Change your registered gender (you were born abroad)

• A statement by an expert. This may not be older than 6 months on the day you submit your request. You can get this statement from:
  • the doctors and psychologists at the Kennis- en Zorgcentrum voor Genderdysforie at the Amsterdam UMC
  • the Center of Expertise for Sex & Gender at the Radboud UMC in Nijmegen
  • the gender teams at the UMCG in Groningen and LUMC Curium in Leiden.
  • experts designated by the Central Information Point for Healthcare Professions (CIBG).
• A certified copy of your foreign birth certificate. Are you unable to get a birth certificate? Then the courts must first establish your birth details. To do this you need to contact an attorney.
• Proof of Dutch citizenship. This can be (a copy of):
  • a Dutch identity card (front and back of the card)
  • a Dutch passport
  • a Dutch nationality certificate
  • if you have a different citizenship (nationality): a copy of your passport and the front and back of your valid residence permit.
• A certified copy of the marriage certificate or certificate of civil partnership for your parents if they were married or had a civil partnership when you were born. This is not required if your parents were married or had a civil  partnership in the Netherlands. This is also not required if their marriage certificate/certificate of civil partnership is registered with the Registry Office of The Hague.
• A certificate of acknowledgement if your parents were not married or did not have a civil partnership when you were born.
• All relevant documents concering adoption if this applies to you.

Please note:

• Official documents from certain countries must be legalised or have an apostille. Read more on the Begin external link: website of the Government of the Netherlands(External link), end external link..
• Official documents must be drawn up in Dutch, English, French or German. Or translated into 1 of these languages by a sworn translator.

• Do you meet all of the conditions and do you have the required documents? Make a request to change the gender registration on your birth certificate.
• If you have a citizen service number (BSN), make sure you have it available.

There is no charge for changing your gender registration on your birth certificate. However, the municipality will charge you a fee to send your any original documents by registered mail.

A municipal official will contact you within 10 working days to discuss the request with you. You will then also hear which documents you will still need to submit.

From the moment that the municipality has received and approved your original documents, it takes a maximum of 6 weeks to record the change in gender registration on your birth certificate.

• The municipality where you live will make the changes in the Personal Records Database (BRP).
• All government agencies which have access to the BRP will automatically receive notification of any changes. It is up to you to inform other organisations that your gender and your given names were changed.

Given names do not change automatically

You can only change your given names if this is legally permitted in the country of citizenship.

Old documents no longer valid

After the change your old Dutch passport, identity card, residence permit and driving licence are no longer valid. You have to apply for new identity documents at your own expense.

Make a secure copy of your ID

You can make a safe copy of your identity document with your mobile telephone or tablet using the KopieID app. Read more on the Begin external link: website of the Government of the Netherlands(External link), end external link..

Compensation for costs

Are you a resident of The Hague? Then you could get reimbursed for previously incurred costs. For example:

• the costs of the assessment by an expert
• the expert statement
• part of the costs for legal assistance
• the application fees for a passport, identity card or driving licence.

You can only apply 1 time for compensation.

Read more in the Begin external link: Subsidieregeling Tegemoetkoming Kosten Wijziging Geslachtsregistratie Den Haag 2024.(External link), end external link.