Declaring a stillborn child

Was your child stillborn? You report it to the municipality. Losing a child causes great sorrow. Reporting it to the municipality may help you process this. And you will then have official proof that your child existed. You can also register your child in the basic registration of persons ( BRP ).

The funeral director usually does the declaration online for you.

Make an appointment

Approach

You make the declaration at the municipality where your child was born. You will need:

  • your valid ID
  • the doctor's certificate of your child's death

Possibly also show:

  • Your marriage or partnership booklet, if you want the municipality to include your child's name in it.

This is how you register your child in the Municipal Personal Records Database ( BRP ) in:

  • You go to the municipality where you live.
  • In any case, you bring:
    • your valid ID
    • A document proving that your child was born lifeless

You can file the declaration and the BRP -register at the same time as the declaration. You can BRP -registration can also be done later.

After the online declaration, the funeral director or yourself can pick up the death certificate at the municipality.

Description

Reporting a stillborn child is not required if the pregnancy lasted less than 24 weeks. Did the pregnancy last 24 weeks or more? Then your baby must be given a burial or cremation and registering is mandatory.

You file the declaration in the municipality where your baby was born.

Register in the BRP

You can also register your child in the Municipal Personal Records Database ( BRP ). Then your child's details will be included in your personal details in the BRP , for example on MijnOverheid .nl. It does not matter how long the pregnancy lasted or how long ago the birth was.

You register your child in the municipality where you live. You can make this request only for yourself and not for the other parent.

Getting first name on existing deeds

Is there already a record of your child, such as a "certificate of birth (lifeless)"? But is there no first name on it? The municipality can still put a first name on the certificate.

Once the declaration is made, you will be given permission to bury or cremate the child.

Requirements

Declaration may pass:

  • 1 of the child's parents
  • someone who was present at the birth
  • an employee of the hospital
  • the funeral director

You can register your stillborn child in the Municipal Personal Records Database ( BRP ) if you:

  • 1 of the parents are
  • living or going to live in the Netherlands

The declaration of death must be made before the burial or cremation takes place.

Term

Your child was born after a pregnancy of less than 24 weeks

It doesn't matter how long ago your child was stillborn. You can always report it and have your child registered in the Municipal Personal Records Database ( BRP ).

Your child was born after a pregnancy of 24 weeks or more

Your child must have a funeral or cremation within 6 working days. You must have filed a report before the funeral.
To register for the BRP it doesn't matter how long ago your child was stillborn.

Learn more

Information on registering a lifeless child

How do I report a child born lifeless?

Silent lives (the website of the Infant Mortality Knowledge Center)

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