Applying for a certificate of marital status in Germany
If you are a Dutch national living in Germany you can apply for a certificate of marital status by sending an email to the Dutch embassy in Berlin.
To apply for a certificate by email, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Gather the documents that you need
To apply for a certificate of marital status, you will need to provide various documents. Which documents you need to provide depends on your situation. You may need to have your documents translated and legalised.
To apply for a certificate of marital status, you will need:
- A valid Dutch passport or Dutch ID card.
- Proof of registration in the German municipality (Meldeamt or Burgeramt) where you live, stating your address and marital status. Apply for anerweiterte Meldebescheinigung mit Angaben zum Familienstandes/Civilstandes. You can apply for this certificate at the municipality wehre your are registered. In many municipalities this can be done online. The document must not be older than 6 months.
More information about how and where to apply for the document can be found on the German government website (information in German). - A completed and signed consent form shipment of documents.
Additional documents if you have been living outside the Netherlands for a long time
If you live outside the Netherlands, you must provide additional documents to show that you have never been married or are now divorced. If you cannot provide official documents, you should provide other documents that prove your marital status. This could be proof of registration with the immigration authorities, tax returns or insurance policies.
To apply for a certificate of marital status, you will need:
- A valid Dutch passport or Dutch ID card.
- Proof of registration in the German municipality (Meldeamt or Burgeramt) where you live, stating your address and marital status. Apply for anerweiterte Meldebescheinigung mit Angaben zum Familienstandes/Civilstandes. You can apply for this certificate at the municipality wehre your are registered. In many municipalities this can be done online. The document must not be older than 6 months.
More information about how and where to apply for the document can be found on the German government website (information in German). - Proof of divorce (divorce certificate or court judgment), proof of termination of previous registered partnership or a death certificate.
- A completed and signed consent form shipment of documents.
Additional documents if you have been living outside the Netherlands for a long time
If you live outside the Netherlands, you must provide additional documents to show that you have never been married or are now divorced. If you cannot provide official documents, you should provide other documents that prove your marital status. This could be proof of registration with the immigration authorities, tax returns or insurance policies.
You may need to have non-Dutch documents translated and legalised.
Do you have all the required documents? Then make a pdf of each document. A photo of your documents is not allowed.
Step 2: Email the documents to the embassy
Send an email to the Dutch embassy in Berlin:
In your email you should state:
- the type of document you need (in the subject line)
- your initials and surname (in the subject line)
- your phone number
- why you need the certificate. This will be included on the certificate.
Attach the required documents to your email as PDFs.
You may be asked to send extra documents if your application is not complete, if anything is unclear or we have questions.
You can use the smartphone app KopieID to make a secure copy of your identity document using your phone or tablet. Find out more about the KopieID app on Rijksoverheid.nl (information in Dutch).
If the attachments exceed the maximum size for 1 email, divide the documents over 2 or more emails.
Step 3: Pay the fee
Applying for a consular certificate costs money. Once we have established your application is complete, you will receive an email containing:
- Your reference number.
Give this number as the payment reference when you pay the fee. If you do not, it may take longer for your certificate to be issued. - Information about how to pay.
You will need to transfer the amount in euros to account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.
Follow the payment instructions in the email.
The fee for a consular certificate is €30. Take additional postal charges in to account. The email with payment instructions will indicate the additional fee.
Step 4: Receive the certificate
Once your payment has been received and processed, it will take on average 10 working days to process your application. If you are asked to send extra documents because your application is not complete, it will take longer.
You will receive the certificate by UPS courier.
You will receive a multilingual standard form in Dutch, English, French and German. If you need the declaration/certificate in another language, you will need to have it translated by a sworn translator. Ask the organisation requesting the certificate whether you need to have the certificate and/or the translation legalised.
Contact
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.