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Moving to the Netherlands checklist: the first 30 days decide how smoothly everything else goes. Register with your municipality within 5 days to get your BSN, then use that number to apply for DigiD, open a bank account, take out Dutch health insurance and register with a GP. This guide puts every step in order, with the official deadlines.
The deadlines that matter most
- Within 5 days of arrival: register with your municipality (if you stay longer than 4 months). You get your BSN here.
- Within 4 months: take out Dutch basic health insurance if you live or work here.
- Within 4 months of your first working day: the 30% ruling application, if you want it to apply from day one.
- Within 21 days: activate your DigiD after the letter arrives.
- 185 days: how long a non-EU driving licence stays valid after you move here.
Before you arrive: what to prepare
- Residence permit (non-EU nationals): if you stay longer than 90 days you may need one. Your employer, university or the IND tells you which permit applies and when to collect it.
- Valid passport or ID card for everyone moving with you.
- Birth certificate and, if relevant, marriage certificate. Depending on the country they must be legalised (or carry an apostille) and sometimes translated. Ask your new municipality which documents it needs.
- Proof of address: a rental contract or written permission from the main occupant. Without an address you cannot register as a resident.
- Book the registration appointment early. Busy cities such as Amsterdam can have waiting times, so make the appointment before you travel.
Day 1–5: register with your municipality and get your BSN
If you will live in the Netherlands for longer than 4 months, you must register in the Personal Records Database (BRP) within 5 days of arriving. You do this in person at the municipality (gemeente) where you live, and everyone who moved with you must come along. The municipality can fine you if you register late.
At registration you receive your citizen service number (BSN). You need it for almost everything that follows: your employer, the tax office, your bank, your health insurer and your GP.
Staying for less than 4 months? Then you register as a non-resident in the RNI instead. You still receive a BSN.
Week 1–2: DigiD and your bank account
DigiD
DigiD is your login for the tax office, Toeslagen (allowances), MijnOverheid and many health services. To apply you need your BSN, a registered address with a Dutch municipality and a mobile phone. The activation letter arrives at your registered address within a few working days (DigiD says at most 5). You must activate it within 21 days, or apply again. Our DigiD, MijnOverheid and Toeslagen guide explains the next steps.
Bank account
You will need a Dutch bank account for your salary, rent, phone contract and direct debits. Banks ask for your BSN, so open the account after registration. Compare the account fees and check whether the bank’s app is available in English.
Getting around
On trains, trams, buses and metros you can check in and out with a contactless bank card or phone (OVpay), so you can travel before you have Dutch cards. See our transport guide.
Week 2–4: health insurance, GP and work
Health insurance
Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must generally have Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering). Take it out within 4 months; the cover and the premium then start from the date the obligation began. You can be fined if you do not take it out on time. In 2027 the compulsory deductible (eigen risico) is €400. Read our Dutch health insurance 2027 guide before you choose a policy.
On a low or middle income you may be entitled to zorgtoeslag (healthcare allowance). You apply through Mijn Toeslagen with your DigiD.
Register with a GP (huisarts)
Registering with a huisarts is not compulsory, but do it early: the GP is your entry point to almost all other care, and many practices have waiting lists. Our guide to finding a huisarts explains how to find one with space.
Work and tax
- Give your employer your BSN and bank account number so your salary can be paid.
- 30% ruling: if you qualify, your employer and you apply together. Apply within 4 months of your first working day so it applies from the start. See our 30% ruling checklist.
- Check what you will actually take home with our net salary calculator.
- For the year you arrive, you usually file a special tax return: the M form (migration form).
Month 1 and later: the things people forget
- Driving licence: a licence from an EU/EFTA country remains valid. A licence from outside the EU/EFTA can be used for the first 185 days after you move; after that you need a Dutch licence. Some licences can be exchanged, others require Dutch driving tests. Check the RDW rules early.
- Children: children aged 5 to 16 must go to school. If you register children, the SVB (Social Insurance Bank) contacts you about child benefit (kinderbijslag), usually within 3 to 6 weeks.
- Civic integration: if you must integrate (inburgeren), the municipality tells you after registration. You generally have 3 years to complete it.
- Allowances: depending on your income you may qualify for zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag (rent allowance) or kinderopvangtoeslag (childcare allowance). Report changes in income quickly to avoid paying back.
- Home insurance and liability insurance: not compulsory, but liability insurance (aansprakelijkheidsverzekering) is cheap and widely used. Read the conditions of your rental contract too.
Moving to the Netherlands checklist: the 30-day timeline
| When | What to do | You need |
|---|---|---|
| Before you travel | Residence permit (if needed), documents legalised, registration appointment booked | Passport, birth certificate, rental contract |
| Day 1–5 | Register with the municipality, receive BSN | Passport, documents, proof of address |
| Week 1 | Apply for DigiD | BSN, registered address, mobile phone |
| Week 1–2 | Open a bank account, give BSN and IBAN to employer | BSN, ID |
| Week 2–4 | Take out health insurance (deadline 4 months), register with a GP | BSN, bank account |
| Within 4 months of starting work | 30% ruling application (if eligible) | Employment contract, employer’s cooperation |
| After registration | Check zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag and child benefit | DigiD |
| Within 185 days | Arrange a Dutch driving licence if yours is from outside the EU/EFTA | Your licence, RDW check |
FAQ
Can I get a BSN before I have a home?
To register as a resident you need an address. If you stay less than 4 months or do not have a Dutch address yet, you can register as a non-resident (RNI) and still receive a BSN. Ask your municipality which option applies to you.
What happens if I register late with the municipality?
The rule is to register within 5 days. The municipality can issue a fine if you register too late, and without registration you will not receive a BSN as a resident, which delays everything else.
Do I need Dutch health insurance if I still have insurance at home?
If you live or work in the Netherlands you generally must take out Dutch basic insurance, even if you have a foreign policy. There are exceptions, for example for some posted workers and students; check your situation with the SVB.
How long does DigiD take?
The activation letter is sent to your registered address and arrives within a few working days. You then have 21 days to activate it.
Several rules depend on your nationality, your permit and your work situation. Always check the official pages below for your own case.
Sources
- Government.nl: when to register in the BRP (within 5 days, stays longer than 4 months) and the BSN.
- NetherlandsWorldwide: checklist for relocating to the Netherlands (registration, health insurance within 4 months, DigiD, M form, bank account, GP, child benefit, civic integration).
- DigiD.nl: applying for and activating DigiD (BSN, registered address, activation within 21 days).
- Belastingdienst: applying for the 30% facility within 4 months of the first working day.
- RDW: driving with a foreign driving licence (EU/EFTA licences, 185 days for non-EU licences).
- Rijksoverheid: eigen risico €400 in 2027 (Prinsjesdag 2026).
More in our guide: Moving to the Netherlands – the newcomer guide for internationals
New in the Netherlands? Get our free first 30 days checklist.
BSN, DigiD, bank, health insurance and GP: every official deadline on two pages, plus our Netherlands 2027 Money Checklist. Confirm your email and the PDF is yours; we will also email you when the 2027 figures are confirmed.
