Municipality of Rijssen-Holten: acknowledging parenthood of your child

Are there any conditions for recognition?

• 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, mother and child must give permission for the recognition.
• If the child is older than 16, the child must give permission for the recognition.
• You have Dutch nationality. If you do not have one, the municipality can check for you whether recognition is possible under the legislation of your nationality and which documents you need for this.

• 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.

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.

• 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. A copy or extract from the civil status records costs: € 16,60

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.