If you want to have a copy of your child's Dutch birth certificate there are a few options which you can take:
- Fill out a request form online on your local municipality's website.
- Fill out a written or faxed request and send it to your municipality's civil registry office. Note that this process can take between 2 to 3 weeks to process.
- Visit your local municipality office, or your civil registry office if it is in a separate office, in person.
In all of the above cases you will need to provide some form of identification and also have a legitimate interest for requesting a copy.
There is a cost associated with providing a copy of the certificate and this varies depending on the municipality.
Older birth certificates
If the certificate you are requesting is older than 100 years old, then you should check the website of your local municipality as to whether it is still available or not. Birth certificates older than 100 years are often moved to the Municipal archives for storage.
Foreign languages
The birth certificate itself (and any certified copies of it) are only available in Dutch, but it is possible to request an extract in a number of languages. For less common languages, you may need to hire a sworn translator to officially translate the document for you.
If you want to learn more about pregnancy in the Netherlands, read this.
