If you are coming to live and work in the Netherlands for less than 4 months, then you must register. You will then be regarded as a non-resident of the Netherlands (‘niet-ingezetene’) and you will be given a citizen service number (BSN). This is a unique number given by the Dutch government to everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands, whether temporarily or permanently.

In the Netherlands you can do this at 19 service desks of the Dutch government. 

This is how to register:

• Make an appointment at one of the 19 service desks.
• To save time, you can fill in your details before your visit to the service desk using the online registration form. You can do that via this link or by scanning the QR code below. The registration form is also available at the service desk.
• Once you have completed this form, you will receive a personalised QR code.
• Take the QR code and your ID to the service desk.

You must bring valid proof of identity with you when you register. This is a passport or EU identity card. You must also provide your residential address outside the Netherlands.

When you register, you must take along valid proof of identification – either a passport or an EU ID card.

In addition, you must provide your home address outside the Netherlands.

Fill in the registration form and take it with you to the servicepoint.

If you have worked in the Netherlands before and you registered then, you will already have a citizen service number (BSN). You do not need to register again. However, you will need to give your BSN to your employer. If you have forgotten or lost your BSN, you can request it from one of the 19 offices in the Netherlands. You will have to pay for this service.

If you are staying in the Netherlands for more than 4 months to work, then you must register at the municipality where you will be living, at your local town hall. You will then be registered as a resident of that municipality and will be regarded as a resident of the Netherlands (‘ingezetene’). You must register within 5 days after arriving in the Netherlands or when it becomes clear that you will be living and working here for more than 4 months.

If you want to work in the Netherlands for more than 4 months, but live outside the Netherlands, then you must register as a non-resident (‘niet-ingezetene’). You can do so at one of 19 offices of the Dutch government in the municipalities of Alkmaar, Almelo, Amsterdam, Breda, The Hague, Doetinchem, Eindhoven, Groningen, Goes, Heerlen, Leeuwarden, Leiden, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Venlo, Westland and Zwolle. These are offices of the Registry for Non-Residents (RNI). 

Yes, then your partner and/or children must also register in the Netherlands. They must also do so at the municipality where you will be living. Your partner and/or children will then also be given a citizen service number (BSN).

When you register at the town hall, you need to take some documents with you. Take along a valid passport or EU ID card. It is also useful to take along documents of certain life events, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, declaration of acknowledgement of paternity, or divorce certificate. Ask the municipality where you will be living which documents you should take along. Sometimes, it is also possible to hand in documents later on. You can ask the municipality where you will be living about that as well.

If you are moving to a different municipality in the Netherlands, then inform your new municipality of your new address. You can do so through the website or at the office of your new municipality. You do not need to go through the entire registration procedure again. Your new municipality will process your change of address. If you are moving house within the same municipality, you must also inform the municipality of your change of address. You can do so at the town hall, sometimes it is possible to make the change through the website of the municipality.

Are you going back to the country that you came from, or to a different country, for longer than eight months? Then you need to deregister at the municipality you live in, within five days before you leave. Your partner and/or children must also deregister if they move with you.

If you are coming to work in the Netherlands, register within five days of your arrival with the municipality where you will be living. After registering, you will receive a BSN (citizen service number). This is a unique personal number used to process your personal data. The number is issued only once. You will not be able to take out health insurance without a BSN number.

A BSN is the registration number you get from the Dutch government. You will need this unique personal number for your contact with the government. Organisations outside the government may only use the BSN following legal approval. You will need the number for working in the Netherlands, for opening a Dutch bank account and for taking out Dutch health insurance. Never give your BSN to anyone else, unless it is a legal obligation, as people could misuse it.

No, that is not permitted. Without a BSN you cannot work in the Netherlands if you are working for a Dutch employer. Your employer needs your BSN in order to file your payroll tax return. You also need a BSN if you live in the Netherlands. Only ff you are not living here, but you are only working here (temporarily) for an employer abroad, or have been posted here by an employer abroad, then you do not need a BSN.

No, that is not necessary if you are living here for less than four months.

You can register with one of 19 different municipalities if you do not have a permanent address in the Netherlands.

You can register using your temporary residential address in the Netherlands.

In that case, make sure you always notify the municipality where you are registered of any change of address as soon as possible. You must also notify your health insurance provider of any change of address.

If you are staying in the Netherlands for more than four months, then you are obliged to register a Dutch home address with the municipality.

You can use a DigiD for the online services of government organisations.

For example, you need a DigiD to arrange matters online with your health insurer. You can also use a DigiD to make an application to the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency). Having a DigiD means that you no longer have to physically go to a service point for everything you need.

To apply for a DigiD, you must be in possession of:

• Dutch nationality or the nationality of another EEA country (the EU countries, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
• a valid passport or identity card of an EEA country (please note: Not a driving licence)
• citizen service number (BSN)
• registration in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP)/Register of non-residents (RNI)
• a mobile phone on which you can receive text messages
• an e-mail address

To obtain a DigiD, you must be registered in the Netherlands. How to apply for your DigiD depends on how you are registered (see also: I am not registered yet; where do I arrange my registration in the Netherlands? ) If you do not know how you are registered or accidentally choose the wrong application process, you will be automatically redirected to the correct application process based on your BSN (Citizen Service Number).

If you are registered as a resident of a municipality, the procedure is as follows:

1. Go to www.DigiD.nl and select 'Apply or activate'.
2. During the application, select 'I live in the Netherlands'. Remember your user name and password.
3. A letter with an activation code will be sent to your home within three working days at the latest. The time of arrival depends on the mail delivery in your area. Important note: the letter is sent to the address where you are registered with your municipality in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP).

If you are registered as a non-resident*, please follow these steps:

1. Go to www.DigiD.nl and select 'Apply or activate'.
2. During the application, select 'I do not live in the Netherlands'. Remember your user name and password.
3. After completing the application, you will receive a service point code (baliecode). Within 30 days of the date of your application, you can go to one of the desks of the Register of Non-Residents (Registratie Niet-Igezetenen or RNI) with your service point code (baliecode), where you will receive an activation code for your Digital Personal Identification or DigID.
4. Prior to being able to collect your activation code from the RNI desk, you must make an appointment with the RNI desk where you collect your code. Do it as soon as you can, you may have to wait.  

* If you are registered as a non-resident but have lived in the Netherlands for more than four months, you should first register as a resident at the municipality where you are staying.

You can choose one of the following service points to collect your DigiD activation code. Make an appointment online at the service point of your choice via the link.

You must collect your activation code yourself. You cannot authorise someone else to do this.

If you expect to work or live in the Netherlands for more than four months, you should register with the municipality where you will be living.

See also: What should I do if I want to work or live in NL for more than four months?

If you expect to work or live in the Netherlands for less than four months, you can register at one of the 19 RNI service points. This is possible in the municipalities of Alkmaar, Almelo, Amsterdam, Breda, The Hague, Doetinchem, Eindhoven, Groningen, Goes, Heerlen, Leeuwarden, Leiden, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Venlo, Westland and Zwolle.

See also: What should I do if I want to work or live in the Netherlands for less than four months?