In the Netherlands you must register a birth with the municipality in which it was born within 3 days of the birth. The municipality will then issue a birth certificate.

Who can register a birth?
Not everyone is allowed to register a birth. Any of the following people may do so:

• the father or mother;
• a person who was present at the birth if the parents are unable to register, for example a friend or relative;
• a fellow resident of the house at which the child was born;
• the head of the hospital/clinic or their representative.

A fellow resident or the head of the hospital/clinic or their representative may only register the birth if no one was present at the birth.

Document you need when registering a birth
To register a birth you need the following documents:

• Valid passport or identity card (ID card) of the person registering the birth. Or a driving licence if the person registering the birth lives in the municipality where the birth is being registered.
• Valid passport or ID card of the mother. Or a driving licence if the mother lives in the municipality where the birth is being registered.

The following documents are not compulsory when registering a birth. However, it may be useful to take them with you:

• birth notification from the hospital or midwife showing the child’s birth names and the date and time of birth;
• where applicable a copy of the declaration of acknowledgement of parentage if the child was acknowledged before birth;
• declaration of last name choice if the child’s last name was decided when acknowledging the child before birth.