An expat who is going to live more than 4 months in the Netherlands within six months has to register with the municipality. You have to do this personally at the counter, within 5 working days after arrival in the Netherlands. When the partner and/or children also come to live in the Netherlands, they also have to register personally. When you register you will receive a BSN. This gives you the ability to work in the Netherlands. You also need the BSN to be able to arrange government business.

Make an appointment to register

To be able to register you need to make an appointment with the municipality concerned. You cannot go to the municipality without making an appointment, because then you will be sent away. Making an appointment is done via the internet. Go to the website of the municipality and choose 'register'. Often you can come by for an appointment within a few days.

How do you know which municipality you are in?

The larger cities all have their own municipality. For example, the city of Amsterdam is also the municipality of Amsterdam. Similarly, the city of Utrecht is also the municipality of Utrecht. Only smaller villages do not have their own municipality. If you live in Uithoorn, for example, then it falls under the municipality of De Ronde Venen. Also Mijdrecht, Abcoude and a number of smaller villages fall under the municipality of De Ronde Venen. To know under which municipality your town or village falls, you can best search on the Internet. 

What to bring to an appointment

• a valid passport for each person to be registered
• your birth certificate
• if you are married, your marriage certificate
• rental contract or purchase contract of the property in the municipality. Or if you are not the main resident the permission of the homeowner. You must then also bring a copy of the pasport of the homeowner.
• Minor children? For minor children, the municipality requires a birth certificate of the child and any marriage certificate of the parents.

FAQ

I. Am going to move house in the Netherlands. How do I report this move?

When you are registered at a residential address in the Netherlands and you are going to move, you have to inform the new municipality. In most cases you can report this via the Internet. Some municipalities require you to make an appointment to visit them. If you continue to live in the same municipality it can often be passed on via the municipality's website.

2. Can you just register at any address?

If you are registering at someone else's address you will need a permission paper from the main resident. Without a permission paper, regulations state that a person cannot register at someone else's address. If you buy or rent a house and you are the only and main tenant, you must show the purchase or rental contract to the municipality.

3. Is it compulsory to register with the municipality?

You are obliged to register free of charge with the municipality at your permanent residential address. If you are staying in the Netherlands for less than 4 months, you are not obliged to give a Dutch address. If you intend to stay longer than 4 months you are obliged to register at a Dutch address. Otherwise you risk a fine. 

4. Which authorities are informed by the municipality when you register?

The municipality informs all authorities that need this information to carry out their legal task. These include the tax authorities, the police, the fire department and hospitals.

5. How long does it take to process your registration?

The processing of your data takes approximately 1 to 5 working days.

6. Can you work in the Netherlands without being registered?

No, you cannot. If you stay in the Netherlands for less than four months it is not mandatory to register. However, you can only obtain a BSN if you register. To be able to work in the Netherlands you will need a BSN.

7. Do I have to deregister if I want to leave the Netherlands?

If you intend to leave the Netherlands for eight months or more, you will be obliged to deregister from the municipality. You have to make an appointment with the municipality to deregister. Bring your proof of identity and the address where you will be living abroad.