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Documents in the Netherlands
After moving, municipal registration, a BSN, DigiD and residence permission can be easy to confuse. Each has a different purpose and authority; start with the route for your circumstances.
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Choose the registration route by length of stay
If you plan to live in the Netherlands for more than four months, Government.nl directs you to register as a resident with the municipality within five days of arrival. For a shorter stay or while living abroad, check non-resident registration in the RNI. Both registration routes can provide a BSN, the personal number used in dealings with Dutch public bodies.
Document requirements and appointment availability vary by registration location and circumstances. Check the municipality or RNI desk for your route rather than relying on someone else’s generic list.
DigiD is for online identification, not a substitute for documents
DigiD lets you identify yourself when using participating government and other services online. The standard application lists a BSN, an address registered with a Dutch municipality and a phone. An activation code is sent to that address. If you live abroad or do not have a permanent Dutch address, check DigiD’s separate instructions for your situation.
Your login, password and activation code are personal. Do not give them to the portal, an intermediary or a service provider. If someone needs to help with online matters, use the official authorisation route instead of sharing access to your DigiD.
Use the IND for residence questions
Having a BSN or DigiD does not by itself establish a right to live or work in the Netherlands. The IND explains different residence grounds, renewals and changes of residence purpose. Use the information for your own nationality and situation rather than assuming someone else’s route applies.
If you already hold a permit and your circumstances change, check with the IND whether you must report the change or follow a different process. Use the current page for the specific application to confirm forms, timing and evidence.
Use an MVV to enter and collect the residence card separately
An MVV (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf) is a type D entry visa in the passport for people who need one when moving for more than 90 days. The MVV and residence-permit application are usually handled together, but the MVV sticker is not the residence card. It must be valid for the journey; check the personal details, validity and instructions in the IND decision and with the mission issuing the sticker.
After arrival, follow the steps in the decision for your situation. Municipal BRP registration and collection of the IND residence document are separate tasks. Book collection only after a letter, My IND message or other notice says that the document is ready, and use the location named by the IND. Biometrics, a tuberculosis test or civic-integration steps apply only where instructed; do not copy another applicant’s checklist.
Choose a family route by relationship and sponsor status
The routes for a partner, a minor child, a relative of an EU citizen and asylum family reunification are different. A parent or other relative does not automatically qualify because an adult child works as a highly skilled migrant or holds a Dutch residence permit.
Start in the IND Family and partner section and select the exact relationship and the status of the person in the Netherlands. The relevant route sets its own sponsor, income, cohabitation and document requirements. If no standard route matches, that establishes neither an automatic right nor an automatic refusal; ask the IND or an immigration-law professional for an individual assessment.
Ask what the receiving organisation accepts before arranging an apostille or legalisation
An apostille or legalisation confirms the origin of an official document and its signature, seal or format; it does not confirm that the document’s content is correct. Before paying for a service, ask the receiving organisation which document it needs, how recent it must be, which language it accepts and whether legalisation is required. Many public documents from another EU country need no apostille, while the route for other countries depends on the issuing country and document type.
A Dutch court cannot apostille a document issued by another country: a foreign apostille comes from the country of origin. Select the country and document type in the NetherlandsWorldwide instructions. A document not drawn up in Dutch, English, French or German will generally need a sworn translation. A translation by a sworn translator registered in the Netherlands does not need separate legalisation; a translation made abroad may itself require legalisation or an apostille.
Birth and marriage records go through the municipality, but not through one universal process
If you live in the Netherlands and married or entered into a registered partnership abroad, report it to your municipality of residence so that it can update the BRP. The municipality checks the original certificate and identity documents and tells you which additional documents, translation or legalisation are needed. Do not send your only original to an unofficial intermediary.
A birth abroad is first registered with the local authority in the country of birth. The resulting certificate may need legalisation before use in the Netherlands. In some circumstances, registering a foreign civil-status record with the Foreign Documents Department of the municipality of The Hague makes it possible to request a Dutch copy later, but this does not replace resident registration with your own municipality and is not available for every document or applicant. Ask your municipality or The Hague which route fits.
Define the action and required form before making a power of attorney
There is no single power-of-attorney form for every bank, transaction, estate and public procedure. First ask the organisation or notary that will receive it whether a private written authority is enough, a notarial form is required, which wording and language are accepted and whether the signature must be legalised. Do not sign an empty template, and limit the authority to the necessary action and period.
A Dutch national abroad may in some situations have a signature legalised at a Dutch embassy or consulate-general and must sign the document in person at the appointment. Signature legalisation confirms who signed; it says nothing about the content or legal status of the document. A signature on a notarial act must go through a local notary, and the receiving party should confirm in advance whether it will accept the document and what further legalisation is required.
Arrange a bank account as a separate application
Banks have their own identification and application checks. Ask the chosen provider which identity documents, address information and tax details it needs for your circumstances. A BSN or municipal registration does not by itself guarantee approval for a particular account.
Compare the regular fee, payment card, international transfers, access to support and the country of the deposit guarantee scheme. If you cannot obtain a regular personal account, Rijksoverheid explains when a basic payment account may be available. LiveInNL does not accept bank applications or send documents to a bank.
Exchange depends on the country that issued the driving licence
RDW says a valid EU or EFTA licence can always be exchanged, while exchange of a licence from another country depends on the issuing country, category and every applicable condition. Those conditions include BRP registration and a qualifying residence status. For a non-EU or non-EFTA licence, RDW also checks whether you lived in the issuing country for at least 185 days in the year you obtained it. A separate route may apply where the Dutch expat scheme applies.
Use the current RDW checklist first. If exchange is possible, apply through your municipality, which forwards the documents to RDW. If it is not possible, obtaining a Dutch licence requires the CBR theory and practical tests. Do not hand an original licence to an unofficial intermediary, and start before expiry where RDW requires a valid licence.
Find the authority for each other task
Dienst Toeslagen deals with benefits, KVK with business registration, and RDW and the municipality have roles in exchanging a foreign driving licence. There is no single application for all these matters. Direct official routes appear below this article.
LiveInNL is not a government body, does not collect documents and cannot book an appointment. Before sending personal information, check the official website address and the purpose of its form.
Choose your task
Staying over 4 months · resident registration and BSNGovernment.nl — moving and registrationShort stay or living abroad · non-resident registration (RNI)Government.nl — registration as a non-resident (RNI)Apply for and activate DigiDDigiD — apply and activateApply for DigiD while living abroadDigiD — applying from abroadResidence permits and renewalIND — residence permitsBenefits · ToeslagenDienst Toeslagen — moving to the NetherlandsRegister or change a business · KVKKVK — registration appointmentsExchange a foreign driving licenceRDW — exchanging a foreign driving licence
Content reviewed
12 October 2026
Official information used for this guide
- Government.nl — moving and registration
- Government.nl — registration as a non-resident (RNI)
- DigiD — apply and activate
- DigiD — applying from abroad
- IND — residence permits
- Dienst Toeslagen — moving to the Netherlands
- KVK — registration appointments
- RDW — exchanging a foreign driving licence
- IND — provisional residence permit (MVV)
- IND — collecting a residence document
- IND — family and partner residence routes
- Rijksoverheid — access to a basic payment account
- Dutch Payments Association — choosing a payment account
- NetherlandsWorldwide — legalising foreign documents
- NetherlandsWorldwide — where to obtain an apostille
- NetherlandsWorldwide — registering a foreign marriage
- Rijksoverheid — child born abroad
- NetherlandsWorldwide — legalising a signature abroad
Questions and answers
Are a BSN and DigiD the same thing?
No. A BSN is the personal number used in dealings with the government. DigiD is a way to sign in to online services; a standard DigiD application uses your BSN.
Is an MVV already the residence card?
No. An MVV is an entry visa in the passport. You collect the separate residence document at the location named by the IND after receiving notice that it is ready.
Can every foreign driving licence be exchanged?
No. Eligibility depends on the issuing country and the RDW conditions. If exchange is not possible, a Dutch licence requires the CBR theory and practical tests.
Where can I find the documents needed for registration?
Use the website of the municipality where you will live and your appointment confirmation. Requirements depend on your circumstances; a generic list may be incomplete.
Does an apostille confirm the content of a document?
No. It confirms the origin of the official document and the authenticity of a signature or seal. The receiving organisation separately decides whether the content and document are acceptable.
Must I register a foreign marriage?
If you live in the Netherlands, register a foreign marriage or registered partnership with your municipality of residence so that it can update the BRP.
Can I use one power-of-attorney template everywhere?
No. The required form depends on the action and recipient. Ask the bank, authority or notary first, then arrange the document and any legalisation.
Can I submit my passport or DigiD password through LiveInNL?
No. The portal does not collect these details and instead links to the responsible official organisations.
Where to go next
Choose what applies to you. There is no required sequence.