Applying to annul paternity
In the Netherlands, the man automatically becomes the legal father of any children born in a marriage or registered partnership between a man and a woman. If it turns out that the man is not the father of the child and the mother of the child has not been honest about this, the man can make an application to the court to annul paternity.
Last updated on 13 February 2023
Lees deze informatie in het Nederlands
Conditions for annulment of paternity
Annulment of paternity is only possible under the following conditions:
- the legal father is not the biological father of the child;
- the mother has not been honest about who has fathered her child.
Applying for annulment of paternity
The procedure for annulment of paternity can be found on Rechtspraak.nl. Applications for annulment of paternity are made to the district court. You will need a lawyer to do this on your behalf. This application can be made by the mother, the father or the child.
Applying to the municipality to annul paternity
A mother can also make an application to the municipality for annulment of paternity if her husband or registered partner died before the child was born. For more information, contact your municipality.
Laws and regulations (in Dutch)
Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 1, titel 11, afdeling 2