Having a baby in the Netherlands comes with a strict piece of admin: you must register the birth at the town hall within days. It is straightforward once you know the steps and the deadline. Here is the process and the Dutch you need.
The 3-day deadline
You must make the aangifte van geboorte (birth registration) at the gemeente of the place of birth within 3 working days. As the Rijksoverheid explains, the day of birth itself does not count, and weekends and public holidays are excluded, but the deadline is firm. Either parent can go in person.
What to bring
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| het legitimatiebewijs | valid ID (passport / ID card) |
| de naamskeuze | choice of surname |
| de erkenning | acknowledgement of the child |
| de verklaring van de arts/verloskundige | birth statement (often sent by the hospital/midwife) |
If you are not married or in a registered partnership, the second parent usually needs to have arranged erkenning (acknowledgement) beforehand, sometimes before the birth, so check this early. The municipal site or Government.nl lists what your gemeente needs.
What you get
The gemeente issues:
- the geboorteakte (birth certificate), your official proof of birth, and
- registration of the baby in the BRP (the population register), which automatically assigns a BSN (citizen service number).
You can usually order extra copies (afschriften) of the geboorteakte for later admin.
The steps right after
Registering the birth unlocks the next tasks, which connect to the rest of expat family admin:
- Health insurance for the baby: you must arrange a zorgverzekering shortly after birth (it is backdated to the birth date).
- Register with a huisarts (GP), see registering with a Dutch GP.
- The consultatiebureau for routine baby check-ups, the infamous consultatiebureau appointments, and later the RVP vaccination schedule.
Guides for newcomers like IamExpat lay out the full after-birth checklist.
Useful phrases
- Ik wil aangifte van geboorte doen. (I want to register a birth.)
- Mijn kind is gisteren geboren. (My child was born yesterday.)
- Moet ik een afspraak maken? (Do I need an appointment?)
- Kan ik extra afschriften krijgen? (Can I get extra copies?)
Where it connects
Registering a birth sits with the wider gemeente admin and your BSN appointment, and follows the pregnancy itself, see prenatal care and screening.
The bottom line
Register the birth (aangifte van geboorte) at the gemeente of the birthplace within 3 working days, bringing ID and any erkenning/naamskeuze documents. You get the geboorteakte, and the baby is added to the BRP with a BSN. Then arrange the baby’s health insurance and register with a huisarts and the consultatiebureau. Sort the erkenning early if you are unmarried, and the rest is a smooth town-hall visit.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the birth-registration vocabulary you need at the town hall, aangifte van geboorte, geboorteakte, erkenning, BSN, in five-minute lessons built on real documents, so a big admin step is clear.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to register a birth in the Netherlands?
You must register the birth (aangifte van geboorte) within 3 working days of the baby being born, at the gemeente (municipality) where the baby was born. The day of birth itself does not count, and weekends and public holidays are excluded, but the deadline is strict. Either parent can do it in person, bringing valid ID and any relevant documents.
What do I need to register my baby’s birth?
Bring a valid ID (paspoort or ID card), and, if applicable, documents about the chosen surname (naamskeuze) and any acknowledgement of the child (erkenning) done beforehand. If you are not married or in a registered partnership, the second parent usually needs to have arranged erkenning (acknowledgement) first, sometimes before the birth. The gemeente then issues the geboorteakte (birth certificate) and registers the baby in the BRP.
Does my baby get a BSN automatically?
Yes. When you register the birth, the baby is added to the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP) and is automatically assigned a BSN (citizen service number). You will need that BSN to arrange the baby’s health insurance (which you must take out shortly after birth), and to register with a huisarts (GP) and the consultatiebureau for check-ups. The geboorteakte is the official proof of birth you keep.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for baby and family admin?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the family-admin vocabulary you need, aangifte van geboorte, geboorteakte, erkenning, BSN, inschrijven, in five-minute real-situation lessons, so registering a birth and the steps after it are clear during a busy time.
