Registered partnership

Would you prefer to get married anyway? Then look for all the information at Wedding.

Notification of intended registered partnership (formerly a civil union).

• Make the notification at least 14 days before your partnership in the municipality where you wish to enter into the registered partnership.
• This can be done from 1 year before the date of entering into partnership.
• The notification is valid for 1 year after the officiary received it.
• Do you both live abroad? And does at least one of you have the Dutch nationality? If so, you should file the notification with the municipality of The Hague.
• The reservation is not fixed until it is confirmed by the municipality. Due to many weddings at the same time, for example, there may not be a wedding officiant available or the Commission Room may be occupied.

Simple registration of a partnership

• Tuesday morning at 9:45 a.m. or 10:15 a.m. at City Hall.
• Just the official act, no speech.
• No choice of official.
• Average waiting time: about 6 months
• Maximum number of visitors: 15 (including partners and witnesses).

Free partnership registration

• Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. or 9:15 a.m. at City Hall.
• Just the official act, no speech.
• No official of choice.
• Average waiting time: approximately 10 months.
• Maximum number of visitors: 15 (including partners and witnesses).

Rules for registering a partnership

• You are both 18 years of age or older.
• Neither of you are married or in a registered partnership with someone else.
• You may not be forced into a registered partnership.
• Are you under guardianship? Then you need permission from the curator or Subdistrict Court Judge.

Foreign documents (deeds)

You must submit foreign documents before you can report proposed marriage/registered partnership if:

• Your parents' details are not registered in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP).
• You were previously married and the marriage was dissolved abroad by divorce or death (and this has not yet been registered in the BRP).
• You can check the above at www.mijnoverheid.nl
• If any of these situations apply to you or your partner, contact the municipality where you live in a timely manner.

Keep in mind:

• Requesting foreign documents can take several months.
• These documents often also need to be legalized and translated.
• For more information, visit www.rijksoverheid.nl.

Partnership Booklet

• A partnership booklet is given after the registered partnership if it has been requested and paid for.
• This booklet has space for church notes and for registering children.

Officiant

You can give your preference for an officiant for the ceremony. They are happy to introduce themselves to you: Who will be your (wedding) officiant? We will take your wishes into account as much as possible.

Name usage after registered partnership

Both men and women may use the partner's last name after the registered partnership. Your own family name does not change, only the name by which you are addressed. More information can be found under the product Change Surname Use.

Deed retrieval

You can request a certificate immediately after the ceremony (see transcript (excerpt) of civil status).

Registered partnership abroad

Many countries do not accept the registered partnership. This can cause problems if, for example, you want to live in another country.

• UnderArrange online" complete the form.
• After submitting the form, we will contact you.

Location of ceremony

You must contact a venue yourself to see if the partnership date is available.

Watching the ceremony live via livestream

We offer you the opportunity for your loved ones who cannot attend the ceremony to watch it live (via a livestream connection).

How does it work?

• When setting the date of partnership, indicate whether you want a live stream connection.
• Livestream connection is possible at all partnership registrations, including the free ceremony.
• You will receive a link with a code. You share this link and code with your guests.
• At the time of the ceremony, your guests log in using the link and code so they can watch the ceremony live.
• We offer this service free of charge for the time being.

Cancel

Notice! Cancellation of a fixed date of partnership can only be done by letter or by e-mail with mention of your account number. Cancellation costs money, whatever the reason. This also applies to a free partnership. You can send an e-mail to trouwen@zoetermeer.nl.

Reporting intended partnership

From partnership to marriage

Do you want to convert your registered partnership to marriage? 

Use the form:

Converting a registered partnership into a marriage

You pay the cost in advance. We will send you a bill for it.

Cost of marriage or registered partnership

Note! This does not include the cost of the venue. The chosen venue will charge you separately for this.

Other costs

Converting registered partnership to marriage

Converting a registered partnership to marriage at the counter is free of charge. Do you want a full ceremony? Then you pay the same fees as for marriage (see above). 

• Getting married in Zoetermeer
• Who will be your wedding officiant?
• Central government | Marriage, cohabitation contract and registered partnership

Other products

• Change usage surname
• Wed
• Getting married abroad