Registering a birth and acknowledging parentage of a child in Serbia

If your child is born in Serbia, you must register the birth in Serbia. 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 Serbia, you must register the birth with the municipality where your child was born.

If you live outside the Netherlands, you can have the Serbian 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).

Before you can use a Serbian birth certificate in the Netherlands you must first have it legalised. Find out how to have a birth certificate legalised. An international birth certificate does not have to be legalised for use in the Netherlands.

From 1 January 2024, your child can have both your surname and your partner's surname. Even if your child is born abroad. Would you like to give your child a combined surname and is this not possible in your country of residence? Then go to a municipality in the Netherlands to record the choice of name. You can also authorise someone to do this for you. Read more on the page Which surname can I choose for my child? on Rijksoverheid.nl (information in Dutch).

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 his child with the Serbian municipality where the child was born. You will need a declaration of acknowledgement of parentage to apply for your child’s first Dutch passport. The declaration must be translated and legalised with an apostille.

In Serbia, acknowledging parentage of your child automatically grants you parental responsibility for your child. Acknowledgement of parentage in Serbia is legally valid in the Netherlands, provided the parents’ names are listed on the birth certificate.

If you live in the Netherlands or if you are Dutch and live abroad, you can always acknowledge parentage in the Netherlands of your child born in Serbia. 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 Serbia, provided the parents’ names are listed on the birth certificate.

Find out more about acknowledging parentage in the Netherlands on Government.nl.

If you want to arrange something for your child, you may need their birth certificate or a declaration of acknowledgement of parentage.

More information

Find out more about becoming a parent outside the Netherlands

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