Register an intended marriage or registered partnership

Would you like to get married or enter into a 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).

Conditions

  • You both must be 18 years or older to marry or enter into a registered partnership.
  • You can inform the municipality a maximum of 1 year and a minimum of 8 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 in which you wish to marry or enter into a partnership.

Needed to register your intent

You will need a number of documents in order to register your intent to marry or enter into a 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 witnesses are needed.

Use 1 of the following documents as a valid form of identification:

  • Dutch passport
  • Dutch identity card (ID-kaart)
  • ID card or passport from another EEA country
  • Dutch residence permit

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 has been registered in the BRP in MijnOverheid. And you can check if it has been 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 Register foreign documents in the BRP.

    You have to do this before you can register your intended marriage or registered 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 has been registered in the BRP in MijnOverheid. And you can check if it has been 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 Dataobase (BRP). Are you registered in The Hague? Look at the page Register foreign documents in the BRP.

    You have to do this before you can register your intended marriage or registered partnership.

Belangrijke informatie: You can make a safe copy of your identity document with your mobile telephone or tablet using the KopieID app. Make sure that the municipality can clearly see the photo so that it can verify your identity. Read more on the website of the Dutch government.

Register your intent

To register your intended marriage or registered partnership, use the appointment system (the Trouwloket). You can use this system to choose the date and record 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 civil registrar you would prefer.

You can look in the agenda to see which dates are available. You schedule the date in Step 3 in the Trouwloket.

Look at the agenda

Go through Steps 1 to 3 below. You will receive an invoice for the fees.

  • Fill in the form

    • 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 registered partnership.

  • Go to the Trouwloket:

    • The 1st chance to book an appointment is always 8 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 registered partnership.
    • Reserve your wedding date and wedding location and indicate your preferences for a civil registrar. 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/registered 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. Did you not yet receive this after 10 minutes? Also not in your spam folder? Then it did not work. Try again to register your intended marriage/registered partnership.
    • You will get an additional confirmation of your intended marriage or registered partnership after approximately 1 week.
    • 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 registered 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 documents missing or did you not fill in the registration form completely? Then your application will be rejected.

Good to know

  • The following family members are forbidden to marry each other or enter into a registered partnership with each other: (grand)parents and (grand)children, brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles and nieces/nephews, and aunts and nieces/nephews. There are exceptions to this rule.
  • Would you like the municipality to address you by the name of your spouse or partner? Look at Request a change in the use of your surname.
  • 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 registered 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 Register an intended marriage or registered partnership if 1 partner lives abroad.
  • 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 registered 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 Register an intended marriage for Dutch citizens living abroad.
  • 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 are all of your details not registered in the BRP? Then you first need to register your foreign documents in the BRP.
  • For a ceremony at a free-choice wedding venue you need a Statement of approval. Read more on the page Get married at a designated location.
  • Are you under guardianship? You will first need the permission of the guardian or the limited jurisdiction judge.

Fees

Registering your intent is free. The fees for the ceremony differ per location. Read more about the wedding locations.

Do you want to reschedule or cancel your wedding? In certain cases you will have to pay to do this. Read more under Getting married in The Hague: locations and fees.

Contact

Do you have questions about your intended marriage or registered partnership in The Hague? Contact the municipality or send an email to trouwen@denhaag.nl.

Cancel or reschedule

Do you want to cancel your wedding or reschedule the date? Send an email to trouwen@denhaag.nl. Include your personal data and reference number. And attach a copy of your valid form of identification and bank card.

Also see