This is what you arrange after the birth of your child

After giving birth, you may have a few checkups with the midwife, gynaecologist or GP. They will check if you are recovering well from childbirth or if you need additional care.

If you did not arrange for maternity care during your pregnancy, arrange it as soon as possible after the birth. The maternity nurse will support you in the first days at home. In the Netherlands it is customary to check the health and growth of your child up to age 4. This can be done at the GP's office, but most people go to a health clinic. 

Doctors and nurses work at a health clinic. Together they assess the health of all children from 0 to 4 years of age. At a health clinic, children also receive the vaccinations of the Dutch National Vaccination Programme.

It is also important to make an appointment for follow-up checkups with the midwife. You can ask your GP for information.

You must register your baby with the municipality where your child was born within 3 days of the birth. Your partner may do this. Please bring valid proof of residence with you. You will then receive a birth certificate. This is an important official document. You will need it, for example, to

Are you not married or in a civil partnership with your baby’s other parent? If so, your partner must acknowledge the baby. A child can usually be acknowledged in their country of birth, but also in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, this can be done at the municipality. You can do this at the same time as registering your baby with the municipality. Acknowledgement gives you, as parents, the same rights and responsibilities. This is also known as parental authority

As the biological mother, you automatically have parental authority. You therefore do not need to formally recognise your child.

Please note: it is very important that the other parent acknowledges the child. Otherwise, the other parent will not have parental authority and will therefore not have the same rights and responsibilities as the biological mother.

Children born in the Netherlands to Ukrainian parents do not acquire Dutch nationality. The child's nationality is determined by the nationality of the parents. If both parents hold Ukrainian nationality, the child will also acquire Ukrainian nationality. This is governed by Ukrainian law.

If the child has a Dutch father, nationality is also determined by Dutch law: the Dutch Nationality Act ('Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap', RWN). In that case, the child may be granted Dutch nationality.

The Dutch father can also acknowledge the child before the birth. In that case, he is already the child’s legal parent on the day of the birth. The child will then hold both Dutch and Ukrainian nationality from birth.

Do not forget to notify the Ukrainian authorities of your child’s birth. Check with the Ukrainian authorities to see if there are any other steps you need to take.

If the child was born after you completed the application form with the IND, you must also report the birth of your child to the IND. You can do this by filling out the M35-J form and sending it to the address on the form.

Here is the link to the M35-J document.

Are you unable to register your child in the municipality yourself and is your partner not in the Netherlands? Then someone who was present at the birth can do this. For example, your midwife.

If you are married or have a registered partnership, you must bring proof of this with you when you report to the municipality. Your child can then be given the father's last name, even if the father is abroad.

Are you not married or in a registered partnership with your baby's other parent? Then your partner must have a deed of acknowledgment drawn up in Ukraine.

Ukrainians working in the Netherlands are entitled to child benefits after the birth of their child. This is an allowance you get if you have one or more children. This is money you get from the government to pay for the cost of raising and caring for your child. Sometimes you have to apply for child benefits yourself at the

In some cases, you may then qualify for the

If your child attends childcare, you may sometimes be eligible for the

This page tells you which benefits you can apply for if you have children in the Netherlands.

Preparing a will is especially important if, for example, you want to record who will take care of your child if something happens to you and the other parent. You can draw up a will at a notary's office. Het Juridisch Loket can give you more information about this.