Municipality of Rhenen: acknowledging parenthood of your child

You must go to the municipality in person to officially acknowledge parenthood of your child and to choose a surname. This is possible in every municipality in the Netherlands. You must make an appointment to do this.

Een afspraak maken | Gemeente Rhenen (mijnafspraakmaken.nl)

If you do not hold Dutch citizenship or you live outside the Netherlands, other rules may apply. You will receive more information and advice about your personal situation during your appointment.

City of Rhenen

ou will need the following for the appointment:

A valid identity document for yourself.
If the mother does not come with herself: a signed written consent from the mother with a copy of the ID. Please note: with the first child, the mother must come along. From the second child onwards, this is not mandatory.

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.

You pay a fee for for an akte van erkenning (acknowledgement of parenthood certificate). The costs are adjusted annually. Take a look at our website

For more information, contact the municipality of Rhenen, Nieuwe Veenendaalseweg 75, 3911 JW Rhenen; tel.nr.: +31 317 681 681..

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.