If you are going to live and/ or work in the Netherlands, you need to register with your local municipality (gemeente). Municipalities record the personal data of their residents, including marriage status, the birth of a child, or change of address in the Personal Records Database (BRP). If you are moving from abroad and are registering for the first time (this is called the first registration), you will receive your citizen service number (burgerservicenummer – BSN) which you will need to work, open a bank account and take out health insurance.
There are a couple of things to take into account when making an appointment with the municipality:
- The length of your stay
- Type of registration
- If you have your own official address or not (see temporary registration)
Please read this information to inform yourself about your situation and fill in the appointment form to receive the appointment link(s) that apply to your personal situation.
The length of your stay - There are two types of municipal registration, depending on the length of your stay.
Staying for longer than fourmonths
If you are staying in the Netherlands for longer than four months in the following six months, you need to register with the municipality. It is legally required to register within 5 days with your municipality. However, due to high demand and staff shortages it may not be possible to get an appointment within these 5 days. That is why you need to make an appointment within 5 days after your arrival.
If you have a partner and/or child(ren) who also need to be registered, they must come with you to the appointment. If you plan to live in Utrecht, Amersfoort, Hilversum, Woerden or Oudewater, you can register through the International Welcome Centre. Use the appointment form below to make an appointment. Please note: temporary registration is only possible in the cities of Utrecht and Hilversum. It is not possible to temporarily register with the municipalities ofAmersfoort, Hilversum, Woerden or Oudewater at the International Welcome Centre.
Moving to another city or town in Utrecht Region? Check out their contact details and book an appointment with them to register.
Staying for four months or less
If you are staying in the Netherlands for four months or less in the following six months, you are not required to officially register. However, if you plan to work or want access to services like healthcare, you require a citizen service number (BSN). You can register for a short stay in the Netherlands to be entered in the Registry for Non-Residents(Registratie Niet Ingezetenen, RNI) and receive a BSN.
You can register as a non-resident at 19 municipalities in the Netherlands: Utrecht, Alkmaar, Almelo, Amsterdam, Breda, The Hague, Doetinchem, Eindhoven, Groningen, Goes, Heerlen, Leeuwarden, Leiden, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Venlo, Westland and Zwolle. You can choose in which municipality you want to register. If you want to register in Utrecht, you need to make an appointment. Use the appointment form below to make an appointment.
Please note: if youwillbestaying longer than four months but do not yet meet the requirements to register at your municipality, it is not possible to temporarily register in the RNI to obtain a BSN.
Type of registration
First registration
If you are relocating to the Netherlands from abroad for the first time, you need to register with the municipality that you will live in. We call this a first registration. Please use the appointment form below to make an appointment for a first registration.
Make an appointment
Registering foreign documents
Please make an appointment with the city of Utrecht if you have arranged your first registration but need to come back to have some documents registered.
Please note: the International Welcome Centre only processes certificates for the municipality of Utrecht. If you live in another municipality, please contact your local municipality to register your documents.
Student registration
Are you moving to Utrecht Region to study? Welcome! It is important to register with your municipality. Find all the information you need on our website and make an appointment.
Register as a student
Temporary registration
If you don't have your own permanent accommodation yet, you can look into temporarily registering with the municipality. Find more information below.
Changing address or leaving the Netherlands
Are you changing address in the same municipality? Or are you moving to another municipality or leaving the Netherlands? You have to report this to the authorities.
More info
Temporary registration - Only possible when registering with the city of Utrecht
If you don’t have your own official address within 5 days of your arrival, it is possible to temporarily register with the City of Utrecht. Please note: you can only use one of the registration options below if you are going to live in and register with the municipality of Utrecht or Hilversum. You can't temporarily register at the International Welcome Centre if you are going to live in Amersfoort, Woerden or Oudewater: please contact your municipality for more information.
You can temporarily register in three ways:
- Using the official postal address of your employer. Some employers allow their employees to temporarily register with the municipality by using their official postal address. This is only a temporary measure, valid for a maximum period of three months. You can only register using the postal address if:
- You have permission of your employer
- Your employer's postal address is located in the city of Utrecht
- If you already live in the Netherlands
- You don't already have a rental contract (in another municipality)Download the declaration form.
- If you are living at a residence rented by your employer. Download the declaration form.
- If you are living at someone else’s address. Download the declaration form.
Fill in the form below to make an appointment and bring the completed and signed declaration form together with the required documents mentioned in the form to your appointment.
Make an appointment
Using the International Welcome Centre’s appointment form. Please fill in this form and receive the appointment link(s) that apply to your personal situation by email. If you haven’t received the email in your inbox within an hour, please check your spam folder. Please send an email to iwc@utrechtregion.com if you have questions.
Please note: it may take longer than usual to make an appointment due to high demand. Please book your appointment early on in the relocation process. If the appointment tool keeps on loading, this means that all time slots are fully booked. Please check the appointment tool regularly to see if new time slots have opened up. Our apologies for this inconvenience.
We value your privacy
The International Welcome Centre Utrecht Region takes the protection of your data seriously. The data of the appointment form will be processed and recorded in the registration system of the International Welcome Centre, part of the Municipality of Utrecht. Your data will not be transferred to third parties. The Municipality of Utrecht processes and protects your personal data as described in their Data Protection Declaration.
What to bring to the appointment
- A valid passport or ID card for each person that needs to be registered.
- Proof of occupancy: a rental/ tenancy agreement, home purchase deed or a completed form for temporary registration.
- Legalised birth, marriage and/ or divorce certificate (if available) – this doesn’t apply to international students. The municipality only accepts deeds in English, German and French. Deeds in other languages must be translated by a sworn translator. Both the original deed and the translated document must be legalised. Please note: all deeds must comply with the rules for legalisation. Read more about the legalisation of documents.
- A proof of deregistration in case you are relocating from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba or Sint Eustatius.
Other settling-in topics
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Living in Utrecht Region
Living in Utrecht Region
Time to get familiar with life in Utrecht Region! Click the link below to find information in English about housing, education, healthcare, childcare, culture, employment, finance, transportation, learning Dutch, and more.
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Residence permit & visa
You might need a permit or visa to enter and stay in the Netherlands. Whether you require one and which type depends on your situation, how long you're staying, your reason for moving and your nationality.
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Report your move
Report your move
When you are moving and changing address, or leaving the Netherlands all together, it is important to inform the authorities. Click the link below for more information and make an appointment.
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