01Prepare for the bank’s identity checks
Banks must verify customers and may ask for identity, address, tax-residency and intended-use information. The exact documents and application route differ by bank, account type and your circumstances. Check the bank’s current instructions before applying; do not send copies of identity documents through an unverified email or chat.
Ask whether the application can be started before you have a BSN, what proof of address is accepted and whether non-residents can apply. A BSN alone does not guarantee approval, and an application decision belongs to the bank.
02Compare the account you will actually use
Look beyond the introductory offer. Check monthly and card fees, cash withdrawals, international transfers, exchange rates, mobile-app language, customer support and how to close the account. If you need a joint account, business account, credit card or overdraft, confirm those separately rather than assuming they are included.
For savings, check the applicable deposit-guarantee information and which legal bank holds the money. Keep confirmation of the account terms and save the bank’s contact route for blocking a card or reporting suspicious activity.
03Keep personal and business account routes separate
The statutory basic-payment-account route concerns consumers and personal payment needs. It is not a guaranteed business-account route. Dutch government information says banks have contractual freedom for business customers and may decide which businesses they accept, alongside their customer and anti-money-laundering checks.
For a business application, prepare the legal form, KVK registration where applicable, owners or partners, expected turnover, source of funds and countries of activity requested by the bank. A sole proprietor may not always be legally required to hold a separate business account, but the existing account’s conditions must permit business use and business records must remain clear.
04If a regular account is refused
Ask for the decision and internal complaint route in writing and keep the application and correspondence. An eligible consumer who cannot open a regular account can apply for a statutory basic payment account. Check the current conditions, including a genuine connection with the Netherlands and the rules concerning an existing Dutch account, another pending application and legally required anti-money-laundering checks. The government currently identifies ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank and SNS as application routes.
A basic account supports ordinary payments, a debit card and online or app banking, but not overdraft, a credit card or a savings account. If the statutory route does not fit, the government also describes the Convenant Basisbankrekening route, which may involve an approved assistance organisation. Challenge a refusal with the bank first. If its final answer is unsatisfactory, or it does not respond within the applicable period, check whether Kifid can handle the complaint; Kifid requires the internal complaints process first.
