Moving to the Netherlands

Thinking about moving to the Netherlands, or already here and puzzled by the BSN, the toeslagen and the eigen risico? This hub takes you from residence permit to huisarts in the right order, with the 2026 tax rates, the Netherlands emergency numbers and an address book for living in the Netherlands as a foreigner.

The Netherlands changed several of the rules you will meet just before you arrived. Since 1 July 2024 most new tenants get a permanent contract, a deposit may not exceed two months' rent, and mid-priced homes are regulated by a points system, with a ceiling of €1,228.07 a month for contracts starting in 2026. The 30% ruling, the tax break for employees recruited from abroad, stays at 30 per cent in 2026 but falls to 27 per cent from 1 January 2027. Since 22 May 2026 the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst – the Immigration and Naturalisation Service) has a 45-day decision period when a work-permit holder changes employer; since 12 October 2025 non-EU visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System instead of getting a passport stamp; and since January 2026 non-EU nationals staying under four months can only get a citizen service number at the desks in Breda and Venlo. Whether you plan to move to the Netherlands next year or are already living in the Netherlands as a foreigner, this hub is the map through all of it.

The guide is for everyone who is moving to the Netherlands: the EU citizen who never has to see the IND but must still register with the gemeente (municipality) within five days, the kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) whose employer files the application, the EU Blue Card holder, the student, the partner, the researcher, the self-employed and the returning Dutch national. Use it in two moves: choose your profile below to see which permit and registration route applies to you, then read the 15 guides in the series, which take each step in depth, from the BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number) to tax, housing, work, schools and citizenship. Everything here was checked against the Dutch agencies' own pages on 24 September 2026, and wherever a municipality – Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht or Eindhoven in our examples – decides rather than the state, we say so.

Comparing countries or new to Europe? Moving to Europe lists every country guide and explains the rules that apply across Europe – Schengen, EES, ETIAS, the EU Blue Card and free movement.

Who are you? Choose your guide

Choose what fits you best and get your own step-by-step path, the rules that apply to you and which guides to read.

EU/EEA or Swiss citizen

Free movement has not changed: no visa, no permit, no contact with the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) – your passport or ID card proves lawful stay. What is new is around you: since 1 July 2024 new tenants get open-ended contracts and a deposit of at most 2 months' rent, and from 2026 huurtoeslag has no rent ceiling. Your two deadlines are registering within 5 days and insuring within 4 months.

Step	What to do
Find an address you can prove	Registration needs a rental or purchase contract or the main occupant's written consent with a copy of their ID. No home yet? Ask the gemeente (municipality) about a correspondence address – each municipality decides. – Where: Gemeente
Register in the BRP within 5 days	National rule for stays over 4 months: go in person with everyone moving with you, your passport or ID card and birth certificate, to be entered in the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register). Amsterdam is walk-in; Rotterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven need an appointment. – Where: Gemeente
Wait for your BSN, then apply for DigiD	Your BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number) follows within a few weeks depending on the gemeente (Rotterdam and Utrecht say up to 4 weeks). Apply for DigiD online; the letter comes within 5 working days, activate within 21 days. – Where: DigiD (Logius)
Take out a basisverzekering within 4 months	Every insurer must accept you for the basisverzekering (basic health insurance); the average premium in 2026 is about €157 a month with an eigen risico (compulsory excess) of €385. Cover runs from your arrival date, so premium is owed retroactively. – Where: Health insurer
Open a bank account and register with a huisarts	Banks ask for your BSN; if refused, you are entitled to a basic payment account at ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank or SNS. Registering with a huisarts (GP) is not compulsory but advisable, and GP care never counts towards the excess. – Where: Bank, huisarts
Check toeslagen and child benefit	Apply once for toeslagen (benefits) via Mijn toeslagen with DigiD: zorgtoeslag is up to €129 a month for a single person with income up to €40,857 in 2026. With children under 18 the SVB writes within 3 to 6 weeks about kinderbijslag. – Where: Dienst Toeslagen, SVB
Arriving without a job? Register with UWV	Register as a job seeker with UWV during the first 6 months to keep your right of residence. Bringing an unemployment benefit from home needs form PD U2 and registration with UWV within 7 days. – Where: UWV

Rules that apply to you
National: after 3 months you must be working, studying or have sufficient means. Work counts if you earn at least 50 % of the social assistance norm or work at least 40 % of a full week.
Applying for social assistance before you have 5 years' residence can cost an economically inactive EU citizen the right of residence; after 5 years you have permanent residence (document €85, valid 10 years).
You are exempt from inburgering (civic integration). You may integrate voluntarily and borrow from DUO until 3 years after your first registration with a municipality.
Municipal practice differs: Amsterdam registers walk-in without appointment; Rotterdam usually processes registration within 4 weeks; Utrecht warns that appointments take longer than usual because of high demand.
Naturalisation is possible after 5 years (fee €1,139 in 2026, Dutch at A2) and EU citizens need no residence permit for it; the bill for a 10-year term is a proposal that went no further than consultation.

Source: IND, NetherlandsWorldwide, Rijksoverheid, Dienst Toeslagen, City of Amsterdam, City of Rotterdam, read 24 September 2026

From the UK

If you arrived after 31 December 2020 you are treated like any other non-EU national: a residence permit is needed for any stay over 90 days, most often as a kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) through an IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) recognised sponsor. You are exempt from the MVV entry visa and from the civic integration exam abroad. Since 12 October 2025 your passport is registered in the EU Entry/Exit System instead of stamped; ETIAS is not yet running.

Step	What to do
Check which regime applies to you	Lived here before 1 January 2021? The Withdrawal Agreement applies: its residence document (fee €85) gives free access to work. Arrived later? You apply for a regular permit for a specific purpose, like any non-EU national. – Where: IND
Line up a sponsor or purpose before you move	As a kennismigrant only an IND-recognised sponsor can apply; 2026 thresholds are €5,942 gross a month (30 and over) or €4,357 (under 30), fee €423. Joining a Dutch partner? The sponsor must earn €2,337 a month until 31 December 2026. – Where: IND
Apply without an MVV	UK nationals need no MVV, so the sponsor applies in the Netherlands, or you apply via the embassy and send the file to the IND within 3 weeks. Statutory period 90 days; recognised sponsors usually get a decision within 2 weeks. – Where: IND, Dutch embassy
Register in the BRP within 5 days and collect your card	Register in the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register) at your gemeente (municipality) to get a BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number); Rotterdam only registers non-EU nationals with a permit or a pending application. Book the IND appointment within 2 weeks. – Where: Gemeente, IND
Insure within 4 months of the permit start date	A basisverzekering (basic health insurance) is compulsory from the date your permit takes effect; you cannot insure while the decision is pending. Average premium about €157 a month in 2026, eigen risico (compulsory excess) €385. – Where: Health insurer
Apply for the 30 % ruling within 4 months of starting	You and your employer apply together; 2026 salary threshold €48,013 (€36,497 under 30 with a master's), answer within 8 weeks. A small part of the UK lies within 150 km of the Dutch border and does not qualify. From 2027 the rate is 27 %. – Where: Belastingdienst
Exchange your driving licence	A licence from Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar or the Isle of Man can be exchanged for all categories at your gemeente; you may drive on it for 185 days after settling. The RDW needs at least 15 working days. – Where: Gemeente, RDW

Rules that apply to you
Withdrawal Agreement applications made on or after 1 October 2021 are late; since 1 October 2022 late applications are only considered with a good reason, and your stay is unlawful until granted.
Under the Withdrawal Agreement the permanent document comes after 5 years (fee €85, valid 10 years, usually decided within 90 days); naturalisation is also possible after 5 years with Dutch at A2.
As a kennismigrant, Blue Card holder, student or researcher your stay counts as temporary under the Civic Integration Act: no inburgering (civic integration) duty. Partners of Dutch citizens or permanent residents must integrate.
Staying under 4 months? Since January 2026 non-EU nationals, UK nationals included, can only get a BSN at the RNI desks in Breda and Venlo.
The EHIC on your Dutch insurance card covers necessary care on visits to the UK, but never in your country of residence.

Source: IND, Belastingdienst, RDW, NetherlandsWorldwide, City of Rotterdam, read 24 September 2026

Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant)

The 2026 thresholds for a kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) are €5,942 gross a month if you are 30 or over, €4,357 under 30 and €3,122 for recent graduates – excluding holiday allowance, and always the amount on your application date. Since 22 May 2026 a change of employer has a 45-day decision period, and the 30 % ruling drops to 27 % from 1 January 2027 for rulings that started in 2024 or later. Your employer applies; you cannot.

Step	What to do
Confirm your employer is a recognised sponsor	Only sponsors in the public register of the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) can apply; recognition costs the employer €5,080 (€2,539 for up to 50 persons). Your salary must be market-rate and paid monthly to your own account; holiday pay does not count. – Where: IND
Sponsor files the application (MVV plus permit)	Fee €423; statutory period 90 days but the IND aims for 2 weeks on complete files. Nationals of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Monaco, Vatican City and Switzerland need no MVV. – Where: IND
Collect the MVV and travel	Collect the MVV at the embassy within 90 days of approval (passport valid another 180 days; the sticker takes up to 10 working days), then travel within 90 days. With the MVV you may start work on arrival. – Where: Dutch embassy or consulate
Register in the BRP within 5 days	National rule: in person at your gemeente (municipality) with a legalised, translated birth certificate to enter the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register) and get your BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number). Expat centres combine this with IND services. – Where: Gemeente or expat centre
Book the IND appointment within 2 weeks	Collect your residence document (the IND aims to have it ready 2 weeks after biometrics) or get a free endorsement sticker meanwhile. Take a TB test at the GGD within 3 months unless exempt. – Where: IND
Take out a basisverzekering within 4 months	Counted from the date your permit takes effect, with cover and premium from that date. The basisverzekering (basic health insurance) averages about €157 a month in 2026 with an eigen risico (compulsory excess) of €385; children under 18 pay nothing. – Where: Health insurer
Apply for the 30 % ruling within 4 months of day one	Together with your employer; the Belastingdienst answers within 8 weeks. Threshold 2026 €48,013 (€36,497 under 30 with a master's), maximum tax-free allowance €78,600. You must have lived over 150 km from the border for 16 of the past 24 months. – Where: Belastingdienst
Bring your family	Partner and children under 18 get dependent permits (€254 partner, €85 child) and may work without a work permit. Partners are exempt from inburgering (civic integration) because your stay counts as temporary. – Where: IND

Rules that apply to you
The under-30 amount keeps applying after you turn 30 as long as you stay with the same employer; change employer at 30 or older and €5,942 applies. The reduced criterion of €3,122 is not age-dependent.
Lose your job and you have 3 months to find a new recognised sponsor (6 months after 2 years on the permit); the new employer must notify the IND within 4 weeks.
The permit lasts as long as your contract, at most 5 years. After 5 years you apply yourself for permanent residence (€254, Dutch at A2) or naturalisation (€1,139).
Plans announced on 4 July 2025 to raise the under-30 threshold to 1.1 times the average salary and to tighten recognised-sponsor rules are still being worked out – not law.
Municipal: IN Amsterdam charges €91.96 for registration and €388.41 for the combined IND procedure; The Hague International Centre is free; the Rotterdam International Center charges fees. IND desks are always free.

Source: IND, Belastingdienst, NetherlandsWorldwide, IN Amsterdam, The Hague International Centre, read 24 September 2026

EU Blue Card

The 2026 salary threshold is €5,942 gross a month, or €4,754 if you graduated within the past 3 years. Unlike the kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) route your employer need not be a sponsor recognised by the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst), though it is faster if it is. Since 22 May 2026 a change of employer has a 45-day decision period, and after 12 months on a Blue Card elsewhere in the EU you can move here without an MVV.

Step	What to do
Check the three conditions	A contract for a highly qualified job of at least 6 months; a higher-education degree of at least 3 years (foreign diplomas evaluated by Nuffic) or 5 years' relevant experience (3 of the past 7 for IT professionals); pay at market rate. – Where: IND, Nuffic
Your employer applies (fee €423)	Decision within 30 days for recognised sponsors, otherwise the statutory 90 days. The fee is €254 if you already hold long-term EU resident status in another member state; Turkish nationals pay a lower rate. – Where: IND
Enter with or without an MVV	Nationals of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Monaco, Vatican City and Switzerland need no MVV; others collect it at the embassy (up to 10 working days). After 12 months on a Blue Card in another EU state you and your family are exempt. – Where: IND, Dutch embassy
Register in the BRP within 5 days	In person at your gemeente (municipality) with a legalised, translated birth certificate, to enter the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register) and receive your BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number). Amsterdam is walk-in; The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht book via their international centres. – Where: Gemeente
Collect your residence document within 2 weeks	Book the IND appointment; your work rights are printed on the back of the card. Family members get dependent permits and may work without a work permit. – Where: IND
Insure within 4 months of the permit start	A basisverzekering (basic health insurance) from the date your permit takes effect: average premium about €157 a month in 2026, eigen risico (compulsory excess) €385. – Where: Health insurer
Apply for the 30 % ruling within 4 months	Same conditions as other incoming employees: recruited from abroad, more than 150 km from the border for 16 of the past 24 months, 2026 salary above €48,013 (€36,497 under 30 with a master's). Decision within 8 weeks; 27 % from 2027. – Where: Belastingdienst

Rules that apply to you
Lose your job and you have 3 months to find a new Blue Card job, 6 months after 2 years on the card; the IND withdraws the permit if nothing is found.
Your employer must not have been fined in the past 5 years under the Foreign Nationals Employment Act, Working Hours Act, minimum wage act or similar laws; regulated professions need proof of qualification.
Long-term EU residence is possible after only 2 years in the Netherlands if you held a Blue Card in another EU state for 12 months before, with 5 years' legal residence in the EU in total.
Ireland and Denmark have not implemented the Blue Card; the IND lists 24 participating EU states.
Blue Card residence is a temporary purpose under the Civic Integration Act: no inburgering (civic integration) duty for you or your partner. After 5 years you can apply for permanent residence (€254).

Source: IND, Belastingdienst, Rijksoverheid, Vreemdelingencirculaire, read 24 September 2026

Researcher or PhD student

Your income requirement is only the minimum wage – €1,635.90 gross a month without holiday allowance from 1 July to 31 December 2026 – and the fee is €254, but the institution must be a sponsor recognised by the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) and applies for you. Researchers at designated institutions get the 30 % ruling with no salary threshold; the rate drops to 27 % from 1 January 2027. Since 22 May 2026 an employer change has a 45-day decision period.

Step	What to do
Your institution applies as recognised sponsor	You need a qualification giving access to a doctoral programme, selection for a research project and an employment or hosting agreement. Statutory period 60 days, target 2 weeks for complete applications; fee €254. – Where: IND
Show income of at least the minimum wage	€1,635.90 gross a month without holiday allowance (€1,766.77 with) from 1 July to 31 December 2026; a scholarship or grant may count if you receive no salary from a Dutch employer. – Where: IND
Enter with the MVV if needed	Nationals of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Monaco, Vatican City and Switzerland need none. Long-term-mobility researchers with a permit from another EU state, plus partner and minor children, are exempt. – Where: IND, Dutch embassy
Register in the BRP within 5 days and collect your card	Go to your gemeente (municipality) with a legalised, translated birth certificate to enter the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register) and get a BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number); book the IND appointment within 2 weeks. IN Amsterdam handles IND formalities for researchers. – Where: Gemeente, IND
Sort health insurance within 4 months	Employed by a Dutch institution: a basisverzekering (basic health insurance) is compulsory (about €157 a month in 2026, eigen risico (compulsory excess) €385). On a scholarship without Dutch employment: ask the SVB for a Wlz assessment first (up to 8 weeks). – Where: Health insurer, SVB
Apply for the 30 % ruling within 4 months	Scientific researchers at designated institutions and doctors in specialist training need no minimum salary; a new PhD who starts work within 1 year of the doctorate may still pass the 150 km test. Decision within 8 weeks. – Where: Belastingdienst
Plan the year after your research	Within 3 years of the end of your permit you can take an orientation year (€254, at most 1 year, not extendable, work freely) or switch to a kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) permit at the reduced €3,122 criterion. – Where: IND

Rules that apply to you
Short-term mobility: with a researcher permit from another EU state (not Ireland or Denmark) you may research here up to 180 days in any 360 without a Dutch permit – a free notification, decided within 30 days.
You need no work permit, so your family members need none either; research is a temporary purpose under the Civic Integration Act, so there is no inburgering (civic integration) duty.
Living in Belgium or Germany and paid from there? Under the tax treaties you pay tax in your country of residence for up to 2 years from the day you start work.
After 5 years as a researcher you can apply for permanent residence (€254, Dutch at A2 or an exemption); years on a study permit count only half towards EU long-term residence.
Universities may also use the kennismigrant route for researchers: the minimum wage applies and the appointment must state the UFO job classification.

Source: IND, Belastingdienst, Rijksoverheid, SVB, IN Amsterdam, read 24 September 2026

Student

The 2026 study norm is €1,130.77 a month for hbo or university (€928.58 for mbo): you must show 12 times that amount for a year, and only your institution – a sponsor recognised by the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) – can apply (fee €254). You may work 16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August only. Since study year 2025-2026 nobody gets the halved first-year tuition fee; the statutory fee for 2026-2027 is €2,694.

Step	What to do
Get admitted and let the institution apply	You must be enrolled full-time in daytime education; the institution files the permit (fee €254, paid via the institution, no refund if refused). Complete applications are usually decided within 2 weeks. – Where: Educational institution, IND
Prove 12 months of funds	12 times the study norm (€1,130.77 a month for hbo or university in 2026) on your own account, deposited with the institution, a scholarship or a financier; a single financier in the Netherlands must earn €2,766.67 a month. – Where: IND
Collect the MVV and travel	Unless you are from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Monaco or Vatican City: collect the MVV within 3 months, travel within 90 days, collect the residence permit within 2 weeks of arrival; TB test within 3 months if required. – Where: Dutch embassy, IND
Register in the BRP within 5 days	For stays over 4 months, at your gemeente (municipality) with a legalised, translated birth certificate: you enter the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register) and get a BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number). Amsterdam students walk in with passport, proof of address and proof of enrolment. – Where: Gemeente
Check whether you need Dutch health insurance	Only studying: home cover may do, but international policies are not Dutch basic insurance. A paid side job – even a few hours – or an internship paid at least the minimum wage makes a basisverzekering (basic health insurance) compulsory; zorgtoeslag then becomes possible. – Where: Health insurer, CAK
Keep your permit: pass half your credits	You must earn at least half of the credits each academic year; the institution reports to the IND, which can withdraw the permit. Applying for bijstand (social assistance) can also cost you the permit – toeslagen (benefits) do not. – Where: IND
After graduating: the orientation year	Apply yourself within 3 years of graduating (fee €254): 1 year, not extendable, any job or business without a work permit. A kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) job then needs only €3,122 gross a month, whatever your age. – Where: IND

Rules that apply to you
Tuition 2026-2027: the statutory fee of €2,694 is for EU/EEA/Swiss nationals and holders of listed permits; others pay the institutional fee, never lower. Those with student finance can borrow up to €1,122.50 a month for tuition.
Housing: rooms are always social housing with a points-based maximum rent, and students renting temporarily in another municipality may still be given a temporary contract of at most 2 years.
Study is a temporary purpose under the Civic Integration Act: no inburgering (civic integration) duty now, but the A2 exam applies later for permanent residence or naturalisation; study years count half towards EU long-term residence.
Intra-EU mobility: with a Dutch study permit you may study up to 360 days in another member state under an exchange programme or agreement; the institution notifies the IND at least 4 weeks ahead.
Municipal: IN Amsterdam exempts orientation-year holders from its service fees; IND desks are always free of charge.

Source: IND, DUO, Rijksoverheid, Dienst Toeslagen, CAK, City of Amsterdam, read 24 September 2026

Joining a partner or family

From 1 July to 31 December 2026 your sponsor must earn €2,337.00 gross a month excluding holiday allowance (€2,523.96 with), and sustainably – a contract with at least 12 months left. If you need an MVV you must first pass the Civic Integration Exam Abroad at the embassy, unless you are exempt by nationality or your partner's stay is temporary. Fee €254 (child under 18 €85); the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) decides within 90 days.

Step	What to do
Check age, relationship and income	Both partners at least 21 (18 if the marriage already existed before your partner had lawful residence); only one partner can be brought. Income is sustainable with 12 months of contract left; shorter or flexible contracts need an average over 12 months or 3 years. – Where: IND
Pass the exam abroad if you need an MVV	Nationals of EU/EEA states, the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Monaco, Vatican City and Switzerland are exempt, as are partners of kennismigranten, students and researchers. Result from DUO within 8 weeks, valid 1 year. – Where: DUO, Dutch embassy
Apply together, or from abroad	Your sponsor usually files MVV and permit together; fee €254 (€85 per child under 18). Applying yourself: send the file to the IND within 3 weeks of your embassy appointment. Statutory period 90 days, extendable to at most 6 months. – Where: IND
Collect the MVV, travel, collect the card	Collect the MVV at the embassy within 3 months of the decision, travel within 90 days, then book the IND appointment within 2 weeks. Your permit expires on the same date as your partner's (5 years if your partner is Dutch). – Where: Dutch embassy, IND
Register at your partner's address within 5 days	In person at the gemeente (municipality) with a legalised, translated birth certificate to enter the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register) and get your BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number). TB test within 3 months unless exempt. – Where: Gemeente, GGD
Insure within 4 months of the permit start	A basisverzekering (basic health insurance) is compulsory from the date your permit takes effect: about €157 a month in 2026 with an eigen risico (compulsory excess) of €385; children under 18 pay no premium. – Where: Health insurer
Start inburgering if your partner is Dutch or permanent	DUO writes up to 8 weeks after registration and you have 3 years for inburgering (civic integration). You pay yourself or borrow from DUO (2.29 % interest in 2026); exams cost €50 each, €250 in total, and the municipality guides you. – Where: DUO, gemeente
Report changes within 4 weeks	Break-ups, loss of income or social assistance must be reported to the IND within 4 weeks; a move to the gemeente 4 weeks before or 5 days after. Fines are possible for both of you. – Where: IND, gemeente

Rules that apply to you
Partners of a kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant), Blue Card holder, researcher or student may work without a work permit and are not obliged to integrate; partners of Dutch citizens or permanent residents are.
Married to a Dutch citizen: naturalisation after 3 years living together in the Kingdom (fee €1,454 for a couple), and you may keep your other nationality.
The naturalisation language level is still A2 (IND page updated 28 August 2026); the B1 decree is a draft and the 10-year residence bill is a proposal only.
Toeslagen (benefits) with a partner: both must be lawfully resident, and if your partner has no Dutch insurance you get half the joint zorgtoeslag. Kinderopvangtoeslag needs both parents working, studying or integrating; apply within 3 months of the start of childcare.
Family of an EU citizen: non-EU relatives pay €85 (€46 under 18), need no MVV and get a 5-year document within 6 months; unmarried partners show 6 months' cohabitation. A Dutch sponsor can use this only after 3 months in another EU state.

Source: IND, DUO, Dienst Toeslagen, Rijksoverheid, read 24 September 2026

Asylum status holder

New EU asylum rules apply since 12 June 2026: the permanent asylum permit no longer exists (existing ones remain valid), a new asylum card is valid 3 years with free renewal, and after 5 years you may qualify for the EU long-term resident permit. The back of a card issued after 12 June says whether you are 'vluchteling' or 'subsidiair beschermde', and that decides your family reunification rules with the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst).

Step	What to do
Register in the BRP and get your BSN	With your permit, register at the gemeente (municipality) that houses you: you enter the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register) and receive a BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number). Municipalities house status holders under a half-yearly national quota. – Where: Gemeente, COA
Take out a basisverzekering within 4 months	Within 4 months of the start date of your permit; the basisverzekering (basic health insurance) then starts retroactively from that date and premium is due from then. In COA reception you were covered by the RMA scheme instead. – Where: Health insurer
Apply for family reunification in time	Refugees: apply within 3 months of receiving your permit for your spouse and children under 18. Subsidiary protection: a 2-year waiting period plus income and housing requirements. The family member collects the MVV within 3 months (extendable to 6). – Where: IND
Start inburgering (civic integration)	DUO writes once you have BSN, permit and registration; the gemeente does a broad intake and sets your personal plan (PIP). The municipality pays your course and the first 2 attempts at each exam; you have 3 years. – Where: DUO, gemeente
Have your diploma evaluated and start work	You may work without a work permit. IDW evaluates foreign diplomas free of charge for most people who are integrating; without documents you can ask for an indication of your education level. – Where: IDW, UWV
Apply for toeslagen (benefits)	With a permit that gives entitlement you can get zorgtoeslag (up to €129 a month single, income up to €40,857 in 2026) and huurtoeslag for an independent dwelling (assets under €38,479). Apply once via Mijn toeslagen with DigiD. – Where: Dienst Toeslagen
Plan for the long term	After 5 years: the EU long-term resident permit (€254, Dutch at A2) or naturalisation at the reduced fee of €847 (€1,163 with a partner) – and recognised refugees keep their original nationality. – Where: IND, gemeente

Rules that apply to you
Since 12 June 2026 the IND decides asylum claims within 6 months (accelerated procedure 3 months); claims made before 12 June follow the old procedure. Applying is free.
Travelling to your country of origin can lead to withdrawal of your permit; the IND announces its intention by letter and you can respond.
The Council of State ruled that DUO cannot fine status holders for taking too long to integrate, nor demand repayment of an integration loan.
Housing: you may stay 3 months with friends, family or a host family under the COA logeerregeling, keeping weekly allowance and medical care; temporary rental contracts remain allowed when you come straight from a COA location.
Because of the new rules the IND is temporarily not deciding on certain family reunification applications (page updated 31 July 2026) – check with the IND for the current status.

Source: IND, DUO, Rijksoverheid, Dienst Toeslagen, IDW, read 24 September 2026

Returning Dutch citizen

You can always come back, but the national rule is the same as for everyone: register at your gemeente (municipality) within 5 days of arrival if you stay more than 4 months – your old BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number) is still valid. Since 1 April 2022 a dual national loses Dutch nationality only after 13 years without renewing a passport or ID card (previously 10). A non-EU partner needs a permit, and your income must be €2,337 a month unless you lived together in another EU state.

Step	What to do
Check you still hold Dutch nationality	Lived 13 years outside the EU with another nationality and no new passport? You may have lost it: former citizens then need a residence permit and can regain nationality by option after 1 year of residence (fee €241, about 3 months). – Where: IND, Dutch embassy
Book your registration appointment before you fly	Everyone moving with you attends in person to be entered in the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register); bring ID and proof of occupancy. Rotterdam calls this a resettlement appointment; Utrecht and Eindhoven warn of waits. – Where: Gemeente
Arrange your partner's permit	Lived together under EU law in another EU state for 3 months or more? Apply for EU verification (€85, no MVV, decision within 6 months). Otherwise a regular family permit: €254, income of €2,337 a month and the civic integration exam abroad. – Where: IND
Reactivate DigiD and file the M form	Apply for DigiD with your BSN once registered. For the year of the move you file the M form covering worldwide income and assets, even without a letter from the Belastingdienst. – Where: DigiD (Logius), Belastingdienst
Health insurance within 4 months	A basisverzekering (basic health insurance) is compulsory if you are covered by the Wlz – usually once registered or working for a Dutch employer. Unsure? Ask the SVB for an assessment (up to 8 weeks); wrongly taken-out insurance is cancelled retroactively. – Where: Health insurer, SVB
Check toeslagen, kinderbijslag and your licence	Toeslagen (benefits) can go wrong while your partner has no BSN: kindgebonden budget paid as a single parent must be repaid. A non-EU driving licence is valid 185 days after registration, then exchange or a CBR test. – Where: Dienst Toeslagen, SVB, RDW
Convert foreign certificates	Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates from abroad can be converted into Dutch records by the municipality of The Hague, even from abroad, so that copies can later be requested online. – Where: Gemeente Den Haag

Rules that apply to you
The 30 % ruling can apply on return only if you meet the 150 km test; the Belastingdienst deducts earlier periods of work or residence in the Netherlands (looking back 25 years) from the 5-year maximum.
Social assistance is never available during your first 3 months back. A foreign qualification may need legalisation or an IDW evaluation, and regulated professions need recognition.
Voluntarily taking another nationality normally means losing Dutch nationality, with exceptions since 1 April 2003 (born there, 5 years there before 18, or married to a national).
Municipal practice: Amsterdam registers walk-in; Rotterdam usually processes registration within 4 weeks; Utrecht says the BRP entry and BSN can take up to 4 weeks.

Source: NetherlandsWorldwide, IND, Belastingdienst, SVB, City of Rotterdam, Gemeente Utrecht, read 24 September 2026

Self-employed or start-up

Since 1 January 2025 the Belastingdienst again fully enforces against false self-employment (Wet DBA), and from 1 January 2026 it can impose offence penalties. The self-employed permit (fee €423) needs at least 30 points on each of experience, business plan and added value, plus a gross profit of €1,766.77 a month from 1 July to 31 December 2026. US and Japanese nationals skip the points with an investment of at least €4,500.

Step	What to do
EU citizen? Just register with KVK	No permit needed. Register in person by appointment within 1 week of starting (fee €85.15 in 2026, tax-deductible) with your BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number). Temporary self-employed service providers in designated sectors must be notified before starting. – Where: KVK
Non-EU: choose your route	The points system (RVO advises, 30 points on each of three parts), the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty or the Japanese trade treaty, or the start-up permit for an innovative business with an RVO-recognised facilitator (at most 1 year). – Where: IND, RVO
Score the points	Education up to 35 (PhD 35, master 30, bachelor 20), entrepreneurship experience up to 35, job creation up to 40 (10 or more fte) and investment up to 40 (€500,000 or more). A start-up permit holder with a positive facilitator declaration gets 30 points on two parts. – Where: RVO, IND
Treaty route: invest substantial capital	US or Japanese nationals: at least €4,500 in a sole proprietorship, 25 % of the capital with a €4,500 minimum in a VOF or BV, €11,250 in an NV; borrowed capital does not count. You must run the business yourself and live in the Netherlands. – Where: IND
Apply to the IND and prove your income	Fee €423 at the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst); gross profit of at least €1,766.77 a month with holiday allowance. US nationals need no MVV and can apply via the embassy (file to the IND within 3 weeks) or in the Netherlands. – Where: IND, Dutch embassy
Register in the BRP, then with KVK	Register at the gemeente (municipality) within 5 days to enter the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register), then at KVK within 1 week of starting (€85.15); KVK passes your details to the Belastingdienst. IN Amsterdam needs your original birth certificate. – Where: Gemeente, KVK
Insure and claim the allowances	A basisverzekering (basic health insurance) is compulsory (about €157 a month in 2026) and you pay the income-related Zvw contribution by assessment. Zelfstandigenaftrek is €1,200 in 2026 and falls again in 2027; turnover under €2,200 a year stays outside VAT. – Where: Health insurer, Belastingdienst

Rules that apply to you
Self-employment and the start-up permit are temporary purposes under the Civic Integration Act – no inburgering (civic integration) duty and no exam abroad. A director-major shareholder counts as self-employed with 25 % or more of the shares.
Hiring talent: start-ups with at most 15 staff may hire up to 5 foreign experts at €3,122 gross a month plus at least a 1 % share (or €65,000) within 3 years, without sponsor recognition, until 1 June 2028.
After the start-up year a positive facilitator declaration gives a simplified switch to the self-employed permit (€423); orientation-year holders may also start a business and switch.
Becoming a recognised sponsor to hire a kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) costs €5,080 (€2,539 for businesses with no more than 50 persons).
A low hourly rate for a self-employed person can point to an employment contract from 31 December 2026; zero-hours contracts are no longer allowed from 1 January 2028.

Source: IND, Belastingdienst, KVK, RVO, Vreemdelingencirculaire, read 24 September 2026

Cross-border commuter

You need no Dutch residence permit and you do not register as a resident: you get a BSN (burgerservicenummer – citizen service number) at an RNI desk, and since January 2026 non-EU nationals can do that only in Breda or Venlo. New from 2026 for German residents: more than 34 home-working days a year and the wages for all those days are taxed in Germany, so keep a calendar. You must still take out a basisverzekering (basic health insurance) within 4 months of starting work.

Step	What to do
Check whether your employer needs a TWV	Not for EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. A non-EU national living in Belgium or Germany with a residence permit does need a work permit, which the employer applies for at UWV. – Where: UWV, IND
Get a BSN at an RNI desk	Book at one of the 19 RNI municipalities if you are an EU national (for example Eindhoven, Venlo, Heerlen, Terneuzen or Nijmegen); non-EU nationals only Breda or Venlo. Free, BSN issued immediately. A Dutch employer can also arrange it via the Belastingdienst. – Where: RNI desk of a gemeente (municipality)
Take out a basisverzekering within 4 months	Compulsory when working for a Dutch employer even if you live abroad and keep foreign cover; family members abroad can be co-insured with form E-106 via your insurer. Zorgtoeslag is possible while living abroad. – Where: Health insurer, CAK
Find out where you are socially insured	Employee insurances (WW, ZW, WIA) are compulsory for everyone employed in the Netherlands; national insurances depend on where you live. The SVB decides on exemptions; a Grensinfopunt, for example in Eindhoven, helps. – Where: SVB, Grensinfopunt
Know where you pay tax	Main rule: the country of work. Germany: over 34 home-working days a year shifts those wages to Germany. Belgium: temporary work stays taxed at home if you are present at most 183 days in 12 months; Dutch residents working in Belgium can claim the compensation scheme. – Where: Belastingdienst
Non-EU: optional endorsement sticker	A non-EU cross-border worker with a permit in the other state can get a free, non-mandatory endorsement sticker valid 1 year at a desk of the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst), issued immediately at the appointment. – Where: IND
File as a non-resident taxpayer	Declare only income taxable in the Netherlands; Dutch bank accounts are not taxed in box 3, Dutch real estate is. Married qualifying non-residents can file jointly and claim credits and deductions. – Where: Belastingdienst

Rules that apply to you
The 30 % ruling is not available to workers recruited from Belgium or Luxembourg and large parts of Germany: you must have lived more than 150 km from the border for more than 16 of the 24 months before starting.
The minimum wage applies to cross-border and posted workers alike: €14.99 gross an hour (21 and over) from 1 July 2026, paid by bank transfer; posted workers in designated sectors must be notified before work starts.
Frontier work is a temporary purpose under the Civic Integration Act – no inburgering (civic integration). UK frontier workers from before 2021 need the Withdrawal Agreement frontier worker document (€85, valid 5 years).
On a business park on the German border you pay tax where you are compulsorily socially insured; teachers and researchers paid from Belgium or Germany pay tax at home for up to 2 years.
The reverse case: an EU citizen living in the Netherlands and working across the border after 3 years living and working here can get permanent residence before the usual 5 years.

Source: IND, Belastingdienst, NetherlandsWorldwide, Rijksoverheid, SVB, read 24 September 2026

The 15 guides

Move

1. Part 1The first 30 days in the Netherlands
2. Part 2Dutch residence permits 2026
3. Part 3BSN and BRP registration in the Netherlands
4. Part 6Working in the Netherlands
5. Part 730% ruling, box 1 and box 3

Live

1. Part 4Opening a Dutch bank account
2. Part 5Affordable Rent Act, deposits and huurtoeslag
3. Part 8Basisverzekering explained
4. Part 10Kinderopvangtoeslag and school in the Netherlands
5. Part 11Inburgering in the Netherlands
6. Part 12Driving licence exchange in the Netherlands
7. Part 13Setting up home in the Netherlands

Settle

1. Part 9Kinderopvangtoeslag, kinderbijslag and leave
2. Part 14Everyday Netherlands
3. Part 15Staying for good in the Netherlands

The Netherlands in numbers

Official statistics, fetched from the source. Each figure shows where it comes from and which period it covers.

Figure	Latest	Source and period
Population	18.04 million	Eurostat · 1 January 2025
Economy (GDP)	€1,171 billion	Eurostat · 2025
GDP per person	$73,684	World Bank · 2025
GDP growth	+1.8%	Eurostat, compared with a year earlier · Q2 2026
GDP growth, full year	1.8%	World Bank · 2025
Unemployment	4.0%	Eurostat, seasonally adjusted · August 2026
Employment rate	83.2%	Eurostat, age 20–64 · Q2 2026
Inflation	2.8%	Eurostat, EU-harmonised (HICP) · August 2026
Central bank rate	2.50%	European Central Bank deposit facility rate · 23 September 2026
Median income	€34,466 a year	Disposable, per adult equivalent · Eurostat · 2025
Price level	121	EU = 100 · Eurostat · 2024
Born abroad	16.8%	Eurostat · 1 January 2025

Source: Eurostat, World Bank and European Central Bank, read 24 September 2026, 23:35 Stockholm time.

Pros
The lowest unemployment of the four new countries: 4.0% in August 2026, against 6.1% in the EU (Eurostat).
A very high employment rate: 83.2% of 20–64-year-olds are in work, against 76.4% in the EU (Eurostat, Q2 2026).
Incomes above the EU average: median disposable income €34,466, against €22,939 in the EU (Eurostat, 2025).
Food prices just below the EU average: 99 (EU = 100, Eurostat, 2024).
A short usual working week for full-time employees: 38.0 hours, against 39.5 in the EU (Eurostat, 2025).

Cons
Consumer prices 21% above the EU average, housing and energy 30% above (Eurostat, 2024).
Eating out costs 25% more than the EU average (Eurostat, 2024).
Moderate growth: +1.8% in Q2 2026 compared with a year earlier (Eurostat) and 1.8% in 2025 (World Bank).

Your first steps in the Netherlands, in order

Almost everything in the Netherlands hangs on one registration: your entry in the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen – the population register) at the gemeente, which gives you your BSN. Employers, banks, health insurers and the Belastingdienst (the Tax Administration) all identify you by it, so the order below is built around getting it early. The rules are national unless we say otherwise, and the times are the agencies' own published figures.

Step	What	Where	Typical time
1	Settle your right to stay before you travel. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no visa, residence permit or work permit. Everyone else needs a residence permit for a stay of more than 90 days and usually an MVV (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf – the long-stay entry visa), which your sponsor – normally your employer, institution or partner – applies for together with the permit	IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst); the Dutch embassy or consulate issues the MVV	Statutory 90 days for work and family permits and 60 days for study and research; the IND aims at 2 weeks for complete applications from recognised sponsors and 30 days for an EU Blue Card. Collect the MVV within 90 days (the sticker takes up to 10 working days) and travel within 90 days
2	Prepare your papers. Your passport or ID card must be valid for at least 3 months after arrival. Birth, marriage and divorce certificates need legalisation or an apostille – not if they come from another EU country – and a sworn translation unless they are in Dutch, English, French or German. Book your municipal registration appointment before you leave	The issuing country for legalisation; your gemeente for the appointment. Amsterdam takes walk-ins; Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Eindhoven require an appointment	The national checklist warns that waiting times at municipalities can be longer than usual; Eindhoven adds new slots daily for about 4 weeks ahead, and Utrecht warns of delays because of high demand and staff shortages
3	Register in the BRP within 5 days of arrival if you will stay longer than 4 months – in person, and your partner and children must come too. Bring your ID, proof of occupancy (rental contract, purchase contract or the main occupant's written consent with a copy of their ID) and your certificates. Non-EU nationals must hold a residence permit or have a pending application. You receive your BSN	Your gemeente (city office) or, for highly skilled migrants and EU employees of IND-recognised sponsors, the expat centre in your city	The BSN follows within a few weeks depending on the municipality: Rotterdam usually processes registration within 4 weeks, Utrecht says up to 4 weeks, Eindhoven confirms by letter within 4 weeks; Amsterdam publishes no waiting time. Late registration can be fined
4	Staying under 4 months, or working here while living across the border? Register as a non-resident in the RNI (Registratie Niet-Ingezetenen) instead. It is free	An RNI desk: EU, EEA and Swiss nationals at any of the 19 RNI municipalities, non-EU nationals only in Breda or Venlo since January 2026	BSN issued on the spot
5	Non-EU nationals: collect your residence document and, if required, take a tuberculosis test	An IND desk (Amsterdam, The Hague, 's-Hertogenbosch or Zwolle) or the expat centre named in your IND letter, by appointment; the GGD (public health service) for the TB test	Make the IND appointment within 2 weeks of arrival; the IND aims to have the document ready within 2 weeks after your biometrics, and in August 2026 the average wait for a collection appointment was 4 days, for biometrics 3 days. TB test within 3 months
6	Apply for a DigiD, the login for every online government service. You need your BSN, your BRP address and a mobile phone	DigiD (Logius), online	Activation letter by post within 3 business days, at most 5 working days; activate within 21 days or you must apply again
7	Open a Dutch bank account; the bank asks for an identity document and your BSN. If no bank will give you an ordinary account you have the right to a basisbetaalrekening (basic payment account) at ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank or SNS	Any bank; a complaint about a refusal goes to the bank first, then to the Kifid complaints institute	See the agency's website
8	Take out basisverzekering (basic health insurance) with a Dutch insurer. Insurers must accept everyone at the same premium, children under 18 pay nothing, and while a residence permit application is pending you cannot yet insure	Any Dutch health insurer; the CAK writes to you if you stay uninsured	Within 4 months of arrival (EU citizens) or of your residence permit taking effect (everyone else); cover and premium run back to that date. Average premium 2026: €157 a month; eigen risico (compulsory excess) €385 a year
9	Register with a huisarts (GP). It is not compulsory but advisable, and GP care never counts towards the excess	A practice near your home; your insurer can help you find one	Some practices have waiting lists or refuse patients who live too far away
10	Claim what you are entitled to: zorgtoeslag (healthcare benefit), huurtoeslag (rent benefit) and kindgebonden budget (child budget) via Mijn toeslagen, and kinderbijslag (child benefit) via My SVB	Dienst Toeslagen (the Benefits Office) and the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank – Social Insurance Bank)	Zorgtoeslag starts on the 1st of the month in which you meet the conditions and can be claimed until 1 September of the following year; after you register a child, the SVB writes within 3 to 6 weeks
11	Sort out tax. If you were recruited from abroad, ask your employer to apply with you for the 30% ruling; for the year you move you file the M form	Belastingdienst (Tax Administration)	Apply within 4 months of your first working day to benefit from day one; the decision comes within 8 weeks. The migration return is usually answered within 3 months
12	Car and driving licence. A car you bring must be registered with the RDW; an EU or EFTA licence stays valid for 15 years from its issue date, a licence from outside the EU/EFTA for 185 days, after which you exchange it – if your country is on the list – via your gemeente	RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority), the application via your gemeente; CBR for the health declaration that a non-EU licence needs	The RDW needs at least 15 working days, and you collect the Dutch licence at the municipality 5 working days later. After an EU-import inspection the registration certificate arrives within 5 working days
13	Start Dutch. Non-EU newcomers with a non-temporary permit get a letter from DUO and must complete inburgering (civic integration); EU citizens and people here temporarily for work or study are exempt but may integrate voluntarily. Public libraries and Taalhuizen offer courses that are often free	DUO (Education Executive Agency) and your gemeente, which runs the intake and the personal plan; your public library	The DUO letter can take up to 8 weeks once you have a BSN, a permit and your registration; you then have 3 years

Tax at a glance for 2026

You become a resident taxpayer from the day you move and file a Dutch return every year, with foreign income governed by tax treaties. Tax on pay is national: three box 1 brackets, of which the first also carries the national insurance contributions for the state pension, survivors and long-term care, reduced by tax credits that your employer applies in payroll. The figures below are the enacted 2026 figures from the Belastingdienst; the September 2025 Tax Plan announced different ones, and the 2027 budget of 15 September 2026 proposes only partial indexation of the brackets in 2027 and 2028, which parliament has yet to decide.

Tax or contribution	2026 rate or threshold	Good to know
Box 1 income tax and national insurance on pay (below state pension age)	35.75 % up to €38,883; 37.56 % from €38,883 to €78,426; 49.50 % above €78,426	The first bracket is 8.10 % tax plus 27.65 % national insurance (AOW 17.90 %, Anw 0.10 %, Wlz 9.65 %), levied only on income up to €38,883
Algemene heffingskorting (general tax credit)	Maximum €3,115 up to an income of €29,736, reduced by 6.398 % of income above that, nil from €78,426	Applied automatically by your employer
Arbeidskorting (employed person's tax credit)	Maximum €5,685 at employment income of €45,592, then reduced by 6.510 %, nil from €132,920	Applied automatically by your employer
Inkomensafhankelijke combinatiekorting (combination credit for working parents)	11.45 % of employment income above €6,239, maximum €3,032 from €32,710	Claimed in the tax return
Worked example from the Belastingdienst	Salary €80,000: box 1 tax before credits €29,531	Deductions such as mortgage interest are relieved at a lower rate once income exceeds €78,426
Inkomensafhankelijke bijdrage Zvw (income-related healthcare contribution)	Employer's levy 6.10 % on wages up to €79,409; 4.85 % withheld from other income such as pensions	Paid by your employer on top of the premium you pay your insurer
30% ruling (expatregeling) for employees recruited from abroad	Up to 30 % of salary tax-free for at most 5 years; salary threshold €48,013 (€36,497 under 30 with a master's degree); maximum allowance €78,600, reached at a salary of €262,000	You must have lived more than 150 km from the Dutch border for more than 16 of the 24 months before your first working day. The rate falls to 27 % from 1 January 2027 with transition rules for people who used the ruling before 2024; the 2027 thresholds are indexed and not yet final
Box 3 (savings and investments)	Tax-free allowance €59,357 per person, €118,714 for tax partners; notional return 1.28 % on bank balances, 6.00 % on investments, 2.70 % on debts; tax 36 % on the notional return	If your actual return is lower you can report it instead, but then without the allowance
Wettelijk minimumloon (statutory minimum wage), age 21 and over	€14.71 gross an hour from 1 January 2026, €14.99 from 1 July 2026	Hourly only since 2024; a CAO (collective labour agreement) may set a higher floor
Vakantiegeld (holiday allowance)	At least 8 % of gross annual salary, usually paid in May or June	Mandatory; a CAO may fold it into pay of at least 108 % of the minimum wage
Overdrachtsbelasting (transfer tax) when you buy a home	2 % for a home you will live in; 0 % for buyers aged 18–34 buying a home worth up to €555,000 that they will live in; 8 % for a home that is not your main residence	Age and value are tested on the day the notarial deed is signed
Filing	The M form for the year you move; a return you were invited to file must be in before 1 May	File before 1 April to hear back before 1 July; without an invitation you can file up to 5 years after the tax year

A Relocate in Europe salary calculator for the Netherlands is coming; until then, your payslip and Mijn Belastingdienst give you the exact figures for your own salary.

Emergency and health numbers

Emergency care in the Netherlands runs through your huisarts. Outside practice hours you call the huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service), which decides whether you should come in, wait for your own GP or go to hospital. GP and huisartsenpost care never count towards the €385 excess, but a visit to the hospital emergency department (spoedeisende hulp) does, so always phone first unless the situation is life-threatening. These are the Netherlands emergency numbers to save in your phone.

Number	For what
112	The emergency number for police, fire brigade and ambulance in life-threatening situations and crimes in progress. It works from any mobile without credit or a valid SIM card, has priority over other calls, and the Dutch networks carry each other's 112 calls where your own provider has no coverage. Calls arrive at the national control centre in Driebergen: say what is happening, where help is needed and which service you need. Calls are recorded and your number is shown even if it is secret
112NL app	Chat with the control centre, with automatic translation into your language, if you cannot hear, speak or do not speak Dutch. Deaf and hard-of-hearing people can also use a 24-hour text relay service, a sign-language video relay from 7.00 to 22.00, or register once for emergency text messages by texting the word aanmelden to 112
0900-8844	The police when it is not urgent: reporting a burglary after the event, a collision with only material damage, or making a statement
Your huisartsenpost	Urgent but not life-threatening medical problems when your GP practice is closed; each region has its own number, so ask your practice for it when you register
0800 - 5028	CAK, free: the letter telling you that you are uninsured, the €529.74 fine, and the Wlz assessment route if you think you need not insure. From abroad +31 88 711 5989. Mon–Fri 8.30–17.00
0800 - 0543	BelastingTelefoon, free: questions about tax and the toeslagen; Mon–Thu 8.00–20.00, Fri 8.00–17.00
0800 - 8020	Het Juridisch Loket, free first-line legal advice for people on a low income with little savings, Mon–Fri 9.00–17.00; from abroad +31 30 239 2030
+31 88 123 65 55	DigiD helpdesk, Mon–Fri 8.00–22.00 and Sat 9.00–17.00
14 020, 14 010, 14 070, 14 030, 14 040	The information numbers of the municipalities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Eindhoven

The address book

Local names first, then the English name. Phone numbers are given with the country code +31 where the agency publishes one; from inside the Netherlands, replace +31 with 0, and where a number is free to call we say so. Websites are named rather than linked, so search for the organisation's name. Opening hours are the ones published on 24 September 2026, and several international centres close on Fridays or at lunchtime, so check before you travel.

Residence and identity

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst – Immigration and Naturalisation Service, IND	Residence permits and the MVV, residence documents and biometrics, the endorsement sticker while you wait, permanent residence, naturalisation decisions. Fees 2026: €423 for a highly skilled migrant, EU Blue Card, self-employed or start-up application; €254 for study, research, a partner or permanent residence; €85 for the family member of an EU citizen, the Withdrawal Agreement document or a child under 18 joining a parent; €171 to replace a lost card; naturalisation €1,139	+31 88 043 04 30 (from inside the Netherlands 088 043 04 30), Mon–Fri 9.00–17.00, standard rates; have your V-number or case number ready	Immigration and Naturalisation Service; My IND with DigiD to follow your application	Desks by online appointment only: Amsterdam, Pieter Calandlaan 1 (opposite Lelylaan station), 1065 KH; The Hague, Rijnstraat 8, 2515 XP; 's-Hertogenbosch, Leeghwaterlaan 14; Zwolle, Zuiderzeelaan 43-51. Rotterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven are served through the expat centres listed under Cities, which may charge for their own service; IND desks are free. Pay any fee due by debit card, contactless or cash, not credit card
Gemeente – your municipality (afdeling Burgerzaken, civil affairs)	Registration in the BRP and your BSN, reporting a move (from 4 weeks before to 5 days after), the naturalisation application and the option procedure, applying to exchange a foreign driving licence, an extract with your BSN for the bank, correcting wrong BRP data	Amsterdam 14 020, Rotterdam 14 010, The Hague 14 070, Utrecht 14 030, Eindhoven 14 040	Your municipality's website; most have English pages	Amsterdam: any City Office, walk-in, Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri 9.00–16.00, Thu 9.00–18.00 (Weesp by appointment). Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Eindhoven: by appointment – addresses under Cities
RNI-loket – Non-residents Records desk (part of the BRP), at 19 municipalities	A BSN for people staying less than 4 months, cross-border workers and people who live abroad but need a BSN; free. Fill in the online RNI form first to get a QR code and bring a valid passport or ID card (children under 16 also a birth certificate). If you later move here you register with your municipality, the RNI entry ends automatically and your BSN stays the same	Same numbers as the municipalities: Amsterdam 14 020, The Hague 14 070, Rotterdam 14 010, Utrecht 14 030, Eindhoven 14 040	NetherlandsWorldwide, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs site, lists the 19 desks; each municipality handles appointments	Amsterdam: Anton de Komplein 150 (Zuidoost) and Bos en Lommerplein 176 (West), by appointment. The Hague: Spui 70. Rotterdam: Coolsingel 40. Utrecht: Stadsplateau 1, by appointment, RNI extract €21.20. Eindhoven: Stadhuisplein 1. Since January 2026 non-EU nationals can only register in Breda or Venlo; the other desks serve holders of a European passport or ID card
DigiD (Logius, Ministry of the Interior) – the national digital identity	Logging in to MijnOverheid, the Belastingdienst, Mijn toeslagen, health insurers, My IND, My SVB and municipalities. Apply online with your BSN, BRP address and mobile phone; children apply themselves from 14; a DigiD expires after 3 years without use. Foreign identity and residence documents cannot be used for the app's ID check, so as a newcomer you activate the app with an SMS code or letter	Helpdesk +31 88 123 65 55, Mon–Fri 8.00–22.00, Sat 9.00–17.00	DigiD (English available)	Online only; the activation letter goes to your BRP address within 3 business days (at most 5 working days). From abroad, the code is handed over in a video call with NetherlandsWorldwide or at a DigiD desk
NetherlandsWorldwide – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs service for people abroad	The official checklist for moving to the Netherlands, MVV and Schengen visa procedures at embassies and consulates (Schengen visa €90, apply between 6 months and 15 days before travel, on average 25 calendar days), DigiD activation from abroad, a BSN from abroad, legalisation of documents	See the agency's website	NetherlandsWorldwide	Dutch embassies and consulates; the MVV sticker takes up to 10 working days and your passport must be valid for at least another 180 days when it is placed

Money, work and social insurance

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Belastingdienst – Netherlands Tax Administration	Income tax and the migration (M form) return, the 30% ruling, a BSN for non-residents, motor vehicle tax and bpm, the bank account number for refunds. The 30% ruling form, signed by employer and employee, goes to the Kennis- en Expertisecentrum Buitenland	BelastingTelefoon +31 555 385 385 from abroad, 0800 0543 (free) from inside the Netherlands, Mon–Thu 8.00–20.00, Fri 8.00–17.00; 30% ruling questions 055 - 538 53 85	Netherlands Tax Administration; Mijn Belastingdienst with DigiD or a European login	Appointments at a tax office or support point are booked online (the booking tool is in Dutch only); bring an interpreter if you speak neither Dutch nor English. Post for the 30% ruling: Belastingdienst/Kennis- en Expertisecentrum Buitenland, Postbus 2865, 6401 DJ Heerlen
Dienst Toeslagen – Benefits Office (part of the Tax Administration)	Zorgtoeslag (up to €129 a month for a single person and €246 for partners in 2026, income limits €40,857 and €51,142), huurtoeslag, kinderopvangtoeslag (childcare benefit) and kindgebonden budget. You apply once and the benefit continues each year; report changes within 4 weeks	0800 - 0543 (the BelastingTelefoon), free	Mijn toeslagen and the Toeslagen app, with DigiD or a European login; a trial calculation is available online	Help at toeslagenservicepunten and public libraries. Post: Dienst Toeslagen, Postbus 4510, 6401 JA Heerlen
Sociale Verzekeringsbank – Social Insurance Bank, SVB	Kinderbijslag (child benefit, per child per quarter from the 3rd quarter of 2026: €298.40 for ages 0–5, €362.35 for 6–11, €426.29 for 12–17), the AOW state pension (2 per cent of a full pension for each insured year), the Wlz assessment that decides whether you must take Dutch health insurance (up to 8 weeks), voluntary AOW insurance to buy back missing years	See the agency's website	SVB; My SVB with DigiD (site in Dutch, the child benefit claim form in English)	Contact by secure message in My SVB; the site's contact tool shows the phone number for your office
UWV – Employee Insurance Agency	WW unemployment benefit (75 per cent of your wage for 2 months, then 70 per cent, after at least 26 weeks worked in the last 36), sickness and disability benefit, the maternity, partner-leave and parental-leave benefits that your employer applies for, work permits (TWV), registration as a job seeker; the national EURES office	Individuals +31 88 898 20 01 from abroad, 088 898 92 94 inside the Netherlands; employers 088 898 92 95; work permits 088 898 20 70; dismissal 088 898 20 50; Mon–Fri 8.00–17.00, shorter waits before 10.00 or after 15.00; contact options in Dutch only	UWV; the job platform run by UWV and the municipalities, where you register once you have a BSN and DigiD	EU job seekers bringing a benefit from home need form PD U2 and must register with UWV within 7 days
De banken – the banks (basisbetaalrekening, basic payment account)	A current account, which you need to be paid, for a phone plan and for almost everything else. If you are refused an ordinary account, ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank and SNS must open a basic payment account for anyone with a genuine link to the Netherlands – payments and a debit card, but no overdraft, credit card or savings account. Banks may ask about your identity and the origin of your money	See the agency's website	Your bank; Kifid, the financial complaints institute, if a refusal is not resolved with the bank	A branch of your bank; bring a passport or ID card and your BSN, or a municipal extract showing the BSN
Stichting BKR – Bureau Krediet Registratie, the national credit register	Every credit above €250 running longer than a month is registered, including a phone bought in instalments; arrears are a negative registration, visible for 5 years after repayment. Lenders must consult BKR when you apply for a mortgage	See the agency's website	BKR (Mijn Kredietregistratie), where you can see your own registration	Online. BKR never e-mails about arrears or asks you to share data via a link
Kamer van Koophandel – Chamber of Commerce, KVK	Registering a business or freelance activity in the Handelsregister: €85.15 one-off, in person by appointment, no later than 1 week after starting; you need a BSN and a valid residence permit. Since 1 January 2025 the Belastingdienst again enforces the rules on false self-employment (Wet DBA)	See the agency's website	KVK; the government business portal (Netherlands Enterprise Agency and KVK) in English	KVK offices, by appointment only
Huurcommissie – Rent Tribunal	Testing the initial rent (within 6 months of moving in), rent increases, service charges and defects for social and mid-rent homes; tenants pay €25 in advance, refunded if they win. Since 1 January 2025 you can also report an excessive rent to your municipality, which can fine the landlord	088 - 1 600 300, working days 9.00–17.00	Huurcommissie; MijnHuurcommissie with DigiD to start a case; English information on the central government site	Post: Postbus 16495, 2500 BL Den Haag
Het Juridisch Loket – the Legal Aid Desk	Free first-line legal advice for people with a low income and little savings, including tenancy questions the Huurcommissie does not handle, such as notice, the deposit and agency fees	0800 - 8020 (free), Mon–Fri 9.00–17.00; from abroad +31 30 239 2030	Het Juridisch Loket (English pages available)	Walk-in hours at local offices; Amsterdam: De Ruijterkade 6, 1013 AA, Mon 9.00–11.00 and 13.00–15.00, Tue 9.00–11.00

Health and safety

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Alarmnummer 112 – the emergency number (Landelijke Meldkamer, Driebergen)	Police, fire brigade and ambulance in life-threatening situations and crimes in progress; the 112NL app for chat and automatic translation	112	Central government (Rijksoverheid) information pages on 112 and the 112NL app	No visits
Politie – the Police	Reporting crimes after the event, a collision with only material damage, and the police report you need to replace a lost or stolen residence document	0900-8844 when it is not urgent; 112 in an emergency	Politie	See the agency's website
Zorgverzekeraars – the health insurers	Basisverzekering (basic health insurance), which everyone who lives or works here must take out within 4 months: insurers must accept you at the same premium regardless of age or health, average €157 a month in 2026 with a €385 excess; supplementary cover for dental care, physiotherapy and glasses is optional and can be refused. Insurers publish next year's premiums by 12 November; cancel by 31 December and sign up with a new insurer before 1 February	See the agency's website	Your insurer; the central government pages on the zorgverzekering explain the rules in Dutch and English	Your insurer can also help you find a huisarts. Your Dutch insurance card usually carries the European Health Insurance Card on the back
CAK – Centraal Administratie Kantoor	The agency that traces the uninsured: after its letter you have 3 months to insure or ask the SVB for a Wlz assessment, then a fine of €529.74 (2026), a second fine 3 months later, and after that the CAK insures you itself and takes €172.70 a month from your income for 12 months. Also the administrative premium for people 6 or more months in arrears, and treaty cover for people abroad with a Dutch pension	Uninsured 0800 - 5028 (free), from abroad +31 88 711 5989; general 088 - 711 4000 (inside the Netherlands); Wlz and Wmo 0800 - 0087; health insurance abroad +31 88 711 5551; Mon–Fri 8.30–17.00	CAK (English pages); My CAK	International or private policies such as AON, OOM, Cigna or Allianz do not count as Dutch basic insurance
Huisarts and huisartsenpost – GP and out-of-hours GP service	Your first contact for all care and the referral to hospital; GP care is fully reimbursed with no excess, at the practice and at the huisartsenpost. A practice may refuse you if you live too far away or it is full	See the agency's website	Your practice; your insurer helps you find one	A practice near your home – register when you arrive, before you need it
GGD – Gemeentelijke Gezondheidsdienst, the municipal public health service	The tuberculosis test that most non-EU newcomers must take within 3 months of arrival (exempt: nationalities on the IND list, children aged 11 or younger, people tested here in the last 6 months); baby and toddler check-ups at the consultatiebureau; childcare inspection	Amsterdam childcare inspection 020 555 5575	The GGD of your region	Your regional GGD; in Amsterdam the Ouder- en Kindcentrum gives the check-ups at 11, 14 and 18 months that can lead to a preschool place
Fraudehelpdesk – the national fraud reporting desk	Checking a suspicious rental offer or message: the warning signs are a rent that is low for the location, a landlord only reachable online or abroad, no viewing, and payment to a foreign bank account	See the agency's website	Fraudehelpdesk	Online

Moving goods, cars and pets

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Douane – Dutch Customs	Removal goods: from another EU country no declaration at all. From outside the EU an exemption if you lived at least 12 consecutive months outside the EU, owned and used the goods for at least 6 months, bring them within 12 months of settling here and do not sell or lend them within 12 months; no exemption for alcohol, tobacco or commercial vehicles. Your removal company files the declaration in the Customs system with your signed inventory and proof of settling here	See the agency's website	Dutch Customs (Douane)	Pets from outside the EU are reported to Customs on arrival; commercial movements only via Schiphol
Belastingdienst – car taxes (bpm and mrb)	The verhuisboedelvrijstelling (relocation exemption) from bpm for a car you owned and used for at least 6 months before moving from another EU country, applied for within 12 months of the move – a paper bpm return is still filed; the 2-week short-term exemption that lets you drive on foreign plates to the RDW inspection; motor vehicle tax billed automatically once the car is in your name	+31 555 385 385 from abroad, 0800 0543 inside the Netherlands	Netherlands Tax Administration	Post for the exemption: Belastingdienst, Postbus 4, 6400 AA Heerlen
RDW – Dienst Wegverkeer, Netherlands Vehicle Authority	Registering an imported car (identification €58.50, registration certificate €50.00, registration in your name €13.10, recycling fee €22.50), the driving-licence register and the exchange of foreign licences applied for via your municipality; a free one-day registration to drive to the inspection. Anyone registered in the BRP may not drive a foreign-plated car	Consumers +31 88 008 74 70 from abroad (or +31 598 69 33 30), 088 008 7447 inside the Netherlands, press 0 for English; business 088 008 7477; Mon–Fri 8.00–17.00	RDW (English pages)	Offices in Veendam (Skagerrak 10, 9642 CZ) and Zoetermeer (Europaweg 205, 2711 ER), working days 8.00–17.00, and 16 testing stations; the EU-import inspection takes 25 to 55 minutes and you must attend in person with the complete original foreign registration certificate
CBR – Centraal Bureau Rijvaardigheidsbewijzen, driving test authority	The gezondheidsverklaring (health declaration) required when you exchange a licence from outside the EU/EFTA, theory and practical tests if your licence cannot be exchanged (a US licence cannot, unless you have the 30% ruling), medical assessments at 75 and over	+31 88 227 77 00 (088 227 77 00 inside the Netherlands), Mon–Fri 9.00–17.00	CBR; Mijn CBR, open daily 6.00–24.00	Test locations across the country
NVWA – Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority	Bringing dogs, cats and ferrets: microchip, rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or older and at least 21 days before departure (so no animals under 15 weeks), EU pet passport; from high-risk countries also a rabies antibody test followed by a 90-day wait. Up to 5 pets per traveller. A dog must be registered in the Dutch dog database within 2 weeks of arrival if you stay more than 3 months	See the agency's website	NVWA (English pages)	No visits; an animal that does not meet the rules can be quarantined or sent back at your cost
Milieuzones in Nederland – the national overview of low-emission zones	Four cities have a milieuzone for diesel cars: Amsterdam (inside the A10, emission class 5 or higher), Utrecht and Arnhem (class 5 or higher) and The Hague (class 4 or higher); Eindhoven introduces one on 1 January 2027. Petrol, LPG and electric cars may always enter, no sticker or registration exists, and foreign cars are subject to the same rules. Zero-emission zones for vans and lorries apply in several cities since 1 January 2025; the only official exemption site is the RDW's	See the agency's website	Milieuzones in Nederland; the RDW for exemptions	Amsterdam fines: €90 for mopeds, €130 for cars and vans, €320 for lorries
ACM ConsuWijzer – the consumer desk of the Authority for Consumers and Markets	Your rights with energy and telecom suppliers: the notice period on any energy contract is at most 1 month, a termination fee only applies to a fixed-term, fixed-price contract, and you can buy gas and electricity from different suppliers; a telecom subscription may not tie you for more than 2 years and one signed online or by phone can be cancelled within 14 days	See the agency's website	ACM ConsuWijzer; which network operator serves your address can be looked up online	Online. With district or block heating you cannot choose the heat supplier

Education and qualifications

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
DUO – Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, Education Executive Agency	Student finance and the tuition fee loan, the temporary education number for a child without a BSN, the NT2 state exams (Programme I at B1, Programme II at B2; €50 a part, €200 for a complete exam). Statutory tuition 2026-2027: €2,694 full-time for EU/EEA students and holders of listed permits; others pay the institutional fee	Student finance 050-599 77 55 at normal rates (never a 0900 relay number), chat on working days 9.00–17.00, shortest waits 9.00–11.00; NT2 exams 050-599 89 33, option 1	DUO; Mijn DUO with DigiD	Questions about civic integration go to the separate service below
DUO – Inburgering (civic integration)	The letter that starts your 3-year integration period, the exams (Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing and Knowledge of Dutch Society, €50 each), the loan for a course at a listed school (interest 2.29 per cent in 2026) and the fines for non-asylum migrants: at most €1,000 for missing the deadline. Asylum status holders get the course paid by the municipality and 2 free attempts at each exam	050 599 96 00, Mon–Fri 9.00–12.00 and 13.00–17.00; have your BSN ready	The DUO civic integration site (Inburgeren), in English; Mijn Inburgering with DigiD	Service points by online appointment in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Groningen, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zwolle. Post: DUO, Integration Service Centre, PO Box 764, 9700 AT Groningen. Register early: it may take more than 6 weeks before you can sit an exam
Gemeente – your municipality (inburgering and basic skills)	The broad intake with a learnability test and your personal Integration and Participation Plan (PIP), which fixes your route: B1, education or self-reliance. Family and other migrants pay for their own course; municipalities also receive about €85 million a year to offer residents basic-skills courses, and the Informatiepunt Digitale Overheid in public libraries helps free of charge with forms from the municipality, UWV and the Belastingdienst	Amsterdam 14 020, Rotterdam 14 010, The Hague 14 070, Utrecht 14 030, Eindhoven 14 040	Your municipality's website; in Amsterdam the Taalwijzer lists walk-in information points per neighbourhood	Your public library, which often runs free courses and Taalcafés; in Amsterdam the OBA library's Leef en Leer programme
Nuffic – the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education (ENIC-NARIC)	What your foreign diploma compares to, the Assistance Centre for Professional Recognition, education-system descriptions for over 100 countries; automatic EU recognition applies to doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists, vets and architects, and no diploma or permit is needed for professions that are not regulated	+31 70 4260 260, Mon–Thu 9.00–17.00, Fri 9.00–13.00	Nuffic; contact form online	Kortenaerkade 11, 2518 AX The Hague; post: PO Box 29777, 2502 LT The Hague
IDW – Internationale Diplomawaardering, international credential evaluation	A formal evaluation of one diploma per application for the labour market, €148.83, applied for online; usually not mandatory but employers may ask for it. Free for most people who are integrating, who can also request an indication of educational level without papers	+31 79 321 79 30, Mon and Thu 9.00–11.00	IDW; My IDW	Online only; processing times are currently longer because of the number of applications
Basisschool and middelbare school – primary and secondary school	Primary school from age 4, compulsory from the first day of the month after your child turns 5 until 16, free apart from a voluntary parental contribution; newly arrived pupils first get Dutch lessons in a taalklas or, from 12, an internationale schakelklas (ISK). To enrol you need the child's BSN or a temporary education number from DUO. School holidays are set nationally in three regions	Your school; in Amsterdam the City sends a preference form around the third birthday (list at least five schools; priority at the 8 nearest)	Schoolwijzer Amsterdam and each school's own site; the government site for the holiday dates	Register with a school directly if your child is already 4 or older when you arrive. Amsterdam newcomer classes for ages 6–12 at 17 locations; ISK at Montessori Lyceum Oostpoort (Oost) and Mundus College (West)
Kinderopvang – childcare (LRK, the national childcare register)	Day care (0–4), out-of-school care and registered childminders; kinderopvangtoeslag covers up to 230 hours a month per child at 96 per cent of the maximum hourly price (€11.23 day care, €9.98 out-of-school care, €8.49 childminder in 2026) for joint incomes up to €56,412, if both parents work, study, follow a work trajectory or a compulsory integration course. Apply within 3 months of the start. The plan to replace the benefit by a direct subsidy from 1 January 2029 is a bill, not law	Amsterdam childcare inspection (GGD) 020 555 5575	The LRK register; Dienst Toeslagen for the benefit	Providers themselves; in Amsterdam the voorschool offers 16 hours a week to every child aged 2 to 4, registration from age 1, and Stadspas holders pay at most €24 a month
Hoger onderwijs – universities and universities of applied sciences (hbo)	Statutory tuition €2,694 in 2026-2027 (the halved first-year fee no longer exists); mbo and vavo students aged 18 or over on 1 August pay €1,511. Non-EU students may work at most 16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August, and must earn at least half the credits each year; the study permit (€254) is applied for by the institution, and the study norm to prove is €1,130.77 a month	See the agency's website	Each institution; DUO for fees and loans	Each campus; the IND held Student Days in Utrecht in August and September 2026 where new students collected residence documents, and afterwards you collect at an IND desk

Cities

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Gemeente Amsterdam – City of Amsterdam, with IN Amsterdam (the expat centre)	BRP registration and BSN, passports, parking, municipal taxes and the Schoolwijzer. IN Amsterdam is the one-stop shop for highly skilled migrants and EU employees of IND-recognised sponsors in Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Almere, Diemen, Haarlem, Haarlemmermeer, Hilversum and Velsen: registration, BSN and IND biometrics or document collection in one visit, for a municipal fee (€76 excluding VAT, €91.96 including, for a highly skilled or EU migrant; €39/€47.19 for a partner, €20/€24.20 per child; combined IND and registration procedure €321/€388.41); orientation-year and start-up permit holders pay nothing; no cash	City 14 020, Mon–Fri 8.00–18.00, from abroad +31 20 624 1111. IN Amsterdam +31 20 254 7999, 9.15–12.00 and 13.00–16.30	City of Amsterdam (English site); IN Amsterdam, with the guide Move to the Amsterdam Area in 9 steps	Registration from abroad: any City Office in person, no appointment (Weesp excepted), Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri 9.00–16.00, Thu 9.00–18.00. IN Amsterdam: World Trade Center, Tower Two, ground floor (entrance via Zuidplein), Strawinskylaan 1767, 1077 XX Amsterdam, Mon–Fri 9.00–17.00, IND desk until 16.30; submit the online form, then call to fix a date. IND help desk closed 29 September, 14 October (from 14.00), 18 November (from 14.00) and 16 December 2026
Gemeente Rotterdam – City of Rotterdam, with the Rotterdam International Center	First registration by appointment, free, usually processed within 4 weeks after all documents are in; non-EU nationals need a residence permit or a pending application first; returning residents book a resettlement appointment. The Rotterdam International Center (a service of Rotterdam Partners) offers highly skilled migrants registration and BSN, IND document collection and biometrics and opening an account with ABN AMRO or ING in one visit, for a fee	City 14 010, from abroad +31 10 267 16 25. Rotterdam International Center +31 10 790 01 90	City of Rotterdam (with a translate function; Mijn Loket for online services); Rotterdam International Center with its Internationals Guide	RNI desk: Coolsingel 40. Rotterdam International Center: Groot Handelsgebouw, Weena 725, 3013 AM Rotterdam, Mon–Thu 9.00–17.00 by appointment, Fridays by phone and e-mail only
Gemeente Den Haag – City of The Hague, with The Hague International Centre	Registration within five days for The Hague, Delft, Rijswijk and Leidschendam-Voorburg, the BSN, IND documents and the deposit of foreign certificates, for employees of recognised sponsors, international organisations, embassies, universities and their families; all services free. The municipality of The Hague can also convert foreign civil-status certificates into Dutch records	City 14 070. The Hague International Centre +31 70 353 50 43	City of The Hague; The Hague International Centre, with guides for highly skilled migrants, EU workers, family migrants, students, diplomats and refugees	City Hall (Atrium), Spui 70, 2511 BT The Hague, Mon–Thu 9.00–17.00, by online appointment; closed on Easter Monday 6 April, King's Day 27 April, Ascension Day 14 May, Whit Monday 25 May and Christmas Day 25 December 2026. IND desk The Hague: Rijnstraat 8
Gemeente Utrecht – City of Utrecht, with the Utrecht International Center	Registration from abroad by appointment (product Verhuizing vanuit buitenland in the Dutch booking tool); BRP entry and BSN can take up to 4 weeks; only English, German and French documents are accepted without certified translation, and you are not registered before your rental or purchase contract starts. The centre combines the IND permit desk, civil affairs registration and a Work in NL information point, plus free information sessions	City 14 030, from abroad +31 30 286 00 00, press 1 for English (also for urgent registration cases)	City of Utrecht (English section); Utrecht International Center	Stadskantoor, Stadsplateau 1, 3521 AZ Utrecht, second floor. Mon closed; Tue 9.00–12.30 and 13.00–16.30; Wed information desk online only; Thu 9.00–12.30 (IND services only) and 13.00–16.30; Fri 9.00–12.30; extra IND biometrics-only hours Wed 9.00–12.30 and Fri 13.00–16.30. RNI desk by appointment, since 1 January 2026 only for holders of a European passport
Gemeente Eindhoven – City of Eindhoven, with Holland Expat Center South	Registration in person at the Inwonersplein within 5 days, by appointment; bring original foreign certificates, and proof of deregistration if you come from Belgium; non-EU nationals must contact the IND before they can register; a confirmation letter follows within 4 weeks. Holland Expat Center South (also for Tilburg and Breda) runs an accelerated permit and registration procedure for highly skilled migrants and families, an Internationals Guide and a Grensinfopunt for cross-border workers	City 14 040, from abroad +31 40 2386000. Holland Expat Center South +31 40 238-6775	City of Eindhoven (translate function and an English Contacts and Reports Card); Holland Expat Center South	Inwonersplein, Stadhuisplein 1. Holland Expat Center South: Succeed Offices, third floor, Stadhuisplein 10, 5611 EM Eindhoven, Mon–Fri 9.00–17.00 by appointment, walk-in questions on Fridays 9.00–17.00, when IND staff are not present. Closed 6 April, 27 April, 4–5 May, 14–15 May, 25 May and 25 December 2026 and 1 January 2027

The biggest cities

The Netherlands had 18,130,208 residents on 1 January 2026 according to CBS (Statistics Netherlands), 3,124,728 of them born abroad, and in 2025 there were 308,357 immigrations against 214,821 emigrations. Amsterdam is the capital under the Constitution and The Hague is the seat of government. The population figures below are CBS's definitive figures for 1 January 2026, and the fares are the operators' 2026 adult prices as published on 24 September 2026.

Amsterdam

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
941,927 on 1 January 2026 (CBS). The city's own statisticians count 941,873 and a growth of 7,500 in 2025, mainly through foreign migration, with the largest groups from the United States, Italy, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, India and Turkey	GVB (tram, bus, metro and ferries): €1.16 plus €0.217 a km with an OV-chipkaart or OVpay; 1-hour ticket €3.40, day ticket €10.00; GVB Vrij unlimited monthly pass €129.00 for adults 19+, €85.00 for ages 4–18	See the agency's website	Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer south-west of the city; the IND's Schiphol application centre is in Badhoevedorp	IN Amsterdam at the World Trade Center, Strawinskylaan 1767, and the city's English pages with the guide Move to the Amsterdam Area in 9 steps

Amsterdam has 7 districts, each with an elected district committee – Centrum, West, Nieuw-West, Zuid, Oost, Noord and Zuidoost – plus the Weesp urban area and the port area Westpoort. The city's own statisticians expect the strongest growth to 2055 in Oost (+42,500), Noord (+37,200), Zuidoost (+33,200) and Nieuw-West (+31,300), with 116,000 extra homes and the millionth inhabitant at the end of 2035, while Centrum stays about the same. IJburg and Zeeburgereiland, the island area in Oost, has 32,500 residents now and is expected to reach 62,700, the fastest growth of the city's 25 areas; Oud-Noord across the IJ has about 37,600. Everything inside the A10 ring is a low-emission zone – diesel cars need Euro 5 or better, there is no sticker to buy and the fine for a car is €130. A home bought after 1 April 2022 with a WOZ value up to €637,000 may not be rented out for 4 years without a permit, and the waste charge is €352 for a single-person household and €469 for two or more people.

Rotterdam

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
673,804 on 1 January 2026 (CBS)	RET (bus, tram and metro): Regio Vrij monthly pass R10 Rotterdam Centrum €84, R11 Rotterdam Centrum Groot €128, valid on RET, HTM, EBS and Transdev lines in the Rotterdam–The Hague region; RET 20% discount product €8.20 a month	See the agency's website	Rotterdam The Hague Airport, a civil airport of national significance; a new airport decree with opening hours and noise limits is due in 2027	Rotterdam International Center, Weena 725, with its Internationals Guide and online appointment booking; fees for appointments

Every wijk in Rotterdam has an elected wijkraad. Hillegersberg-Schiebroek, north of the A20, has almost 45,000 residents in five wijken; Feijenoord on the south bank has two parks, the largest indoor skatepark in the country and the Rotterdam-Zuid railway station, and Katendrecht-Wilhelminapier, part of the Feijenoord area, is, in the city's own words, one of the hippest wijken of Rotterdam after a redevelopment that began at the start of the century. Kralingen has its wijkhub at Slaak 12-14, and from Crooswijk you are minutes from both the Kralingse Bos and the centre. Since 1 December 2025 you need a housing permit to rent in 25 listed streets, among them Dordtselaan, Pleinweg, Slinge and Strevelsweg, and the landlord must complete a declaration of intent before you can register there. Rents in the city rose 4.7 per cent in the year to July 2026, the most of the four big cities.

The Hague

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
569,468 on 1 January 2026 (CBS)	HTM (tram and bus): Regio Vrij monthly pass DH70 Den Haag Centrum €63, DH74 Centrum, Zuidwest, Scheveningen and Rijswijk €103; 2-hour ticket €4.85, day ticket €8.60	The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Leiden University's faculty of governance and global issues on its campus in The Hague, and the University of the Arts The Hague (Royal Academy of Art and Royal Conservatoire); many students in the region study in Leiden or Delft	Rotterdam The Hague Airport	The Hague International Centre at City Hall, Spui 70 – free, with guides for highly skilled migrants, EU workers, family migrants, students, diplomats and refugees

The Hague has 8 stadsdelen (districts). Centrum, with 9 wijken, is where the city says there is the most variety and the most to do; Escamp, 7 wijken, holds the Zuiderpark, the city park of The Hague; Haagse Hout mixes housing, shops and green; Laak is central and the smallest in area, yet home to many people; Leidschenveen-Ypenburg has 3 wijken and the business parks Forepark and Hoornwijk; Loosduinen combines an old village core with newer housing and recreation areas; Scheveningen is the varied seaside district; and Segbroek, 5 wijken, takes its name from the old Segbroekpolder. Diesel cars need emission class 4 or higher to enter the city's low-emission zone, and the IND desk for The Hague is at Rijnstraat 8, by appointment only.

Utrecht

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
378,121 on 1 January 2026 (CBS)	U-OV (bus and tram): €1.16 boarding fee plus €0.201 a km; U-OV Max caps your OVpay spending at €100.00 a month (€65.00 for ages 12–18); U-OV Dal Vrij off-peak pass €30.00 a month	Utrecht University, ranked first in the Netherlands and 50th in the world on the Shanghai Ranking according to the international centre, and more than 10 universities and colleges in the region; over 70,000 students, 3,700 of them from abroad, and 51,000 people a day at Utrecht Science Park, the largest science park in the country	See the agency's website	Utrecht International Center on the second floor of the Stadskantoor, Stadsplateau 1, with a Work in NL information point for labour migrants

Utrecht has 10 wijken, each with its own wijkbureau: Binnenstad, Leidsche Rijn, Noordoost, Noordwest, Oost, Overvecht, Vleuten-De Meern, West, Zuid and Zuidwest. Binnenstad covers the old centre plus Hoog Catharijne, Utrecht Centraal station and the Jaarbeurs; Leidsche Rijn consists of Leidsche Rijn Centrum, Leeuwesteyn, Grauwaart, Parkwijk, Het Zand, Hoge Weide, Terwijde, Langerak, Strijkviertel and Rijnvliet, plus the office park Papendorp, where the new neighbourhood Groenewoud is planned; Oost includes Utrecht Science Park, Galgenwaard, Wilhelminapark and Rijnsweerd; Zuid consists of Lunetten, Hoograven, Tolsteeg, Bokkenbuurt and Rotsoord. The low-emission zone is blue: diesel cars need emission class 5 or higher. The municipality warns that registration appointments can take longer than usual because of high demand and staff shortages, and since 1 January 2026 its RNI desk only registers holders of a European passport.

Eindhoven

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
249,783 on 1 January 2026 (CBS)	Bravo buses run by Hermes: €1.16 boarding fee plus €0.202 a km; Brabant Altijd Vrij monthly pass €160 (youth €120), valid on all buses in Brabant; there is no Eindhoven-only monthly pass	Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), one of Brabant's two research universities, plus Design Academy Eindhoven and Fontys University of Applied Sciences	Eindhoven Airport, inside the municipality in the Strijp district (Meerhoven and Flight Forum)	Holland Expat Center South, Stadhuisplein 10, with an Internationals Guide, the Praat Nederlands Met Me campaign and a Grensinfopunt for cross-border workers

Eindhoven has 7 stadsdelen – Centrum, Gestel, Stratum, Strijp, Tongelre, Woensel-Noord and Woensel-Zuid – each with an area coordination team and neighbourhood enforcement officers reachable via 14 040. Centrum takes in De Bergen, the Witte Dame, the Binnenstad, Fellenoord and the TU/e campus in the station area, with four redevelopment areas; Strijp includes Strijp-S, Philipsdorp, De Hurk, Meerhoven, the airport and Flight Forum; Stratum has Elzent, Tivoli and the Irisbuurt; Woensel-Noord has Achtse Barrier, Blixembosch, the Woensel shopping centre and the village of Acht; Gestel has Genderdal, Bennekel, Hagenkamp and Gennep. Register at the Inwonersplein, Stadhuisplein 1, by appointment; the city warns that slots are limited and adds new ones daily about 4 weeks ahead. A blue low-emission zone for passenger cars starts on 1 January 2027.

Embassies in the Netherlands

Your embassy issues passports, registers births and helps in an emergency. These are the embassies most people moving to the Netherlands need – 43 countries. Addresses, phone numbers and e-mails were read on each embassy’s official website or the Dutch government’s list of foreign embassies in the Netherlands on 24 September 2026. Most consular services are by appointment only – book before you go.

Good to know

Dutch is the official language – administrative bodies must use it unless a law says otherwise, and in the province of Fryslân Frisian is official too – but the agencies you will meet publish English pages, and the national rule is that certificates in Dutch, English, French or German need no translation. Everyone aged 14 and over must be able to show a valid original identity document when the police or another authorised official asks; the law obliges you to show one, not to carry one, but not being able to show it is an offence and you may be taken to the station, so in practice you carry it. If you are waiting for your residence document, the IND's written statement, the artikel 9 letter, proves lawful residence.

The Netherlands uses the euro and pays by card: in 2025 only 17 per cent of payments at the till were cash, 83 per cent were by card and 39 per cent by phone or smartwatch, although 96 per cent of shops still accept cash. Since 1 January 2026 shops and other traders in goods may not accept cash payments of €3,000 or more; a duty to accept cash below that limit has been adopted by both chambers but is not yet in force, so pin-only shops remain legal for now. Bank transfers usually arrive within five seconds, euro transfers within Europe cost the payer nothing extra, and iDEAL, the online payment method that runs through your own bank, is gradually being replaced by Wero in 2026. A phone subscription with a handset worth more than €250 paid in instalments counts as a loan and is registered at BKR, which lenders must consult when you later apply for a mortgage.

Renting is national law with municipal enforcement. Since 1 July 2024 a new tenant gets a permanent contract unless one of the listed exceptions applies, and the deposit is capped at two months' bare rent, to be repaid within 14 days after the tenancy ends; the English government FAQ that still says three months is out of date. A points count must accompany every new contract, and within six months of moving in you can ask the Huurcommissie to test the initial rent. Maximum rent increases in 2026 are 6.1 per cent in the mid-rent sector, 4.4 per cent in the free sector and 4.1 per cent in social housing from 1 July, once a year. An agent who works for the landlord may not charge you a fee, however it is labelled, and wrongly paid fees can be reclaimed. Rents rose 4.4 per cent nationally in the year to July 2026, and existing owner-occupied homes cost €496,235 on average in June 2026.

Alcohol is sold from 18 and drivers, cyclists included, may have at most 0.5 per mille in their blood (0.2 with a beginner's licence); many sellers ask everyone under 25 for ID, and whether adults may drink on the street is decided by each municipality. Tobacco and e-cigarettes are sold from 18, smoking is banned in all public buildings and hospitality venues, and nicotine pouches are banned outright. Shops may open on weekdays and Saturdays from 6.00 to 22.00; each municipality decides about Sundays and public holidays. On 4 May, Remembrance Day, a two-minute silence is held at 20.00 and shops close by 19.00. There is no legal right to a day off on a public holiday – your CAO or contract decides – and Liberation Day, 5 May, is a day off in many CAOs only every five years, next in 2030. The official public holidays in 2026 are New Year's Day, Good Friday on 3 April, Easter on 5 and 6 April, King's Day on 27 April, Liberation Day on 5 May, Ascension Day on 14 May, Whitsun on 24 and 25 May and Christmas on 25 and 26 December.

A new Energiewet (Energy Act) has applied since 1 January 2026: every supplier must offer a model contract, the notice period on any energy contract is at most one month, and a termination fee may only be charged for leaving a fixed-price, fixed-term contract early. Tell your supplier at the latest two weeks before you move and pass on the meter readings within five days afterwards. Energy tax in 2026 is 73 cents per cubic metre of gas and 11.1 cents per kWh of electricity including VAT, offset by a fixed reduction of €629 per connection. There is no TV licence fee. A deposit of €0.15 applies to plastic bottles under a litre and to cans, and every household pays the municipal waste charge. The Netherlands is on Central European Time, the country code is +31, and you drop the leading zero of a domestic number when calling from abroad.

Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice. Numbers, prices and opening hours were checked on 24 September 2026 – check with the agency before you visit.