New or back in the Netherlands

If you are registered at a Dutch municipality, you will eventually be entered in the Donor Register.

New in the Netherlands

You will be entered in the Donor Register if:

You have lived in the Netherlands for the past three years
You are registered ata Dutch municipality
You are 18 years or above

You will receive a letter from us after three years to remind you to make a choice. Until then, you will not be entered in the Donor Register

Back in the Netherlands

Have you lived in the Netherlands before and you moved back? Then you have to record your choice again in the Donor Register. Your choice from the register will be removed if you move abroad.
If you come to live in the Netherlands (again), you will receive a letter after three years. With this letter we remind you to record a choice. Until then, you will not be entered in the register.

Why make a choice?

By recording a choice, your partner or family knows how you think about donation. Discuss this with them as well. This makes the discussion with the physician at the hospital easier for your family.

Letter from the Donor Register

You will receive a letter if you have lived in the Netherlands for the past three years. In this letter we ask you to record your own choice.

If you do not record a choice after the first letter, you will receive a second letter, so you don’t forget to make a choice
If you do not record anything again, 'no objection to organ donation' will appear next to your name. You will receive another letter about this.

Which choices do I have?

You have four choices. You can only choose one. Whatever choice you enter, you can always change your choice.

Yes, I want to become a donor
No, I don't want to become a donor
My partner or family decides
I appoint someone who decides

If you do not record a choice, you will become a donor

If you do not record a choice yourself, 'no objection to organ donation' will automatically be stated by your name. This means that your organs and tissues could possibly go to a patient after your passing. So there is a possibility you may become an organ donor.

When you have passed away, the physician in the hospital will discuss donating organs and tissues with your family. The physician shall tell your relatives that 'no objection to organ donation' is stated by your name in the register. If your family is absolutely certain and they can explain to the physician that you really did not want to become an organ donor, then you will not become a donor. Therefore it is important that your partner and family know what your desired choice was and that you recorded this choice in the Donor register.