Yaaaaaay, you have made the journey and started unpacking! Welcome to the Netherlands, or should I say Welkom in Nederland!
Here are some tips you need to get you going in the Netherlands.
- You must register at the town hall of the city you have moved to. If you’ve lived within the EU it is easy to register, all you need is your passport and / or your birth certificate. They will ask you to fill in your new address and personal details, then you will be given a burger service nummer (BSN). You will need this when applying for jobs. BSN is the equivalent to the British national insurance number.
- Once you have your BSN, you can apply for a Dutch bank account. There are several banks to choose from, so just like you did back home, pick a bank that fits your needs.
- Next step is to arrange your healthcare. You may already be used to paying for healthcare, then this will be a breeze for you. There are websites you can use to compare the best healthcare (some links below). If you aren’t used to paying for healthcare then be prepared to moan, complain and refer back to your old free healthcare! I am still, to this day, moaning about paying for healthcare.
www.independer.nl
www.hoyhoy.nl
www.zorgwijzer.nl
- After you have your confirmation of your healthcare, it’s time to register at your local doctors and dentist. I suggest doing A LOT of research into this, you want to make sure you register at the best doctors around. It’s a good idea to get this sorted straight away, finding a doctor when you are unwell might cloud your judgement.
- The final main tip is get connected. You will want to get a Dutch mobile number. There are plenty of phone providers in The Netherlands offering great deals. If you are going for a sim only / contract this is super easy if you have already got your bank account up and running. A prepaid sim is a simple one of tiny fee.
Once you have done all these steps and unpacked the last of your boxes, you will officially be moved in! You can now relax and the honeymoon period can officially start. Proost!
N x
Moving to The Netherlands 