Declaration of birth
A declaration of birth is the registration of the birth with the register office of your child’s place of birth. This must be done for each birth, and no later than fifteen days after the birth.
Procedure
The declaration is made by the mother or the father or co-mother, or both together. The father or co-mother can only register the child
- if they are married to the mother or
- if they have recognised the child before the birth. If the father or co-mother has not yet recognised the child, they can still do so at the register office at the time of the declaration. In this case, the mother and the father or co-mother must be present together.
You have fifteen calendar days to register the birth as from the day of the birth. If the fifteenth day after the birth is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, you still have until the next working day.
You register your child at the register office of the municipality in which the child was born:
- at the counter of the register office
- online (when available) via My Citizen Profile (‘Mijn Burgerprofiel’) or via the website of the municipality in which the child was born.
It is also possible to register the birth of your child at the maternity hospital in some municipalities.
You will receive a number of birth certificates upon registration. Do not lose these documents, as they will allow you
- to apply for the Growth Package
- and to register your child as a dependant with your health insurance fund.
Even in the case of a stillborn child, the obligation to register the birth applies as from a gestation period of 180 days.
Requisites
To make the declaration, you must bring the following documents:
- your identity card
- the medical birth certificate
- your marriage booklet if the father or co-mother is married to the mother.
