We provide all the information you need if you are looking to get divorced in the Netherlands and start the legal proceedings.

Most expats getting divorced in the Netherlands will be able to do so legally, and the divorce should also be recognised in your own country. Filing for divorce in the Netherlands is not a difficult process. If you got married there, you must get your marriage formally dissolved (ontbinding) by the District Court. This helpful guide, provided by SCG Advocaten, explains the process and what to expect during divorce proceedings.

SCG Advocaten

Carlijn van der Vegt-Boshouwers from SCG Advocaten advises and informs clients in family law matters, such as maintenance, care arrangements, divisions, and the settlement of prenuptial agreements. She works with clients in and outside the Netherlands and assists with international family law issues, as well as working as a divorce mediator.

There are three types of formal unions in the Netherlands: marriage, a registered partnership, and a living together agreement. They all apply to both heterosexual and same-sex couples. You can read more about this in our guide to marriage in the Netherlands.

Despite the introduction of same-sex , the marriage rate in the Netherlands has been . In addition, divorce has become much more common over the past 50 years, like most other EU countries. In fact, divorce rates in the Netherlands have more than double since 1970, according to OECD statistics. Marriage dissolutions have also become more common. In 2017, nearly 10 per 1,000 marriages ended this way, compared with only three in 1,000 in 1950.

Despite these facts, the current divorce rate is slightly lower than the EU average: 2 people per 1,000. Generally speaking, marriages also tend to last slightly longer than they did in the past: an average of 15.1 years in 2017, compared to just 11.2 years in 1950, according to online statistics portal, Statista. Read more