Guide
Getting your BSN
The citizen service number is the key to almost everything official here. You will be asked for it before you have one. This is how it actually arrives.
Who this page is for
For everyone. You need a BSN whether you are from the EU or from outside it.
What a BSN is, and who needs one
The burgerservicenummer is the number every Dutch organisation files you under. Your employer needs it to pay you correctly. Your insurer needs it to write a policy. The tax office needs it. And DigiD, the login for almost every official service, cannot exist without it.
You do not apply for a BSN on its own. You get it when you register as a resident with the gemeente you live in.
Five days to register, weeks to get an appointment
If you stay longer than four months, you have to register within five days of arriving. In a big city the first free appointment is often weeks away.
Both things are true at the same time. The answer is to book the earliest appointment you can get on the day you land. The five days are not a test you have already failed.
Waiting times differ a lot by city, and some gemeentes release new appointments every day. It is worth looking more than once.
What to bring
The list is short, but a missing paper usually means a new appointment rather than a quick fix.
- A valid passport or ID card. Also your residence permit, or the sticker in your passport, if you have one.
- Proof of the address you are registering at. This is usually your rental contract, and sometimes a letter from your landlord.
- A legalised or apostilled birth certificate, and a marriage certificate if you are married. Arrange these before you leave home. Getting an apostille from another country is much harder than getting one where you live.
If you are here for less than four months
Short stays do not register as residents. Neither do people who live in Belgium or Germany and travel in.
In that case you get a BSN through the RNI, the register for non-residents. Only some gemeentes have an RNI desk, and it may not be the city you are in.
What you can do while you wait
Much of the first-month list does not need the number. A prepaid Dutch SIM works from day one and makes every appointment easier. Contactless bank cards work on public transport straight away. Some banks open an account before your BSN arrives and let you add it later.
Once the number arrives, DigiD is the next step. Its activation letter comes by post a few working days after you apply. Health insurance and the tax office come after that.
The app does the dates for you
Everything on this page depends on where you are from, which permit you have and when you arrived. settlme asks you once, then counts your deadlines down in the order they come.
Questions people ask about this
- How long does it take to get a BSN?
- You usually get it at your registration appointment, or shortly after. The wait is the appointment itself. That can be a few days or several weeks, depending on the city and the time of year. Book it on the day you arrive rather than the week you need the number.
- Can I work in the Netherlands without a BSN?
- You can start work, but your employer needs the number to pay you correctly. Without it, tax is usually taken from your pay at the highest rate. Tell your employer the date of your appointment so they know the number is coming.
- Do I need a Dutch address to register?
- Yes. Registration ties you to an address, so you need a rental contract or similar proof. Some gemeentes also want a letter from the person who owns or rents the property. Registering at an address where you do not live is taken seriously.