Apply for declaration to marry abroad

If you want to get married abroad, you may need a declaration of marital competence or an unmarried declaration. You can request these from the municipality.

Contact

Approach

This is how you apply for a certificate of marital status or a certificate of unmarried status:

Make an appointment at the municipality or request the statement in writing.
You will need:
- your valid ID
- your birth certificate
- An extract from the basic registration of persons, showing your nationality and marital status
If you have been married before you also need:
- the divorce certificate or deed dissolving the registered partnership
- The death certificate, if your previous partner died.
If you are requesting the statement for someone else you will need:
- The above-mentioned documents of the person for whom you are requesting the declaration
- A letter in which the person for whom you are requesting the statement gives you permission to do so
- your own proof of identity

Bring to the appointment all documents needed from the applicant and marriage partner.

Cost

A declaration of marital competence costs €29.80. The multilingual model form costs €23.00. You pay at the time of your application.

(Rates 2025)

Description

As a Dutch citizen, you can get married abroad. The country where you want to get married may ask for permission from your municipality. The municipality can then make a declaration of marital competence or an unmarried declaration for you. This is always multilingual.

A declaration of marital status is valid for 6 months. How long an unmarried declaration is valid varies by country.