer possible to appeal the court decision. After 6 months the divorce settlement will expire and you will no longer be able to have the divorce registered. Usually your attorney will make sure that all of the correct documents are submitted.
Free
Once your request is complete, your divorce settlement will be registered as quickly as possible. The official of the Registry Office will then send a message to the municipality in which you live to register it in the BRP.
Usually your attorney will make sure that all of the correct documents are submitted. The documents must be sent to:
Municipality of The Hague
Department of Public Service, Registration Unit
Postbus 12620
2500 DL Den Haag
Also see: Divorce