Surname change in the Netherlands: grounds and costs

Tista' tbiddel il-kunjom tiegħek (geslachtsnaam) fl-Olanda biss fuq waħda mir-raġunijiet stipulati f'digriet tal-gvern, u l-proċedura tgħaddi permezz ta' Justis, mhux permezz tal-qorti. Il-preferenza waħedha mhix biżżejjed, u d-divorzju lanqas mhu raġuni: f'dawk il-każijiet it-tweġiba ġeneralment tinsab fl-isem li tuża, mhux f'bidla formali fl-isem.

Under article 1:7 of the Dutch Civil Code (BW), the King can change a person’s surname at their request or at the request of their legal representative. Justis, the screening authority of the Ministry of Justice and Security, assesses the application. If Justis approves it, the change takes effect by royal decree (Koninklijk Besluit). The grounds are listed in the Surname Change Decree (Besluit geslachtsnaamswijziging).

Fuq liema bażi tista' tbiddel kunjomek?

Your application must fit one of the grounds in the decree. The general grounds in article 1 of the decree are:

l-isem huwa b’mod ċar indiċenti jew redikoli, waħdu jew b’konnessjoni mal-professjoni, il-pożizzjoni soċjali jew iċ-ċirkostanzi personali tiegħek;
l-isem huwa tant komuni li għandu wisq ftit valur distintiv;
l-isem mhux Olandiż u ksibt in-nazzjonalità Olandiża permezz tan-naturalizzazzjoni jew proċedura simili;
l-isem kien miktub ħażin fil-passat u minn dakinhar 'l hawn użajt l-ortografija korretta;
il-familja tiegħek qabel kellha isem Friżjan, jew isem Friżjan ġie rreġistrat bl-ortografija Olandiża.

Fejn tingħata bidla fuq waħda minn dawn ir-raġunijiet, id-digriet jippreferi aġġustament żgħir, bħal tibdil ta’ ftit ittri jew żieda ta’ prefiss jew suffiss. Huwa biss jekk dan ma jaħdimx li jintgħażel kunjom ieħor, pereżempju l-isem ta’ ġenitur.

Justis also handles other types of request. These include a change for descendants of enslaved persons and a change because your surname causes serious psychological distress. For the last route, the decree requires you to show that keeping the name would seriously harm your physical or mental health. You need supporting evidence, such as a statement from a professional.

Tista' tagħti lil tifel jew tifla l-kunjom tal-ġenitur li jrabbih?

Iva, f'ħafna każijiet. Id-digriet fih raġuni separata għal minorenni li ġew ikkurati u mrobbija għal perjodu kontinwu minn ġenitur li ma ħallax kunjomu, mis-sieħeb ta' dak il-ġenitur jew minn ġenituri adottivi. Il-perjodu meħtieġ huwa ta' mill-inqas tliet snin, jew mill-inqas ħames snin jekk it-tifel/tifla għandu/għandha inqas minn 12-il sena.

The child’s legal representative and the person whose surname the child is to receive apply jointly. A child aged 12 or older must agree, and that consent can outweigh a refusal by the other parent.

For a child under 12, a refusal by the other parent is decisive, except in two situations. The first is where that parent has been irrevocably convicted of certain serious offences against the child. The second is where that parent and the child lived together as a family for no more than a quarter of the period set by the decree. A child’s surname can be changed on this ground only once.

Iż-żwieġ jew id-divorzju jbiddlu l-kunjom tiegħek?

Le. Iż-żwieġ fl-Olanda ma jbiddilx il-kunjom legali tiegħek. Skont l-artikolu 1:9 BW, inti tikseb id-dritt li tuża l-kunjom tal-konjuġi tiegħek, waħdu jew flimkien ma' tiegħek. Tista' tirreġistra dik l-għażla tal-użu tal-isem mal-muniċipalità tiegħek.

After a divorce you may in principle continue to use your former spouse’s name. The court can withdraw that right at the request of the former spouse, but only where there are good reasons (gegronde redenen). Which name appears on your post and in the municipal records is a registration matter with the municipality, not a name change.

Kif taħdem il-proċedura?

You submit the application to Justis with evidence supporting the ground you rely on, and you pay a fee. Justis asks the other parent of your child for their view.

According to Justis, the fee is €835 for one adult or for one or two children under 18, and €1,670 for three or more children. You always pay the fee, also if the application is refused or withdrawn. Justis states that you usually receive a decision within 20 weeks. The full procedure, including the six-week objection period and the royal decree, takes on average 36 weeks, and no royal decrees are signed during the summer recess in July and August.

X'tista' tagħmel jekk l-applikazzjoni tiegħek tiġi miċħuda?

You can lodge an objection (bezwaar) within six weeks of the decision. If the objection is rejected, you can appeal to the administrative court. An objection is most useful where you can add evidence that your situation fits one of the grounds.

Il-bidla fl-isem hija proċedura differenti?

Yes. Under article 1:4 BW, the district court (rechtbank) decides on a change of first name, at the request of the person concerned or their legal representative. You need a lawyer, and the court tests whether you have a sufficiently weighty interest. See our article on tibdel ismek.

What should you check as the parent who applies?

Prepare these points before you pay the €835 fee, because it is not refunded.

Has the child been cared for continuously for at least three years, or five years if the child is under 12, directly before the application?
Does a child aged 12 or older agree with the change?
Has the child’s surname already been changed once on this ground? That is allowed only once.
Can you document the care period, for example with municipal registration records (BRP) and school records?

X'għandek tiċċekkja bħala l-ġenitur l-ieħor?

Justis asks for your view before it decides. For a child under 12 your refusal is in principle decisive.

By what date must you reply to Justis?
Does one of the two exceptions apply that would set aside your refusal?
Is your child 12 or older, so that the child’s own consent decides?
If the change is granted, can you lodge an objection within six weeks of the decision?

What can we do for you with a surname change?

tagħna avukati tal-familja assist both applicants and parents who object.

We assess which ground in the Surname Change Decree fits your situation before you pay the Justis fee.
We prepare the application and evidence, or the other parent’s response to Justis.
We lodge the objection (bezwaar) within the six-week deadline and conduct the appeal before the administrative court.
We file the court petition for a change of first name under Article 1:4 BW.

sommarju

Tibdil fil-kunjom jiġi deċiż b'digriet irjali wara valutazzjoni minn Justis, mhux minn qorti.
L-applikazzjoni tiegħek trid tkun konformi ma' raġuni fid-Digriet dwar il-Bidla tal-Kunjom; il-preferenza waħedha mhijiex biżżejjed.
Għal tifel jew tifla, bidla fl-isem tal-ġenitur li jrabbihom teħtieġ tliet snin ta' kura, jew ħames snin taħt l-età ta' 12-il sena, u ġeneralment il-kunsens tal-ġenitur l-ieħor.
Il-ħlas huwa ta’ €835 (€1,670 għal tlett itfal jew aktar), u d-deċiżjoni ġeneralment tieħu sa 20 ġimgħa.

Mistoqsijiet frekwenti

Nista' nibdel il-kunjom ta' wliedi għal tiegħi wara separazzjoni?

Possibly, on the care ground, once your child has lived with you for the required period: three years, or five years if your child is under 12. If the other parent refuses and your child is under 12, the application is in principle rejected, subject to the exceptions in the decree. From age 12, your child’s own consent can outweigh that refusal.