Getting married in the Netherlands

Lotte Ditzel | Thursday 21 October 2021

In 2021, dating apps are the most common way for couples to date. But in the face of so many dating options, it is difficult to determine the most suitable dating app for marriage. Since not everyone considers weddings or marriage when downloading dating apps, more and more people are turning to digital services to find long-term relationships and even marriage.

After all, if you want your next relationship to end with a big wedding, that would be great, wouldn’t it? There is absolutely nothing wrong with knowing what you want from another person. May it be marriage or a Long-Distance Relationship. However, if the only reason you decide to date is to get married, you will soon be disappointed.

If you’re dating with the intention of marrying, you’re either going to succeed or fail

Which implies you’ll be unhappy every time a relationship fails to work out. It means that when someone leaves your life, even if they were only supposed to be around for a short time, you’ll feel like you’ve squandered your time.

And of course it’s natural to be disappointed when someone with whom you had planned to spend the rest of your life goes. However, you should not consider the experience a failure if you wind up splitting up with the wrong person for you. Because you didn’t choose to settle, you should consider it a success. You didn’t make the relationship work by forcing it.

That’s where a matchmaking agency comes in

It’s great if you only date people with whom you have the potential to marry, people who are serious about getting married soon, and people who won’t mess with your heart. But be careful not to place too much importance on marriage. Make sure that finding someone who fits you perfectly is more important to you than finding someone who is willing to eventually marry you.

If you do find someone you love, and the marriage is predestined, the Netherlands is a great country to get married in.

Getting married in The Netherlands – what to take into consideration?

You can get married or enter into a registered partnership in the Netherlands, even if you are an expatriate living abroad. You are free to decide in which municipality you want to get married.

To get married in the Netherlands, you must first register with the municipality of The Hague. You then inform them that you “intend to marry or enter into a registered partnership with each other”. This notification is valid for one year. The marriage or registered partnership must therefore be consummated within one year. There are a number of requirements for getting married in the NetherlandsAt least one of you has Dutch nationality.

  • You are 18 years old or older.
  • You are not married to another person.
  • You do not have a registered partnership with another person.
  • You are not too closely related to your partner. This means that your partner may not be, for example, your father, (grand)daughter, grandfather or (half)sister. 
  • You are not under guardianship. If you are under guardianship, you need the permission of the guardian or the local court.
  • The municipality will check whether you can marry each other or enter into a registered partnership.

Marriage abroad – returning to the Netherlands

Did you get married abroad and do you intend to return to the Netherlands one day? Then it is advisable to have your foreign marriage certificate converted into a Dutch marriage certificate at the registry office of the City of The Hague. However, the foreign marriage certificate must first be notarised or apostilled. If the foreign marriage certificate is not in English, French, German or Dutch, a sworn translation is also required.

Once again: make sure that finding someone who fits you perfectly is more important to you than finding someone who is willing to eventually marry you.

Need advice? Let Infinity Relations help you out. We are an Exclusive Matchmaking Agency for global leaders, expats and successful entrepreneurs in the Netherlands who are serious about finding lasting love