FORMALITIES
BSN All residents in the Netherlands who are planning to stay more than four months must register with the municipality in which they intend to live. Upon registration they are issued with a Burgerservicenummer – BSN. The BSN is crucial for gaining access to a range of services and facilities including banking, taxation, insurances and benefits, similar to the National Insurance number in the UK and the social security number in the US. The registration needs to be made in person, with all family members present. All residents new to the Netherlands are required by Dutch law to register their presence within five days after arriving. When registering at the municipality where a BSN will be issued the following documentation is required: • a valid passport or identity card; • non-EU citizens must also have a valid residence permit, be in the process of applying for one or have intent to apply within four weeks; • a tenancy agreement, or a signed statement with a photocopy of the passport of the main occupant, stating that they are allowed to register at that address, or a document that proves that the applicant is the owner of a property: a deed of ownership or a deed of transfer; The following documents are not necessarily required at the registration appointment however must be supplied for administrative purposes: • an original or legalised copy of the applicant’s birth certificate;* • if applicable, an original or legalised copy of the applicant’s marriage/divorce certificate.* Note: applicants must intend to reside in the municipality for at least four months in the six-month period following registration. * If the document is written in a language other than English, German, French or Dutch a translation must be provided by a sworn translator and in some cases the translated document needs to be legalised.
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