Birth and recognition

Declaring birth

Birth registration is done in the municipality where the child was born. This must be done within three days of the day of birth and is mandatory. It depends on the situation who makes the declaration:

• The mother from whom the child was born MAY file the declaration. 
• The parent from whom the child was not born must file a declaration.

Is there no other parent? Or is this one really unable to come? Then the obligation passes to: 

• Someone who was present at the birth.
• The occupant of the house where the child was born.
• The head of the facility where the child was born or a person authorized by that head for this purpose.

Did your child come into the world in Opsterland? Then make an appointment to declare the birth. Please bring the following to the appointment: 

• Valid ID.
• Possibly a copy of the deed of recognition of unborn child.  

Cost

Birth registration is free of charge. If you want an excerpt from the birth certificate, there is a charge.   

Registering a child born lifeless

It is incredibly sad when a baby is born lifeless. Just because the child did not live (or lived only briefly) does not mean it did not exist. It can feel good to have the baby officially registered in the Basic Registration of Persons (BPR). Birth registration is done in the municipality where the baby was born; registration is done at the municipality where you live. Would you like to register your lifeless baby? If so, please contact us. We would like to help you, especially in these sad circumstances, as best and personally as possible.

Acknowledging a child

Acknowledging a child can be done before birth (acknowledging the unborn foetus) or after. Is the mother married or in a registered partnership? Then recognition is not necessary: the child is by law automatically the child of the person with whom the mother is married / has a registered partnership. Is the mother not married? Then the child can be acknowledged by her partner. By recognition, the person becomes a legal parent and receives all the rights and duties that come with parenthood. 

These are the Requirements: 

• The recognizer is 16 years of age or older.
• The acknowledger is not a close relative of the mother.
• There may not already be 2 parents. 

There is no charge for acknowledging a child. You can make an appointment online . Please bring this with you to your appointment: 

• Written consent from the mother if the child is under 16.
• Written consent from the child himself or herself if the child is 12 years of age or older.
• A valid ID of the recognizer and the mother.

Please note that if you wish to choose your child's last name, the child's mother herself must be present at the appointment.

Name choice

As parents, you can choose which last name your first child will have. There are several situations when choosing the name:

You are married

• The child will have the same last name as the father.
• Do you want the child to have the mother's last name? You can report this to the municipality.

You are not married

• The child is given the same last name as the mother.
• Do you want the child to have the father's last name? Then the father can acknowledge the child. The mother can consent to the father's last name at the time of acknowledgment.

Double surname

Starting Jan. 1, 2024, you can give your first child if born on (or after) Jan. 1, 2024, the last names of both parents. No more than two names may be given. This double surname also applies to all subsequent children of the same parents. It is not mandatory to choose a double surname.

Click here for more information on double surnames.