Municipality of Meerssen: acknowledging parenthood of your child

The most important conditions for acknowledging parenthood of child:

• You are 16 years or older.
• You are not related to the mother.
• There are not already 2 parents.
• If the child is older than 12 and younger than 16: the mother and the child give permission for the acknowledging.
• If the child is older than 16: the child gives permission for the acknowledging.

The main conditions for choosing a name upon acknowledging are:

• Both parents are present at the name selection.
• You can only choose the surname for the first child in the relationship.

You will need the following for the appointment:

• A valid identity document for yourself.
• A valid identity document for the mother.
• If the child to be officially acknowledged is under the age of 12, the mother’s written consent to the official acknowledgement, unless she is present.
• If the child to be officially acknowledged is between the ages of 12 and 16, the consent of the mother and the child in person or in writing.
• If the child to be officially acknowledged is aged 16 or over, the child must be present. The child must choose their surname and consent to the official acknowledgement. The mother’s consent is not required.

Please note: if the child to be officially acknowledged is under the age of 16, the birth mother must attend in person if you want the child to be given the surname of the person having the child officially acknowledged.

To acknowledging a child and choose a surname, you must personally go to the municipality.Do you acknowledge the child when registering the birth? Then you go to the municipality where the child was born. Do you acknowledge the child before the birth or after the birth registration? Then you can go to any municipality in the Netherlands.

How to acknowledge a child:

• You come to the municipality
• Do you want to choose a surname when acknowledging your first child? Then the mother must also be present.
• You take with you to the municipality:
  • a valid proof of identity for yourself
  • a valid identity document from the mother
  • written permission from the mother for the acknowledging, if she is not present
  • written permission from the child for the acknowledging, if the child is older than 12 years

• Official acknowledgement and choice of surname are free of charge.
• You can apply for an akte van erkenning (acknowledgement of parenthood certificate) in the municipality where the acknowledgment took place. For a copy or extract from the civil status records costs you have to pay a fee. For more information, contact the municipality.

The acknowledgement cannot always be processed immediately. This depends on the personal situation of the child and the person acknowledging the child. For example, acknowledgement takes longer if the child was born before 1985 or if the person having the child officially recognised does not hold Dutch citizenship.

Do you disagree with the municipality's decision regarding the acknowledging of your child? Then file an appeal with the court.