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Updated November 2026

Your First Month in the Netherlands: a Checklist

Week 1: register at your gemeente (within 5 days if you stay longer than 4 months) and get your BSN. Then a phone number, a bank account and DigiD. Take out Dutch health insurance within 4 months; the cover goes back to the day you arrived. Every step below has the Dutch words you will hear at the counter.
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The checklist

  1. Step 1 · Week 1

    Register at the gemeente and get your BSN

    Staying longer than 4 months? Register with your municipality (gemeente) within 5 days of arrival. Book the appointment as soon as you have an address; if the first slot is later, book it anyway and ask whether they can register you from the day you called.

    Your gemeente tells you what to bring: usually your passport or ID card, proof of address such as your rental contract, and sometimes a birth certificate. You get your BSN (burgerservicenummer) when you register. You need it for work, the bank, the doctor and taxes.

    Dutch you will need

    de gemeente
    the municipality
    de afspraak
    the appointment
    zich inschrijven
    to register
    het burgerservicenummer (BSN)
    citizen service number
    het huurcontract
    the rental contract
    de geboorteakte
    the birth certificate

  2. Step 2 · Week 1

    Get a Dutch phone number

    A Dutch number makes everything else easier: banks, DigiD and delivery drivers all text you. A prepaid SIM works from day one. A sim-only subscription is usually cheaper per month but often asks for a Dutch bank account (IBAN) and ID, so many people start prepaid and switch later.

    Dutch you will need

    de simkaart
    the SIM card
    het abonnement
    the subscription
    opwaarderen
    to top up
    de bundel
    the bundle (minutes, data)
    de opzegtermijn
    the notice period

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  3. Step 3 · Week 2

    Open a bank account

    Most Dutch shops, landlords and employers expect a Dutch IBAN and a debit card (pinpas). Banks usually ask for your ID, your address and your BSN. If your BSN is still on its way, ask the bank what they accept in the meantime.

    Dutch you will need

    de bankrekening
    the bank account
    het rekeningnummer
    the account number (IBAN)
    de pinpas
    the debit card
    pinnen
    to pay by card
    het legitimatiebewijs
    proof of identity

  4. Step 4 · Week 2

    Apply for DigiD

    DigiD is your login for the government: the tax office, toeslagen, your health insurer and the gemeente. You need your BSN, an address registered with the gemeente and a mobile phone. The activation code comes by post, usually within 3 working days.

    Dutch you will need

    de DigiD
    your government login
    de activeringscode
    the activation code
    de brief
    the letter
    inloggen
    to log in

    Half of this is easier in Dutch.

    Letters, phone menus and forms stay Dutch. Dutch Fluency gives you short daily practice at your own level, so these words stop being scary.

    Find my Dutch level, free

  5. Step 5 · Weeks 2 to 4

    Take out Dutch health insurance

    If you live or work in the Netherlands, basic health insurance (basisverzekering) with a Dutch insurer is compulsory, even if you have a policy from another country. You have 4 months to take it out, and the cover then starts on the day you arrived. You only pay premiums from the date you take it out. Wait longer than 4 months and there is no cover for the gap, and you can be fined.

    Every insurer must accept you for the basic package, and your age or health does not change the premium. Compare what each policy covers yourself; this page lists the steps, not advice on which insurer to pick. Waiting for a residence permit? Check government.nl first, the rules are different while your application is open.

    Dutch you will need

    de zorgverzekering
    the health insurance
    de basisverzekering
    the basic insurance
    de aanvullende verzekering
    the supplementary insurance
    het eigen risico
    the deductible
    de premie
    the premium
    de polis
    the policy

  6. Step 6 · Weeks 2 to 4

    Register with a huisarts (GP)

    It is not compulsory, but do it before you get ill: in the Netherlands the GP is your way into most other care. Practices near your home are listed by your gemeente and insurer. Some practices are full, so call a few.

    Dutch you will need

    de huisarts
    the GP
    de praktijk
    the practice
    de apotheek
    the pharmacy
    de doktersassistent
    the doctor's assistant

  7. Step 7 · Month 1

    Sort out energy (and internet)

    Check your rental contract first: in many rooms and some apartments energy is included in the rent. If it is not, choose an energy supplier for gas and electricity. On the day you get the keys, take a photo of the meters and write down the readings. You pay a fixed amount every month and get a final bill once a year.

    Home internet can take a while to connect, so order it as soon as you know your move-in date. Your rental contract or landlord can tell you which connection the building has.

    Dutch you will need

    de energieleverancier
    the energy supplier
    de meterstand
    the meter reading
    het termijnbedrag
    the monthly payment
    de jaarafrekening
    the annual bill
    het contract
    the contract

  8. Step 8 · Month 1

    Travel by train, tram and bus

    You can check in and out with a contactless bank card or your phone on trains, trams, buses and metros (OVpay), second class. Always check out with the same card. Want a discount subscription? Check with NS or your local transport company which card it needs.

    Dutch you will need

    inchecken
    to check in
    uitchecken
    to check out
    de OV-chipkaart
    the public transport card
    het perron
    the platform
    de vertraging
    the delay

  9. Step 9 · Month 1

    Check if you can get toeslagen

    Depending on your income you may get help with your health insurance premium (zorgtoeslag), rent (huurtoeslag) or childcare. You apply online with your DigiD.

    Dutch you will need

    de toeslag
    the allowance
    de zorgtoeslag
    the healthcare allowance
    de huurtoeslag
    the rent allowance
    aanvragen
    to apply for

Links marked "affiliate link" are partner options. If you use one we may earn a small fee, at no extra cost to you. They are options to compare, not advice. Dutch Fluency picks the steps and the words on this page independently.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first when I move to the Netherlands?

Register at your gemeente. If you stay longer than 4 months you must do it within 5 days of arrival, and it gives you your BSN, which you need for almost everything else.

When do I need Dutch health insurance?

Within 4 months of arriving, if you live or work in the Netherlands. The cover then starts on the day you arrived, and you pay premiums from the date you take out the policy. After 4 months there is no cover for the gap and you can be fined.

How long does DigiD take?

You apply online with your BSN, your registered address and a mobile phone. The activation code arrives by post, usually within 3 working days.

Do I need to speak Dutch for these appointments?

Often not: many gemeentes, banks and GPs in the bigger cities help you in English. But the letters, forms and phone menus are in Dutch, and a few key words make every appointment shorter and calmer.

Make the next appointment in Dutch

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