Registered partnership

What to do.

You call the municipality to set the date and time of your registered partnership. You will receive written confirmation of this and the necessary notification forms. To submit the notification forms, you must Make an appointment.

You make the notification in the municipality where you want your registered partnership to take place

• Make the notification at least 14 days before you register your partnership.
• Indicate who will be your witnesses during the ceremony. These persons must be of age. You may have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 witnesses.

Together with the congregation, you will discuss, among other things

• The date and location of the registered partnership;
• Which wedding officiant you want;
• Who your witnesses will be during the ceremony;
• Whether you want a partnership booklet;
• what the costs are.

Important

• you and your partner are both 18 years of age or older;
• You are both unmarried and not in a registered partnership with someone else.

Dutch nationals living abroad

Do you both live outside the Netherlands and does at least one of you have Dutch nationality? Then you should file the notification with the municipality of The Hague. We advise you in this case to make the notification at least 6 months before the date of registration. This is because you may need to submit additional documents. Then make an appointment with us to go over a number of matters.

Effects of registered partnership abroad

There are countries that do not recognize registered partnerships. This can have consequences if, for example, you live or want to live in another country. Check with the embassy of that country if this is the case for you.

You can also find a lot of information on the website of the Rijksoverheid.

What do I need?

• Valid ID of you and your partner
• Copy of the valid IDs of your witnesses

Sometimes additional documents needed with notification

First contact the municipality if one or both partners were born abroad, live or have lived outside the Netherlands. In many cases, additional documents will need to be submitted. In that case, please contact us at least 6 months before the date of the ceremony via the Customer Contact Center, (0543) 49 33 33. You can also send an email to burgerlijkestand@aalten.nl.

What does it cost?

Cost of registered partnership

Various rates

We ask that you pay all fees when you are with us for the submission of the notice of intended partnership registration (preferably by debit card).

Additional information

In the municipality of Aalten, you can choose from three types of partnership registration.

Registered partnership with ceremony

The registration takes place in the wedding hall of the town hall in Aalten (maximum 60 people). You can also choose a location of your choice. A registered partnership with a ceremony can take place from Monday to Saturday. An increased rate is charged for a registration on Saturday.

Registered partnership without ceremony

A partnership registration without a ceremony can be done Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• You may come with a party of up to 8 people (including witnesses)
• There will be no speech
• You cannot choose a wedding officiant
• The ceremony will take place in a consultation room at the municipal office, Hofstraat , Aalten.

Free registered partnership

Monday mornings at 9 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. you can register your partnership free of charge.

• Only your witnesses may be present
• There will be no speech
• You cannot choose a wedding officiant
• The ceremony will take place in a consultation room at the municipal office, Hofstraat , Aalten.

Location of your choice

The ceremony normally takes place in the wedding hall at the town hall. Would you prefer an external location? There is a wide choice of wedding locations in the municipality of Aalten. All these locations are designated as wedding locations.

Would you like to have the ceremony at a place that is not designated as an official wedding location in our municipality? Then contact Civil Affairs, tel. (0543) 49 33 33.

Keep in mind that you make your own arrangements with the outside wedding venue regarding the date and time of your wedding ceremony. Often wedding venues charge rent for the use of the venue.

Marriage officials of the municipality of Aalten

Learn more about wedding officiants here.

Bringing your own extraordinary registrar (BABS)

It is possible to have your partnership registered by your 'own' civil registrar. This can be a person who has already been appointed as an ABS/BABS in another municipality. But it can also be a person who has not yet been sworn in and appointed. This registrar will then be appointed for one day. The request for this must be submitted to the municipality of Aalten no later than 6 months before the date of your registered partnership. The form 'request for appointment as BABS for one day' can be requested from the municipality.

There are additional fees associated with bringing your own BABS.

Difference between marriage and registered partnership

• When you get married, you say "yes" to each other. With a registered partnership, this is not required.
• A registered partnership, if you do not have minor children, can end outside of court. With a marriage, you must always go to court to get a divorce.
• Registered partnership has no legal separation; marriage does.
• A marriage between a man and a woman is recognized all over the world. But a marriage between two men or two women is not. Also, not all countries recognize a registered partnership. Some countries know this only for two men or for two women. Does the country where you are vacationing, living or doing business with not recognize registered partnership? Then they will see you as unmarried partners. You may not have the rights and obligations that married partners in that country have.

Other Requirements

• You may not form a partnership with your own child, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, grandchild, half-brother, half-sister.
• You may not be forced into a registered partnership.
• Are you under guardianship? If so, you need permission from the curator or district judge.

If you do not meet the Requirements, the Minister of Justice and Security may still give permission. For example, if you are siblings by adoption. This is called marriage dispensation.

Marriage Requirements or community of property

New matrimonial property rules will apply from January 1, 2018. The general community of property has been replaced by a limited community of property. This also applies to registered partnerships. More information can be found at Rijksoverheid or ask a notary. If you are unsure about your choice, it is wise to consult a notary. You are free to choose any notary.

Co-motherhood (marriage or partnership registration between 2 women)

Co-motherhood arises automatically if the child is born during the marriage or registered partnership. It is important here that it is an unknown donor. You can prove this with a declaration of parenthood from the Donor Data Foundation.

Is a child's donor known? For example, if the donor is a friend, acquaintance or family member. Then the co-mother does not automatically receive legal parenthood over a child. In that case, you can acknowledge the child. Recognition can be arranged before the child is born. In that case, you are a legal parent from the birth of the child.

Maternity by recognition is not always recognized abroad. There are countries where legal parenthood of co-mothers by recognition is not regulated by law. This is relevant if you are abroad for vacation or if you and/or your child will later live abroad. Maternity by adoption is generally better accepted abroad. For more information on adoption, please refer to a legal aid provider.

More information about acknowledging a child can be found on the website of the Rijksoverheid.