Change Name Usage

Are you married, in a registered partnership, or divorced? You can let us know which last name you would like government agencies to use when corresponding with you.

You can choose from:

Your own last name.

• Your partner's last name.
• Your own last name, followed by your partner's last name.
• Your partner's last name, followed by your own last name.

To change your name online, you'll need a DigiD.

Applications

In writing

You can also download the “Change of Name” application form, print it out, fill it out, and mail it to the municipality. You must also include a copy of your identification. Please send it to the following address:

Municipality of Moerdijk
P.O. Box 4
4760 AA Zevenbergen

You can also mail your request to the mailbox at City Hall, located at the entrance on Pastoor van Kessellaan 15, or drop it off at the service counters.

At the counter in City Hall

You can also apply in person at the counter in City Hall. You can make an appointment for this. You must bring a valid original form of identification with you.

Terms and Conditions

If you are (or have been) married or are (or have been) in a registered partnership, you may use your spouse’s or partner’s last name. Your last name will not change.

By specifying your preferred name, you indicate which name “the government” should use when corresponding with you. The municipality will forward your preferred name to other government agencies, such as the Tax and Customs Administration, the Social Insurance Bank, and so on.

Official documents such as passports, Dutch identity cards, or driver's licenses will always retain the person's birth surname.

The municipality will determine whether you are entitled to use the other name. Once the municipality has processed your request in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP), you will receive written confirmation.

Costs

There are no costs associated with this product or service.

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

Divorce or Termination of a Registered Partnership

A marriage or registered partnership can be dissolved through divorce or termination of the partnership registration. Your attorney or notary will ensure that the documents are sent to the municipality for registration in the civil registry.

Certified copy of a civil registry record

Your attorney or notary will notify you as soon as your divorce or termination of registered partnership has been processed by the civil registry. You may then request a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate, subject to a fee. This document will include the subsequent notation of the divorce or dissolution of the civil partnership. You can request this document online via the “Civil Registry Extract” page.

Change Name Usage

You can change your name at any time through your local municipality. Residents of the municipality of Moerdijk can make this change via the “Change Name” page.

Divorce or Dissolution of a Domestic Partnership Abroad

If you wish to submit a foreign document for registration in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP), you can schedule an appointment via the “Submit/Pick Up Foreign Documents” page.

More information

The Dutch government’s website provides information about the procedures for divorce and the dissolution of a civil partnership. Do you have any questions? If so, please contact the Civil Affairs Department at 14 0168.