How to register for a BSN number

A BSN (Burgerservicenummer) is your Dutch citizen service number — you need it for work, banking, healthcare, and tax filings. You get it by registering with your municipality (gemeente). Follow the steps below.

Before you go

• Confirm how long you'll stay. Staying longer than 4 months? Register as a resident (BRP) at your local gemeente. Staying shorter than 4 months? Register as a non-resident (RNI) at one of the designated RNI municipalities.
• Find your gemeente and book an appointment online — registration is almost always by appointment, and slots can be weeks out in big cities.
• Aim to register within 5 days of your arrival in the Netherlands.

What to bring

• A valid passport or EU/EEA ID card (a driving licence is not accepted).
• Proof of your Dutch address — your rental contract, or a landlord's consent form if you live with someone else.
• Your birth certificate, and for some documents a legalised (apostille) and/or sworn Dutch translation. Check your gemeente's website for exactly which documents need this.
• If applicable: marriage, divorce or partnership certificate (also possibly legalised/translated).
• Optional but useful: your employment contract.

At the appointment

• Hand over your documents and confirm your personal details with the civil servant.
• Register your home address in the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP).
• You'll usually receive your BSN on the spot or by post within a few days.

After you're registered

• Use your BSN to open a Dutch bank account, start your job, and arrange health insurance (mandatory within 4 months — see our healthcare guide).
• Tell your employer your BSN so payroll and tax are set up correctly.
• Keep the registration letter safe — you'll be asked for your BSN often in your first months.

Tip: Big-city gemeenten (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht) can have long waiting times for appointments. Book the moment you know your address — you can usually do the rest of your admin once the appointment is confirmed.