All births in the Netherlands must be registered at the town hall (gemeentehuis) of the town where the baby was born, not where you live. You have only three days to register the birth from the day after the baby was so make sure you’ve narrowed down the name list in advance! To register the birth you have to have been present when the baby was born, you will have to have your passport, certified copy of the marriage licence (if applicable), proof of recognition of the baby (if applicable) and the certificate supplied by the doctor, midwife or hospital. It’s usual in the Netherlands for the father of the child to handle the registration. If this isn’t possible then a few extra pieces of documentation will be needed: a copy of the mother’s passport and proof of address and the passport of the person registering the child. It’s a good idea to check in advance what documentation the particular town hall requires as they can vary. It’s worthwhile to request and pay for an international birth certificate at the same time you register for the Dutch birth certificate. This makes it much simpler for you to register the baby with your own embassy and to apply for a passport. Being born in he Netherlands does not mean your child will automatically receive Dutch nationality. This only occurs if the mother of the child is Dutch. If the father is Dutch the baby must be ‘legally recognized’ by him before they receive Dutch nationality. You can do this before or after birth at the town hall where you live.