Register an intended marriage or civil partnership
Would you like to get married or enter into a civil partnership in The Hague? Then you first need to inform the municipality. This used to be called a ‘notice of intent to marry’ (in ondertrouw gaan).
- You both must be 18 years or older to marry or enter into a civil partnership.
- You can notify the municipality a maximum of 1 year and a minimum of 12 weeks before the date of the ceremony.
- You can register your intent online if both of you are registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP). In addition you must have all of the required documents.
- You can register your intent to marry in any municipality in the Netherlands. It is most practical to do this in the municipality where you are going to marry or enter into a partnership.
You will need a number of documents in order to register your intent to marry or enter into a civil partnership. The documents you need depend on your personal situation. You will always need:
- A valid form of identification for you and your partner.
- A valid form of identification for the witnesses. A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 Begin link: witnesses, end link. are needed.
Use 1 of the following documents as a valid form of identification:
- passport
- Dutch identity card (ID-kaart)
- ID card or passport from another Begin external link: EEA country(External link), end external link. (all EU countries plus Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland)
- Dutch foreign nationals document
If you, your partner or the witnesses have Dutch citizenship (nationality), then it is also possible to use your driving licence as proof of identity.
Were you married before?
Make sure that 1 of the following documents has been properly registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP):
- your divorce certificate or
- the death certificate or
- the certificate of termination of registered partnership.
You can check whether your document is registered in the BRP in Begin external link: MijnOverheid(External link), end external link.. And you can check if it is registered correctly in the BRP.
Is the information about your (ex) partner missing or has the document not been registered? Make an appointment at the municipality where you are registered to record this information in the Personal Records Database (BRP). Was the document issued in a foreign country and are you registered in The Hague? Look at the page Begin link: Register foreign documents in the BRP, end link. .
You have to do this before you can register your intended marriage or civil partnership.
Were you born abroad?
Make sure that the birth certificate has been properly registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP).
You can check whether your document is registered in the BRP in Begin external link: MijnOverheid(External link), end external link.. And you can check if it is registered correctly in the BRP.
Are the details about your parents missing or has the document not been registered? Make an appointment at the municipality where you are registered to record this information in the Personal Records Database (BRP). Are you registered in The Hague? Look at the page Begin link: Register foreign documents in the BRP, end link. .
You have to do this before you can register your intended marriage or civil partnership.
Also see
You must show a recent Begin link: declaration of unmarried status, end link. . When you make the reservation you must upload this certificate together with the copy of the identity documents for you, your partner and the witnesses.
Legalisation
A foreign document is not automatically legally valid in the Netherlands. Check whether your documents need to be legalised or have an apostille (made official with a signature and stamp). You can find more information on the Begin external link: website of the Government of the Netherlands(External link), end external link..
After checking your reservation, the municipality will ask you to submit the original certificate.
To register your intended marriage or civil partnership, use the appointment system (the Trouwloket). You can use this system to schedule the date and indicate your preferences. You can also upload the required documents in this system.
You can register your intent online if both of you are registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP).
Before you register your intent, you first need to know where and when you would like the ceremony to take place. And which Begin link: civil registrar, end link. you would prefer (Please note: this is not possible for a simplified or free ceremony).
You can look in the agenda to see which dates are available. You schedule the date in Step 2 in the Trouwloket.
Go through Steps 1 to 3 below. You will receive an invoice for the fees.
- Complete the online form in its entirety. Make sure you have all of your details as well as the details for your parents and the witnesses readily available (such as the date of birth, place of birth).
- Print the form. Both partners have to sign it.
- Scan the signed document. Do this as 1 file. You can also place photos in it.
- Upload the scanned document when you book your wedding or civil partnership.
Go to the Begin external link: Trouwloket(External link), end external link.:
- The 1st chance to book an appointment is always 12 weeks from today’s date.
- Decide on the type of ceremony: regular, simplified or free. Please note: there is often a long waiting list for the simplified or free wedding or civil partnership.
- Reserve your wedding date and wedding location. And indicate your preferences for a civil registrar (Please note: this is not possible for a simplified or free civil ceremony). If the civil registrars you prefer are not available, you will automatically get another civil registrar. You will not be notified about this beforehand.
- Upload the following documents:
- The fully completed and signed ‘Register an intended marriage/civil partnership’ form
- Copies of the valid identity documents for you, your partner and the witnesses.
- The statement of approval for a free-choice wedding venue, if applicable. You can also take a photo of the documents and upload it.
- You will get an automatic email confirmation within a few minutes. You still did not receive this after 10 minutes? Also not in your spam folder? Then it did not work. Try again to register your intended marriage/civil partnership.
- You will get an additional confirmation of your intended marriage or civil partnership after approximately 3 weeks.
- You will receive an invoice by email within 1 month if you have to pay any fees.
- Your civil registrar will contact you approximately 2 weeks before your marriage or civil partnership. The civil registrar will not contact you if you are having a simplified or free ceremony.
- You will receive your parking cards by post approximately 2 weeks before the ceremony. You will not get any parking cards if you are having a simplified or free ceremony.
Are there any documents missing or you did not fill in the registration form completely? Then your application will be rejected.
Registering your intent is free. The fees for the ceremony differ per location. Read more about the Begin link: wedding locations, end link. .
Do you want to reschedule or cancel your wedding? In certain cases you will have to pay to do this. Read more under Begin link: Municipal wedding locations in The Hague, end link. .
- The following family members are forbidden to marry each other or enter into a civil partnership with each other: (grand)parents and (grand)children, brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles and nieces/nephews, and aunts and nieces/nephews. There are Begin external link: exceptions to this rule(External link), end external link..
- Would you like the municipality to address you by the name of your spouse or partner? Look at Begin link: Request a change in the use of your surname, end link. .
- If neither partner is registered in a municipality in the Netherlands and if neither partner has Dutch citizenship (nationality), you will not be able to get married in the Netherlands.
- Do you want to get married or enter into a civil partnership in The Hague? And does 1 partner live abroad? Then you first need to register this with the municipality. Look for more information under Begin link: Register an intended marriage or civil partnership if 1 partner lives abroad, end link. .
- Do both partners live abroad, but does 1 of you have Dutch citizenship (nationality)? And would you like to get married or enter into a civil partnership in the Netherlands? You will first need to inform the Department of National Tasks (afdeling Landelijke Taken) at the Municipality of The Hague. See Begin link: Register an intended marriage for Dutch citizens living abroad, end link. .
- Were you born in the Netherlands and have you always lived here? Then your details are usually registered in the BRP. Were you born outside of the Netherlands or have you not always lived here? And not all of your details are registered in the BRP? Then you first need to Begin link: register your foreign documents in the BRP, end link. .
- For a ceremony at a free-choice wedding venue you need a statement of approval. Read more on the page Begin link: Free-choice wedding venues in The Hague, end link. .
- Have you been placed under guardianship? You will first need the permission of the guardian or the limited jurisdiction judge.
Do you have questions about your intended marriage or civil partnership in The Hague? Begin link: Contact the municipality, end link. or send an email to Begin link: trouwen@denhaag.nl, end link. .
Cancel or reschedule
To reschedule or cancel send an email to Begin link: trouwen@denhaag.nl, end link. . Include your personal information and the reference number (2 letters, 2 numbers) you received in an email after you registered your intended marriage or civil partnership. Include a copy of your identification and bank card.
The 1st time you reschedule a wedding, it is free. The 2nd time you pay a fee of € 177.05. Do you want to cancel your wedding? This is free until a maximum of 6 weeks before the ceremony. After this the municipality will charge you all the fees you owe. This will also happen if you do not come to the ceremony.
Also see: Municipal wedding locations in The Hague