If you are divorced abroad, you must report this yourself. If you are divorced in the Netherlands, this must be communicated to the municipality within 6 months of the court's decision. This must be done in the municipality where you were married. Your lawyer will usually arrange this.
What do you need to know
Foreign Divorce
If you divorced abroad you must ensure that your divorce is registered with the municipality where you live. If you were married in the Netherlands, it is wise to have the divorce registered with the municipality where you were married. Otherwise your marriage will remain in the register of births, marriages and deaths. Make an appointment with the municipality for this. You bring the following to your appointment:
- Original divorce decree (judgment of the judge). This document must show that the verdict is final (no appeal is possible against the verdict). If the judgment is not in Dutch, the text must be translated by an interpreter/translator who has taken an oath in the Netherlands. German, English and French documents do not need to be translated
- Documents from abroad that have been made suitable for use in the Netherlands (legalization) or that bear an apostille (a stamp or sticker from the court)
- Proof of registration: if the judgment must be registered abroad at the registry office
Ending marriage
- Your lawyer will arrange your divorce with the court
- Read more information on divorce or break up
Terminate partnership
- Terminating a registered partnership does not always have to be done in court
- Read more information on dissolving a registered partnership
What do you have to do
- Foreign divorce: You make an appointment. You choose: submitting foreign documents
- Divorce in the Netherlands: Your lawyer reports the divorce to the municipality
What does it cost
- Registering your (foreign) divorce is free
