Registering a birth and acknowledging parentage of a child in Austria
If your child is born in Austria, you must register the birth in Austria. If you live in the Netherlands, you must also register the birth in the Netherlands. You can acknowledge parentage of the child in either country.
Registering a birth
You must always register the birth of your child in the country where they were born. How you register a birth varies by country. If you live in the Netherlands and your child was born abroad, you must also register the birth in the Netherlands.
If your child is born in Austria, you must register the birth with the Austrian authorities within one week. It is not possible to register the birth of your child at the Dutch embassy.
Find out more about registering a birth on the Austrian government website
If you live outside the Netherlands, you can have the Austrian birth certificate converted into a Dutch birth certificate at the municipality of The Hague’s Foreign Documents Department. This is not mandatory, but it can be useful if you ever need an extract from the birth certificate in the future. Having the document converted does not take care of your child’s registration in the Non residents Records Database (RNI).
If you live in the Netherlands, you must also register the birth with the municipality where you live, using the foreign birth certificate. Do this as soon as possible once you return to the Netherlands. The municipality will then process your and your child’s details in the Personal Records Database (BRP).
Austrian birth certificates are issued in German or as international documents. You do not have to have an Austrian birth certificate legalised or translated for use in the Netherlands.
Other important information
Dual Dutch–Austrian nationality is permitted if your child acquires both nationalities at birth or through acknowledgement. You can apply for your child’s first Dutch passport or ID card at the Dutch embassy in Vienna.
Acknowledging parentage of a child
You can acknowledge parentage of your child if you are not automatically the legal parent. By doing so you declare that you are the child’s parent.
If you are not married, the father can acknowledge parentage of the child with the local authorities. In Austria, acknowledging parentage of your child does not automatically grant you parental responsibility for your child. You must acknowledge parentage of your child before you can arrange parental responsibility. You can, however, arrange both with the local authorities during the same appointment. Acknowledgement of parentage in Austria is legally valid in the Netherlands.
Find out more about acknowledging parentage of a child on the Austrian government website (information in German)
If you live in the Netherlands or if you are a Dutch national and live abroad, you can always acknowledge parentage in the Netherlands of your child born in Austria. You can do this at the municipality or a notary. You can also authorise someone to do this in the Netherlands on your behalf. To do this, you must get a notary to draw up a power of attorney. You cannot acknowledge parentage of your child at a Dutch embassy or consulate-general.
Acknowledging parentage does not automatically grant you parental responsibility for your child. Acknowledgement of parentage in the Netherlands is legally valid in Austria. Find out more about acknowledging parentage in the Netherlands on Government.nl.
More information
Find out more about becoming a parent outside the Netherlands
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