Registered partnership

Registered partnership is roughly equivalent to marriage. Virtually the same rights and duties apply. You may for instance use your partner’s surname and you are each other’s heirs by law. 

Paternity

At the birth of a child, paternity is automatically transferred to the male party within the partnership. So acknowledging a child is not necessary. 

Notification

The procedure for entering into a partnership equals the procedure for marriage. So you must first register your intended partnership as well.

Recognized status abroad

Registered partnership is not recognized all over the world. Are you not in possession of the Dutch nationality? In that case you must first contact the authorities of your country on the consequences of concluding a partnership, for instance regarding the law of inheritance. Are you going to move abroad? In that case you must inform whether the country concerned recognizes your partnership.

Community of property

When contracted, partnership automatically implies limited community of property. For more information, consult the website of the Dutch government (‘Rijksoverheid’) or contact a civil-law notary.

Converting into marriage

You may convert a registered partnership into marriage.

Divorce

A difference with marriage is that you are always required to appeal to the court for dissolution of a marriage. This does not always apply to partnership.