Registering at the Municipality in Amsterdam: BRP, BSN and Your First Appointment

This guide is for internationals who have just moved to Amsterdam from abroad and need to register with the City for the first time. After reading it, you will know whether you have to register and by when, which documents to bring, what your citizen service number (BSN) lets you do, and how to report a later move within the city.

• Who must register and by when
• Documents to bring
• How the City Office visit works
• What your BSN unlocks
• Reporting a later move within Amsterdam
• FAQ

Who must register and by when

The City of Amsterdam’s page on moving from abroad sets out the rule. If you move to Amsterdam from abroad for more than 4 months, you must register with the City, and you must visit a City Office within 5 days of your arrival. You can only register if you live in Amsterdam.

Registering puts you in the Personal Records Database, known as the BRP. You can only register yourself. If your family is moving with you, every family member must come with you to the City Office. You cannot register a partner or child on their behalf.

If you are staying in the Netherlands for less than 4 months, you do not register in the same way. You must register in the Registry for Non-Residents (RNI) instead. The City’s page refers you to its separate information on registering in the RNI.

The official page does not say what happens if you register after the 5-day period. The municipality decides such cases individually, so plan your visit for your first few days in the city.

Documents to bring

What you need depends on whether this is your first time living in the Netherlands, whether you have lived here before, and whether you are a student. Some rules apply to everyone. Bring original certificates. They must be in Dutch, English, French or German. If they are in another language, you must have them translated by a sworn interpreter or translator. You may also need to have your certificates legalised. The City points to netherlandsworldwide.nl for information about legalisation.

First time in the Netherlands

• Identity: citizens of the EU, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or Iceland bring a valid passport or identity card. If you have more than one nationality, bring all your passports. All other nationalities bring a valid passport and a valid residence permit for a longer stay.
• Refugees: bring your IND reports (first hearing and further hearing). Without a valid passport, bring an IND document stating that you are allowed to be in the Netherlands.
• Proof of address: if you own your home, the original proof of purchase (koopcontract). If you rent, a copy of the valid rental contract (huurcontract), or an original consent form signed by the longest registered resident at the address, with a copy of their proof of identity.
• Kingdom of the Netherlands: if you are moving from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba or Sint Eustatius, bring proof of de-registration.
• Certificates: your birth certificate and any other certificates you have, such as a marriage certificate, divorce certificate, adoption certificate or family book (Daftar or Livret d’Etat Civil).

You have lived in the Netherlands before

Bring the same identity documents, proof of address and, where it applies, proof of de-registration as listed above. You also need certificates showing changes in your situation since you left, for example the birth certificate of a child born while you were abroad, plus any other certificates such as marriage, divorce or adoption certificates or a family book.

Students

• Valid proof of identity: a passport, or an identity card if you are a citizen of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. A driving licence is not accepted.
• Proof of your Amsterdam address, such as a copy of a valid rental contract or an original consent form signed by the longest registered resident, with a copy of their proof of identity.
• Proof that you study at a Dutch school or university: a student card (studentenkaart) or proof of registration (bewijs van inschrijving).

How the City Office visit works

This title refers to a “first appointment”, but in most of Amsterdam you do not need to book one. You must visit a City Office in person, and the official page states that you do not need an appointment. The exception is Weesp, where you must make an appointment.

Registration opening hours are:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 09:00 to 16:00
• Thursday: 09:00 to 18:00

The City lists the addresses of its City Offices on the same page. Arrive with every document from the relevant list above and, if your family is registering too, with every family member. The official page does not mention a fee for first registration or how long the visit takes. Check with the City directly, because it decides these details.

What your BSN unlocks

After you register, you receive a Dutch citizen service number (BSN). According to Government.nl, the BSN is a unique personal number, and everyone who registers with the BRP is given one automatically. The City states that you need a BSN to work, open a bank account, take out healthcare insurance or apply for benefits.

You can use your BSN for any government service in the Netherlands. Government organisations use it to find your data, so you do not have to give your details to each one separately. In healthcare, the BSN identifies you when you need care, and recognised care providers such as general practice doctors and health insurance companies have to use it. In education, the same number is called the personal identification number (PGN) or education number, and schools must use it in their records.

The BSN also matters for benefits. Childcare organisations must ask for your BSN and your child’s. The Benefits Office of the Tax and Customs Administration checks the childcare hours you report against the childcare organisation’s records. The same applies to landlords for housing benefit, and to healthcare insurers for healthcare benefit.

Protect your number. Non-government organisations, including pharmacies and healthcare providers, can only use the BSN if the law requires it, and each organisation must make sure you are using your own BSN.

Reporting a later move within Amsterdam

If you move to a new address within Amsterdam, you must report it to the City. The change of address page says you can report your move up to 4 weeks before your moving date, and you must report it within 5 days after you move. If you report later, the City uses the date it receives your report as your official moving date.

You can report your move by uploading documents, at a City Office, or by post. For each method you need one of these:

• A copy of your tenancy agreement or purchase contract for the new home, including the signature page.
• If you move into someone else’s home, a consent form signed by the longest registered resident at the address, with a copy of their proof of identity.
• If you live in an anti-squat property (antikraak), a copy of your user agreement.

At a City Office, also bring your passport, ID card, driving licence or residence permit. By post, include a copy of one of these with the move form and send it to Gemeente Amsterdam, T.a.v. Dienstverlening – Verstrekkingen, Postbus 2214, 1000 CE Amsterdam. Someone else can report your move for you if they bring a completed authorisation form (in Dutch), their own valid passport, ID card or driving licence, and yours. A copy or scan of yours is allowed.

Your address will be updated within 2 weeks of your moving date, and you can check this in MijnOverheid. You will receive confirmation by post within 3 weeks. The City then automatically informs several organisations, including the Dutch Tax Administration, pension funds and health insurers. You can only apply for or transfer a resident’s parking permit after your new address has been registered. If you later move to another Dutch municipality, report the move to your new municipality, and Amsterdam will deregister you.

FAQ

Do I need to book an appointment to register in Amsterdam?

No, unless you live in Weesp. The City states that you must visit a City Office in person but do not need an appointment. In Weesp, you must make one. Registration hours are 09:00 to 16:00 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 09:00 to 18:00 on Thursday.

My birth certificate is not in Dutch, English, French or German. Can I still use it?

Only with a translation. Certificates must be originals in Dutch, English, French or German. If yours is in another language, you must have it translated by a sworn interpreter or translator. You may also need to have it legalised. The City refers you to netherlandsworldwide.nl for information on legalisation.

Can I register my partner and children for them?

No. You can only register yourself. If your family is moving with you, all family members must come with you to the City Office.

What happens if I report a move within Amsterdam late?

You must report a move within 5 days after moving. If you report later, the City uses the date it receives your report as your official moving date, not the day you actually moved. You can report up to 4 weeks in advance to avoid this.

Official sources: amsterdam.nl · amsterdam.nl · government.nl

Last verified: 28 September 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins. General information, not legal or tax advice.