Request a certificate of no impediment
Would you like to get married in another country? Then you will sometimes need a certificate of no impediment. This document states that you are currently not married and that you and your partner are permitted to get married under Dutch law.
- You or your partner has Dutch citizenship (nationality).
- You or your partner is registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP) of the Municipality of The Hague.
- Do you no longer live in the Netherlands? Then request the certificate from the last Dutch municipality you lived in before you moved abroad.
- You have never been registered in the Netherlands? Then request the certificate at the Netherlands embassy or consulate in the country where you want to get married.
- Minors need permission from their parents (or legal guardians) and in some cases also from the Government of the Netherlands (Minister of Justice).
- Have you been placed under guardianship? Then you will first need permission from the curator.
- Foreign documents which are not in Dutch, French, German or English first have to be translated into Dutch by Begin link: a sworn translator, end link. in the Netherlands.
- Documents from certain countries must be legalised or have an apostille (check the Begin external link: website of the Government of the Netherlands(External link), end external link.).
For the application you will need a Begin link: valid form of identification, end link. for you and your partner. In addition, the municipality can sometimes ask you to submit other documents:
| Document | When is it needed? | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A recent copy of your birth certificate as well as the birth certificate for your partner | If you or your partner was born abroad and this foreign birth certificate is not yet registered in the BRP | You request the birth certificate in your country of birth |
| Declaration of place of residence/nationality/marital status | If you or your partner lives abroad | You request the declaration in your current place of residence |
| A divorce certificate or certificate of termination of civil partnership or a death certificate | If you were previously married/in a civil partnership and the certificate is not yet registered in the BRP | You request the certificate in the municipality where you got married/entered into a civil partnership. You can request the death certificate in the municipality where your partner died |
You need to send in the original version of all the documents except for the proof of identity.
You can apply for the certificate of no impediment (CNI) (verklaring van huwelijksbevoegdheid) in different ways:
In person
Make an appointment at City Hall Spui or the Leyweg City Office.
In writing
Send a registered letter to the Begin link: Department of Public Service, end link. . State in this letter that you would like a certificate of no impediment.
€ 29 (in 2024) excluding postage costs.
- For a request in person: you will get the certificate right away if you have all of the original necessary documents with you.
- For a request in writing: you will get an email confirmation within approximately 3 working days that the municipality received your application. If your application is complete, you will receive the certificate together with your original documents by registered mail after approximately 3 to 6 weeks.
Do you need to have the document translated? You can have documents from abroad translated into Dutch by a sworn translator. For documents which are needed within the European Union you can request a Begin link: multilingual standard form, end link. together with the Dutch document.
The certificate of no impediment is valid for 6 months, starting from the date it was drawn up (Artikel 49 a, lid 4 BW1). This date is on the certificate.