Find your way in the Netherlands
Practical topics for the questions that come up before and after a move. Pick a subject, then read the guide here.
Moving & visas
RijbewijsExchange a foreign driving licence in the Netherlands in 2026
This guide is for residents who hold a driving licence from another country. It covers what you must meet to exchange it, which papers you need and what it costs, and it also explains the path you follow if Dutch driving tests are required.
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INDDutch residence permits: choose the right route
Look up IND (Dutch immigration service) pathways based on your nationality and reason for staying, covering family, work, study, exchange, protection, special situations, and continued or permanent residence.
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AankomstFamily reunification in the Netherlands: apply for an MVV (provisional residence permit) through TEV (entry and residence)
This guide is for partners or children who begin the process from outside the Netherlands. It shows which family route fits, which documents to collect, and what must be arranged before and after the journey.
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DiplomaForeign diploma recognition in the Netherlands: choose the right route
Check if an IDW (international credential evaluation) report, school admission advice, or professional recognition is necessary for you, along with current fees, processing times, and document requirements.
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Bring pets and household goods to the Netherlands: choose the right route
This guide is for people who are moving to the Netherlands with their own pets and personal belongings. It explains travel documents, customs relief, and vehicle registration.
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VerhuizingMoving to the Netherlands in 2026: plan your budget
If you are a newcomer planning to move to the Netherlands in 2026, this guide explains the fees, quotes and payment dates you will face before you travel and in your first months there.
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DocumentenDocuments to prepare before moving to the Netherlands
This guide is for people who are moving to the Netherlands. It explains which organisation reviews your documents and how that organisation’s rules apply to civil records, diplomas and driving licences.
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Arrival & admin
BerichtenboxInloggen (log in): MijnOverheid (government portal) and Berichtenbox (government mailbox)
For newcomers who use Dutch government services, this guide explains how to check both digital and paper mail, handle alerts, and find help with access or with a letter.
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BetaalrekeningOpening a Dutch bank account before your BSN (citizen service number) arrives
This guide is for newcomers who are waiting for a BSN. It explains applying to banks before and after moving, ways to pay, and issues that can come up with documents or deadlines.
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ZorgverzekeringDutch health insurance for newcomers: check your duty and four-month deadline
This guide is for newcomers who want to check what their insurance obligation is. It covers signing up, letters about being uninsured, comparing policies, and assistance with paying the premium.
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GemeenteBSN (citizen service number): how to register
This guide explains how to register for both long and short stays in the Netherlands, which documents to bring, and where to get help if you have problems with an appointment or an address.
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AdreswijzigingChanging your address in the Netherlands: report a move or deregister before you leave
This guide is for residents who are moving inside the Netherlands, going abroad for a long stay, or coming back. It explains address evidence and the authorities you need to inform.
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DigiDApply for DigiD (digital identity) and log in
This guide is for newcomers who are setting up a Dutch digital account. It explains how to apply in the Netherlands or abroad, how to pick a login method, and how to recover access.
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Eerste 90 dagenFirst 90 days in the Netherlands: arrival checklist
If you are a newcomer putting down roots in the Netherlands, this explains which arrival steps fit your residence, work, study, and family circumstances, plus what you can do if your registration is held up.
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InternetPhone and internet in the Netherlands: how to get connected
This guide is for newcomers in the Netherlands who are arranging mobile service or home internet. It shows how to compare offers and what to do about contract problems.
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Housing
HuurtoeslagHuurtoeslag (rent benefit) in 2026: how to apply
If you rent in the Netherlands, use this guide to see which homes and households are eligible for huurtoeslag, what details to fill in when applying, and what you must report after moving.
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InburgeringMoving house during inburgering (civic integration)
This guide is for people who are doing inburgering and moving to another address inside the Netherlands. It explains how to register your address, what happens with school, benefits and exams you have already booked.
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HuurwoningRental scams in the Netherlands: avoid and report fraud
This guide is for anyone in the Netherlands who is checking a rental offer or facing rental fraud. It explains identity checks, lawful charges and how to report.
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Gemeentelijke belastingenMunicipal and water-board taxes in the Netherlands: check your assessment and next step
This guide is for people who rent or own a home in the Netherlands. It covers local tax letters, household charges, and rules tied to your address.
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HuurcontractCheck your Dutch rental contract in 2026
Find out how contracts with no fixed end date differ from temporary ones, how to review rent and service charges, how to safeguard your deposit, and which notice or dispute path fits your situation.
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PuntensysteemDutch rent limits in 2026: check the puntensysteem (points system) and challenge a high rent
If you rent a house or room in the Netherlands, this guide shows which rent-check procedure matches your contract, what deadlines apply, and how to handle a service-cost dispute.
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InschrijvingAddress registration in the Netherlands: what if it goes wrong?
This guide sets out the choices and proof available to residents who are dealing with a landlord who refuses, worries about a host’s benefits, lack a permanent home, or face an address investigation.
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BorgGetting your rental deposit back in the Netherlands
If you are a tenant leaving a Dutch home: review any deposit deductions, gather proof from the handover, and pick the correct path when your landlord does not return your money.
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Te huurFind a rental in the Netherlands
This guide is for newcomers who want a room or home in the Netherlands. It explains where to search, how to apply, how to check documents, and how keys are handed over.
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MeterstandenUtilities in the Netherlands: set up energy, water and heating
For newcomers settling into a Dutch home, this covers utility contracts and bills, including situations where a landlord or owners’ association takes care of certain services.
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Money & taxes
ToeslagenToeslagen (allowances) in 2026: choose the right benefit
If you are new to the Netherlands and want to compare Dutch allowances, this guide shows you which income is counted, how to review your household situation, and what steps to take if your payments change.
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AOWAOW (state pension): check your Dutch pensions
This guide is for newcomers who have lived or worked in the Netherlands. It explains how to review pension records, gaps in years, and decisions you may face before retirement.
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BijstandBijstand (social assistance) in the Netherlands: check eligibility and apply
This guide is for adults in the Netherlands whose income is too low. It explains household checks, residence risks and how to apply for municipal bijstand.
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InboedelverzekeringDutch AVP (personal liability insurance) and contents insurance: which policy covers what?
This guide is for residents of the Netherlands and describes how to compare household cover, risks in a rented home, policy limits, and what to do after damage.
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LoonstrookLoonstrook (Dutch payslip): check pay, tax and deductions
This guide is for people employed in the Netherlands. It explains what the labels on a payslip mean, which deductions depend on your contract, and what records you need if you want to dispute a mistake in your pay.
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BelastingaangifteDutch income tax for newcomers: how to file the M-aangifte (migration-year tax return)
This guide explains Dutch income tax after you move. It includes the records you must keep, rules for income from abroad, figures for the tax year, and the separate expat scheme run through your employer.
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SchuldhulpDebt help in the Netherlands: how to apply for Msnp (voluntary settlement) or Wsnp (statutory restructuring)
Debt assistance from municipalities for people living in the Netherlands. It covers deadlines for applying, voluntary settlements, court-led restructuring, and safeguards for essential bills.
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ArbeidsovereenkomstDutch employment contracts: what to check before you sign
This guide is for employees in the Netherlands. It covers contract terms, the rights that support them, and where to find help if you disagree about a clause.
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Healthcare
Spoedeisende hulpEmergency care in the Netherlands: who to call
Locate the correct contact for urgent medical assistance in the Netherlands, covering children, pregnancy, dental issues, visitors, and people without insurance.
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HuisartsFinding and using a huisarts (general practitioner, GP) in the Netherlands
This guide is for newcomers in the Netherlands who need a doctor. It explains how to register, how appointments work, how referrals work, and what to do if a practice cannot take you.
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VerloskundigePregnancy and birth in the Netherlands: what to arrange
This guide is for anyone in the Netherlands who is expecting a baby. It covers how to choose care, what insurance pays, your leave entitlements, and the paperwork you handle before and after the birth.
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Eigen risicoEigen risico (deductible) in 2026: what the €385 deductible covers and what it does not
This guide is for people who have Dutch basic health insurance. It shows how to review deductible amounts on a bill and what questions to ask before planned care.
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VergoedingDutch health insurance gaps: what you pay yourself and how to check coverage
This guide is for adults and families who have Dutch basic health insurance. It shows how to check care you plan to receive, compare additional coverage, and dispute a bill.
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ConsultatiebureauGGD (regional public-health service) and consultatiebureau (child health clinic): where to go
If you are new to the Netherlands or raising a child here, this guide shows you which public or child health service to use, how to make an appointment, and what steps to take when no invitation has arrived.
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HuisartsMental-health care in the Netherlands: get help
Mental-health support for adults who live in the Netherlands, including referral and insurance rules, help during a long wait, crisis contacts, and routes for children.
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Work
ArbeidWork rights by Dutch residence permit: check your card
Look up the work rules that apply to your residence status. This includes family permits, student permits, asylum applications, temporary protection and changing jobs.
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WW-uitkeringLost your job in the Netherlands? Apply for WW (unemployment benefit) within one week
This is for employees in the Netherlands who lose paid work. It covers separate paths for sickness, unpaid wages, working abroad, and residence permits tied to an employer.
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UitzendbureauTemp agency work in the Netherlands: check your contract
If you are new to the Netherlands and thinking about working for a temp agency, this guide shows the contract rules that apply and how to check your pay, shifts, sick leave and housing provided by the agency.
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Curriculum vitaeApplying for a job in the Netherlands: choose the right CV (work and education history), letter or form
This guide is for newcomers who are looking for work in the Netherlands. It deals with application papers, personal information, qualifications earned abroad and evidence of work experience.
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VacatureFind a job in the Netherlands without fluent Dutch
This guide is for people looking for work who know little Dutch. It explains the language used in vacancies, your right to work, and what to check before you say yes to an offer from an agency or an employer.
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ZiekmeldingSick leave in the Netherlands: what to do when you are ill
This guide is about sick leave for people employed in the Netherlands. It includes medical privacy, various contract types, holidays, long-term illness and disputes.
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FactuurZzp’er (freelancer without staff): start in the Netherlands
This guide is for newcomers who intend to work for themselves in the Netherlands. It explains registration, agreements with clients, btw (VAT, value-added tax), income tax, and what protection exists if the work ends.
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Family & education
StudiefinancieringStudiefinanciering (student finance) in 2026: can you get it?
Find out how your age, your course and your residence status shape student finance in the Netherlands, and what changes when you start working, move house or end your studies.
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BasisschoolDutch school system: how to enrol your child
For parents who have recently arrived in the Netherlands, this guide explains how to pick a school, submit an application, make sense of secondary-school advice, and set up support for language needs or a disability.
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KinderbijslagKinderbijslag (child benefit): how to claim in the Netherlands
Parents living or working in the Netherlands can use this to review insurance, their child’s conditions, quarterly payments, claims and decisions, as well as care and cross-border situations.
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KinderopvangKinderopvangtoeslag (childcare benefit): how to apply in the Netherlands
This guide is for parents who are applying for Dutch childcare benefit. It explains registered care, who qualifies, the costs for 2026, how to apply, and how to report changes.
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Daily life
OV-chipkaartPublic transport in the Netherlands: how to pay for your trip
This guide is for newcomers who need to make everyday trips in the Netherlands. It covers how to pay, travel discounts, and what steps to take if a trip or a charge does not go as expected.
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FietsenstallingBuying and riding a bike in the Netherlands
This guide is for newcomers who are buying or using a bicycle in the Netherlands. It explains how to check a second-hand bike, which bike types are legal, insurance, parking, and where to get help after a theft or an accident.
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MaandbudgetCost of living in the Netherlands: build your monthly budget
This guide is for newcomers who are getting ready to move to the Netherlands or already live there. It explains how to put together a household budget using rent, contracts, local bills and net pay.
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Juridisch LoketFree and subsidised legal help in the Netherlands
For newcomers who have a Dutch decision letter, a rent dispute or unpaid wages, this guide explains advice services, help with lawyer costs and court options.
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GoedemorgenDutch social norms: how to avoid misunderstandings
This guide is for people new to the Netherlands. It covers invitations, greetings, splitting bills, neighbours, work, school birthdays and national celebrations.
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KentekenOwning a car in the Netherlands: what to arrange
This guide is for newcomers in the Netherlands who are buying, bringing in or selling a car. It covers how to register a vehicle, rules for licences and foreign plates, insurance, taxes, inspections and parking.
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