Quick Answer
What is the aangifte van huwelijk (Belgian marriage notice)?
The aangifte van huwelijk (Dutch) or déclaration de mariage (French) is the formal notice a couple files in person at their local commune before they can legally marry in Belgium. It triggers a document check and a public posting period, and the resulting authorization to marry is generally valid for around six months.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What is the aangifte van huwelijk (Belgian marriage notice)?
Also called: déclaration de mariage, marriage notice, huwelijksaangifte.
Before any Belgian couple sets foot in the civil ceremony room, they've already been to the commune once — to file the aangifte van huwelijk. It's the paperwork step that makes the ceremony possible: proof of identity, residence, and (for anyone previously married or foreign-born) additional documents get checked, a notice is posted publicly, and only then can a ceremony date be locked in.
What filing the notice involves
Both partners typically need to appear together at the commune to file the declaration, bringing identity documents and proof of address. Belgian communes are required to post the notice publicly — traditionally on a noticeboard at the town hall — for a set period before the civil ceremony can proceed, a holdover from the country's civil-law tradition of published banns shared with France.
- •Belgian nationals generally need an ID card and proof of residence at the commune.
- •Foreign nationals typically need additional documents — such as a certificate of no impediment to marriage — often legalized and translated, which adds lead time.
- •The commune reviews the file and, once cleared, issues authorization to proceed with the civil ceremony.
Planning notes
- •Contact your commune directly for its specific filing window — requirements and lead times differ between municipalities.
- •Add extra lead time if either partner is a foreign national — document legalization and translation can take weeks.
- •The authorization to marry is generally valid for around six months from the date of the declaration; if the ceremony slips past that window, most communes require refiling.
- •Keep copies of everything filed — the same documents are sometimes needed again for the religious ceremony's own paperwork.
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See RSVP tracking →Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should we file the aangifte van huwelijk?
Most communes recommend filing at least several weeks before the intended civil ceremony date, and longer if either partner is a foreign national whose documents need translation or legalization — some communes ask for six or more weeks in those cases.
How long is the marriage authorization valid once filed?
In most Belgian communes the authorization to marry is valid for around six months from the date of declaration — if the ceremony doesn't happen within that window, the couple typically needs to refile.
Is the marriage notice made public?
Yes — Belgian communes post the marriage notice publicly, traditionally on a noticeboard at the town hall, for a set period before the ceremony can proceed. It's a civil-law holdover shared with France's published banns tradition.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated