Even migrants without residence permits can get married in the Netherlands. For this purpose each of the partners needs a passport, a authenticated birth certificate and a authenticated single status declaration. You need to take these documents to the municipal authorities in the municipality where the legal partner is registered. These authorities help you make arrangements about the marriage. The municipal authorities are obliged to check whether this is a marriage of convenience, which is a marriage contracted for the sole reason of obtaining a residence permit in the Netherlands. The municipal authorities can ask the police for information, but only in case of suspected marriage of convenience.
In some cases it is not possible to obtain all the documents, for example because they are not issued in the country of origin. If no birth certificate is available, an identification certificate, issued by the magistrate accompanied and witnessed by 4 people, is an alternative. Another alternative is a certified statement that the person concerned makes in front of the civil servant of the Register Office.
The local civil servants of the Register Office and the magistrate decide whether this is possible. If the civil servant refuses to co-operate, you can lodge a request for a statement with the Court.
Yes, divorce in the Netherlands is possible if both married partners currently live in the Netherlands or did live there at one time. If the partner has not lived in the Netherlands before, the applicant has to have lived in the Netherlands for 12 months. The partner needs to be informed.
You will need a lawyer in order to obtain a divorce.
