Moving
How-tos about moving in the Netherlands.
How to settle in after arriving as an international student in NL
Arrival is the start of a system, not a single moment. Sort the student-specific parts from the ones every newcomer faces: municipal registration, a BSN, DigiD, insurance and banking, and know which questions belong to your university.
How to bring your partner in NL
Use the standard IND partner residence-permit route to bring a foreign partner to live with you in the Netherlands. Different rules can apply under EU law or other special situations.
How to change your address after moving in NL
Report a move inside the Netherlands to your municipality so the Personal Records Database (BRP) is correct, any time from 4 weeks before your moving date to 5 days after it. Moving abroad is deregistration and follows different rules.
How to exchange your driving licence in NL
How to swap a foreign driving licence for a Dutch one through your municipality. The rules split sharply between EU/EFTA licences and licences from everywhere else, so check which applies before you drive.
How to find housing in NL
Prepare for a private rental search in the Netherlands, compare listings, check the tenancy terms and know the basic rules before you pay.
How to plan your first 90 days in NL
Plan your first 90 days in the Netherlands: registration, BSN, DigiD, health insurance and banking, with the deadlines and order that actually apply.
How to get a BSN in NL
Get your Burgerservicenummer (citizen service number), the unique number you need to work, study, open a bank account and use Dutch government services.
How to get a DigiD in NL
Apply for and activate DigiD, the login for Dutch government, tax and healthcare services. The route differs depending on whether you are registered with a municipality (BRP) or in the RNI.
How to get Dutch basic health insurance in NL
Take out the compulsory Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) within four months of your obligation starting, so cover is backdated instead of lost.
How to get your diploma evaluated in NL
How to obtain a credential evaluation (diplomawaardering) of a foreign diploma through IDW, what it costs and how long it takes, and why it is advice rather than legal recognition.
How to legalise a foreign document in NL
Legalisation, or an apostille, is what makes a document issued abroad usable by a Dutch authority. The route depends entirely on the country that issued it, and EU public documents are exempt. Check which applies before you pay.
How to move your household goods in NL
Moving your belongings to the Netherlands from inside the EU needs no customs declaration. From outside it, you cannot file the declaration yourself: a removal or transport company does it, and the relief has conditions.
How to set up DigiD, health insurance and a bank account in NL
Check insurance promptly, prepare banking and arrange DigiD once its registration requirements are met. Some tasks can run in parallel.
How to open a bank account in NL
How to open a Dutch payment account, and when you do not need one: under the SEPA Regulation a firm in the EU/EEA must accept any EU/EEA euro IBAN for transfers and direct debits.
How to register at the municipality in NL
Register as a resident in the BRP with the municipality where you live if you will stay in the Netherlands for more than 4 months.
How to check a Dutch rental contract before signing in NL
Review the contract type, rent and point score, service costs, deposit and fees, key clauses and move-in evidence before you sign a Dutch tenancy agreement or transfer money.
How to set up electricity, gas, water and internet in NL
Check what your Dutch home already includes, then start each service through the right route: an energy supplier you choose, a network operator and water company fixed by your address, and fixed internet that depends on what reaches the building.
How to deregister and close things out in NL
Work out whether you have to deregister from the BRP, arrange the deregistration in the final five days before you leave the Netherlands, keep DigiD usable abroad, and settle insurance, allowances, your home and the migration-year tax return.
How to use public transport in NL
Plan journeys, choose between OVpay, OV-pas and an existing OV-chipkaart, check in and out correctly, change operators, compare subscriptions and fix a missed check-out.
How to move out and get your rental deposit back in NL
End a Dutch tenancy cleanly: confirm notice, document inspections and handover, check deposit deductions, and recover your borg if it is not repaid.
How to buy a home and get a mortgage in NL
Move from mortgage readiness to an accepted offer, purchase agreement, valuation, financing, tax and notarial transfer without mixing the buying process with Dutch rental guidance.
How to import your car in NL
Register a foreign car in the Netherlands: check whether import is required, choose the Customs/BPM route, complete RDW registration, then arrange insurance, plates, MRB and APK.
How to move with your pet in NL
Bring an existing pet to the Netherlands: choose the right species and origin route, prepare the veterinary documents, enter through the correct EU route and complete any Dutch registration after arrival.