Your Baby's First Paperwork

Birth registration and the BSN — the little number that unlocks daycare, benefits and your baby's health insurance.

In the blur of the first days with a newborn, a quiet clock is already ticking: in the Netherlands you must register a birth within three days. That single visit to the town hall sets off almost everything else — your baby gets a BSN (citizen service number), and with it you can sign the daycare contract, claim childcare benefit and child benefit, and add your baby to your health insurance. This is a calm, plain-language walk-through for parents in the Leiden region, new arrivals especially: what to do, in what order, and where the expat edge cases hide.

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New parents at a friendly Dutch town-hall desk, one cradling a tiny newborn, while a smiling clerk stamps a birth certificate by tall canal-house windows.

Last updated: 24 July 2026

One number opens every door

Having a baby in the Netherlands comes with a small stack of paperwork, and almost all of it hangs on one thing: registering the birth. Do that, and your baby is entered into the population register (BRP) and automatically gets a BSN — the citizen service number that Dutch institutions use to recognise a person. Without it, you can't sign a daycare contract, claim benefits, or add your baby to your health insurance.

The good news is that the process is mostly straightforward and mostly free, and once the birth is registered the rest tends to come to you: the SVB writes to you about child benefit, the consultatiebureau calls to book the first check-up, and the pieces fall into place. The catch is the timing — the registration deadline is short, it starts almost immediately, and a couple of steps (like erkenning for unmarried parents) are much easier if you sort them out before the birth.

This guide walks the whole thing in order, tuned to the Leiden region and written with international families in mind — because that's exactly where the surprises live: foreign documents, apostilles, and parents who aren't yet in the Dutch system themselves.

The father or co-mother (duomoeder) is legally required to declare the birth

Registration issues the BSN — the key to daycare, benefits and insurance

Unmarried? Arrange erkenning (recognition), ideally before the birth

Add your baby to a health insurer within a few months of birth (check your insurer)

Your first two weeks of paperwork

Before the birth

Erkenning, if you're not married

If you're not married or in a registered partnership, the second parent isn't automatically the legal parent. Arranging erkenning (recognition) at the gemeente before the birth is free and saves steps later — and since 2023 it also gives joint parental authority automatically. More on this below.

Within 3 days

Geboorteaangifte (birth registration)

Register the birth at the gemeente where your baby was born — for a birth at LUMC or the Birth House Leiden, that's Gemeente Leiden. The day of birth doesn't count toward the three days, and a weekend or public holiday can push the deadline. This is the step that issues the BSN.

Within a few weeks

The BSN arrives

The BSN is created at registration; written confirmation of the number usually follows by post within a few weeks (the exact turnaround isn't fixed on one official page, so treat it as "a few weeks"). Once you have it, you can start signing and applying for everything that needs it.

In the following weeks

SVB and the consultatiebureau reach out

Because the baby is now registered, the SVB typically writes to invite you to claim kinderbijslag (child benefit), and the consultatiebureau proactively contacts you to book the first check-up. You usually don't have to sign up for either — the registration data triggers them.

Within a few months

Health insurance + childcare benefit

Add your baby to a health insurer (do this within the insurer's window so cover applies from birth), and once you've signed a daycare contract, apply for kinderopvangtoeslag — that one has its own deadline, so don't leave it. Both need the baby's BSN.

Geboorteaangifte: the 3-day rule

Registering the birth is the first official step, and it's the one with a real deadline. In the Netherlands you must declare a birth within three days — but the day of birth itself doesn't count, and a weekend or public holiday can give you a little more room. Registration itself is free; only an official copy of the birth certificate costs money.

A smiling clerk stamps a birth certificate at a Dutch town-hall desk while a parent holds a newborn.

The 3-day deadline

Birth day excluded

You have three days after the birth to register it, and the day of birth is not counted. Gemeente Leiden gives the example that a baby born on a Monday must be registered by Thursday. Registering late is taken seriously — the registrar reports it, and a fine is possible — so treat the three days as firm.

Weekend & holiday extension

One extra working day

If the last day of your window falls on a Saturday, Sunday or official public holiday, you get an extra working day, and the rules keep at least two working days available to you. In practice this means a weekend birth rarely leaves you scrambling on a day the town hall is closed — but don't rely on it; register as soon as you reasonably can.

Where to register

Gemeente of birth

You register in the municipality where the baby was born — not necessarily where you live. For a birth at the LUMC or the Birth House Leiden (GeboorteHuis Leiden), that's Gemeente Leiden. Alrijne Ziekenhuis has locations across the region, so if your baby is born there, check which municipality that specific site falls under (likely Leiderdorp, but confirm with the hospital or gemeente) — the rule is always "the gemeente where the child was born". If you live elsewhere, Leiden forwards the birth to your own municipality, which notifies the other institutions.

Who must declare

Father / duomoeder

The father or co-mother (duomoeder) is legally required to register the birth. The birth mother may register too, but for her it's optional. If neither can, the duty passes to someone who was present at the birth, the head of the household where it happened, or the institution (e.g. the hospital) — and if no one does it, the mayor arranges it.

How to register, step by step

In the Leiden region you can register online in some cases, or in person by appointment. Online is only possible in a specific set of circumstances; when in doubt, the in-person route always works. The details below reflect Gemeente Leiden's process — if your baby was born under a different municipality, check that gemeente's page, as hours and documents vary slightly.

Check if you can register online
Leiden: conditions apply
Gemeente Leiden allows online registration only if the delivery was at LUMC or an affiliated midwifery practice, at least one parent has Dutch nationality, the non-registering parent has already recognised (erkend) the child, and the registering parent has DigiD. If you meet all of those, it's processed within about three business days. If not, register in person.
Otherwise, make an appointment
Call 14 071 (Leiden)
For in-person registration at Gemeente Leiden, book an appointment at the Stadskantoor by calling 14 071. Gemeente Leiderdorp handles it a bit differently — walk-in during set hours, no appointment needed, phone 071-54 58 500 — so match the process to the gemeente where your baby was born.
Bring your documents
ID + geboorteverklaring
Bring a valid ID (passport, European ID card, or Dutch travel document), the medical declaration of birth (geboorteverklaring) from the doctor or midwife, a recognition (erkenning) document if that applies, and your marriage or partnership booklet if relevant. Leiderdorp additionally accepts a driving licence as ID and asks for both parents' ID.
The BSN follows automatically
Via the BRP
Once you register, the gemeente issues the birth certificate and enters your baby into the BRP (population register), which is what generates the BSN — provided the mother is registered as a resident in the Netherlands. Written confirmation of the number usually arrives by post within a few weeks. Need a paid official copy of the birth certificate later (for example for use abroad)? You can request one from the gemeente.

Registration is free; an official copy of the birth certificate is paid
Online only if you meet all of Leiden's conditions — otherwise in person
The BSN is generated automatically once the baby is in the BRP
Live outside Leiden? The gemeente forwards the birth to your own municipality

Not married? Sort out erkenning first

If you're married or in a registered partnership, both of you are legal parents automatically and you can skip this. If you're not, the second parent — the father or duomoeder — is not automatically the legal parent, and "erkenning" (recognition) is what establishes legal parenthood. You can do it before the birth (erkenning van de ongeboren vrucht), at the moment of registration, or afterwards, at any Dutch gemeente, and it's free. Doing it before the birth is the smoothest choice: it avoids extra steps at the registration appointment, and Gemeente Leiden's online registration route actually requires that the non-registering parent has already recognised the child.

Since 2023: automatic joint parental authority

Since 1 January 2023, an unmarried parent who recognises a child automatically gets joint parental authority (gezamenlijk gezag) with the mother
That means no separate court step for recognitions made from that date onward
Recognitions from before 2023 follow older rules and may still need a separate court application — if this could affect you, check the current Rijksoverheid gezag page
Parental authority matters for everyday decisions: medical care, schooling, travel documents

What to bring for erkenning

A valid ID for the recognising parent (16 or older)
The mother's written consent (a form the gemeente provides)
The baby's birth certificate, if the child was born in a different municipality
For expat parents: proof of non-marriage abroad, if that applies to your situation
Foreign documents may need to be legalised or apostilled first — see the expat section

What the BSN unlocks

Once your baby has a BSN, a whole row of things becomes possible — some you apply for, some come to you. Here's what the number sets in motion, and what each one needs from you.

Your daycare contract

BSN of child + parents

Childcare providers are legally required to record the BSN of the child and of the parent(s), because they report childcare data to the Belastingdienst each year. So the baby's BSN is what lets you formally start a contract — at Teddy Kids too.

Kinderopvangtoeslag

Mind the deadline

Childcare benefit can only be claimed once your child is born and has a BSN. Apply via Mijn Toeslagen (DigiD) as soon as you've signed the contract — and note the deadline: if you apply after care has already started, you must do so within 3 months of the start date, or you lose the earlier months. A decision usually comes within about 5 weeks.

Kinderbijslag

SVB reaches out

Child benefit is paid by the SVB. Because the gemeente's registration lets the SVB see your baby is registered, they usually write to you — typically within a few weeks — inviting you to apply. You apply via Mijn SVB with DigiD (a paper form is possible too); the baby's BSN doubles as the kinderbijslagnummer.

Health insurance

Free until 18

You add your baby to a parent's health insurance using the BSN. Basic insurance for children is free — no premium, and no deductible (eigen risico) until they turn 18. There's a time window for this (see the next section), so don't leave it too long.

Consultatiebureau

They call you

The consultatiebureau (child health clinic / JGZ) tracks your child's growth and gives the standard vaccinations. After the birth, the heel-prick screening passes your baby's data — including the BSN — to the local clinic, which then contacts you to book the first visit, usually around four weeks. You typically don't need to sign up yourself.

The one thing to do yourself, fast

Kinderbijslag, the consultatiebureau and (often) the SVB letter come to you
Kinderopvangtoeslag does NOT — you must apply, and the 3-month deadline is unforgiving
So: sign the daycare contract, then apply for kinderopvangtoeslag the same week

Adding your baby to your health insurance

A newborn isn't insured automatically — you have to register your baby with a health insurer, using their BSN. Do this soon after the birth: insurers apply a registration window (widely described as around four months) within which, once you've registered, cover applies retroactively from the date of birth — so any care your baby already needed is covered too. Miss the window and you risk being personally liable for costs incurred before you registered. Because the exact deadline and its wording can vary, confirm the current window with your own insurer rather than relying on a fixed number here.

Good to know

Basic insurance for children under 18 is free — no premium, no deductible (eigen risico)
Cover applies from the date of birth when you register within the insurer's window
The baby can go on either parent's policy — it doesn't have to be the same insurer for both
You'll need the baby's BSN to register them, so this waits on the birth registration

How to do it

Once you have the baby's BSN, contact your health insurer (online, app, or phone)
Choose which parent's policy the baby goes on
Register well within the insurer's window so cover runs from birth — don't leave it near the edge
Check the exact deadline with your insurer if you're at all unsure

Expat edge cases & common questions

For international families the basics are the same, but a few situations need extra care — foreign documents, apostilles, and parents who aren't yet in the Dutch system. These are exactly where a confident guess goes wrong, so when in doubt, ask your gemeente directly.

What ID do non-Dutch parents need?

At minimum, a valid ID document — a passport, EU ID card, or Dutch travel/residence document. If you hold a residence permit and are making your own first BRP registration, you'll generally need that permit alongside your ID. Documents in English, French or German are usually accepted without translation, but a gemeente in doubt can ask for an official sworn (beëdigde) Dutch translation.

Do foreign documents need an apostille?

A foreign civil-status document (e.g. a foreign marriage certificate) usually must be legalised or carry an apostille from the issuing country before Dutch authorities accept it
Getting that done can take a while, so start early — plan ahead rather than counting on a fast turnaround
The specifics depend on your country of origin; your gemeente (or Gemeente Leiden's page on foreign documents) can tell you what's needed
Where a foreign birth certificate must be formally registered in the Dutch system, that's a national task — verify the current route with your gemeente before assuming where to go

What if we're not yet registered in the Netherlands?

The BSN is issued automatically at birth registration provided the mother is registered as a resident (in the BRP). If the mother isn't yet registered, the baby is still recorded, but as a declaration of stay and address rather than a standard resident registration, which changes some details. Parents who've just arrived usually need to complete their own first BRP registration (with residence permit + ID) as a separate step. Because this scenario is fiddly and gemeente-specific, contact your gemeente directly to confirm the process for your situation.

Our baby was born abroad — does it get a BSN automatically?

No. A child born abroad to parents living abroad does not get a BSN automatically. Registration goes through the Non-Residents Register (RNI) at a designated desk, or — for benefit purposes — automatically via the SVB if you claim kinderbijslag, or by direct application to the Belastingdienst if you don't. NederlandWereldwijd has guidance for births outside the Netherlands. If you move to the Leiden region later, your gemeente handles the resident registration then.

What does Teddy Kids need from us before the first day?

To start a contract we need your child's BSN and the parents' BSNs — that's the legal requirement for reporting childcare to the Belastingdienst — so aim to have the birth registered and the BSN in hand before your planned start date. Our team will confirm the practical details (feeding, sleeping, emergency contacts) with you separately; the paperwork side really comes down to that one number. If your BSN letter is delayed, tell us — we'll work with you.

Official sources

Rules, deadlines and amounts change, so always confirm with the source. These are the official government pages — the ones that count.

About this guide

This guide is for general educational purposes and reflects the rules and processes as published by Rijksoverheid, Gemeente Leiden, Gemeente Leiderdorp, the SVB and the Belastingdienst at the time of writing. It is not legal advice, and Teddy Kids cannot register your baby, arrange your erkenning, or guarantee any entitlement on your behalf. Deadlines, amounts, municipal procedures and insurer terms change over time, and several details here — the exact BSN-letter turnaround, the SVB notification timing, the health-insurance registration window, which municipality governs an Alrijne birth, and apostille specifics — are given softly on purpose because they vary or aren't fixed on a single official page. Always confirm the current details with your own gemeente, the relevant government body, or your insurer, and seek professional advice for anything about legal parenthood, parental authority, or your residence status.

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