Getting Married Abroad

You would like to get married abroad. In some countries, you will need a certificate of eligibility to marry or a certificate of single status. First, contact the foreign authority where you plan to get married. Then, make an appointment with your local municipality.

Bring along

You and your partner should bring the following:

• A valid, original form of identification;
• A copy of your birth certificate. You can request this from the municipality where you were born;
• Extract from the Basic Register of Persons. This document must list your nationality, marital status, and any previous marriages or civil partnerships. You can request this extract from the municipality where you live;
• If you have been married before: a divorce decree, death certificate, or certificate of dissolution of a registered partnership;
• If applicable: Do you live abroad? If so, you will also need proof that you live there, as well as proof of your nationality and marital status, issued by the authorities of that country.

If the requested extracts or documents are available at the Moerdijk municipal office, you do not need to bring them with you.

Translation

Are the documents mentioned above not written in Dutch, English, French, or German? In that case, a certified translator in the Netherlands must first translate the documents into Dutch before you can use them.

Legalization

Sometimes the documents must be legalized. This depends on the country of origin of the documents. Check with your local municipality.

You can find more information about document legalization on the Dutch government's website.

Terms and Conditions

If you wish to get married abroad, you must meet the requirements set by the foreign authorities. These requirements may differ from those in the Netherlands. You can obtain information about the documents you need from:

• The Dutch embassy in the country where you plan to get married;
• The foreign authority that will perform your marriage ceremony.

Authority to Perform Marriages

If you plan to get married abroad, you may be asked to provide a certificate of no impediment to marriage. This certificate is an international document stating that you are not currently married and that you and your partner are permitted to marry under Dutch law.

When someone in the Netherlands applies for a certificate of no impediment to marriage, they must meet at least two conditions:

• The person in question must be a Dutch citizen;
• The person in question must be registered in a municipality in the Netherlands or reside abroad and have last resided in the Netherlands.

Sometimes a statement confirming that, according to the records in the civil registry, a person is not married is sufficient. Check with the foreign authorities to find out exactly which documents you need to submit.

Issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility to Marry

This statement is issued:

• To the person residing in the Netherlands, by the registrar of his or her place of residence;
• To a person who is not currently residing in the Netherlands but has resided there in the past, issued by the civil registrar of the person’s last place of residence in the Netherlands;
• To a person who does not reside in the Netherlands and has never resided there, by the head of the diplomatic or consular mission of the Netherlands in the country where the marriage is to be solemnized.

Costs

• A certificate of eligibility to marry €31.10