To be eligible for the Dutch AOW pension, you need to have lived or worked in the Netherlands for a certain number of years. If you are 50 years old or older, the minimum requirement is 10 years. If you are younger than 50 years old, you must have lived or worked in the Netherlands for at least 50% of the time between the age of 15 and the age at which you reach the AOW pension age. You can read more about it in our blog. 

You might be eligible to get child benefits if you work or live in the Netherlands. You need to apply for it on the website of the SVB. You can read more about the conditions here.

When you come to the Netherlands, you should bring the following documents with you:

• a valid ID (this can be your ID card if you are a national of a country from the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) or a passport if you are not a national of an EU or EEA country. The ID card or passport need to be valid for at least 2 more months after entering the Netherlands
• a valid bank account on your name, where you are able to receive your salary in euros
• proof of your BSN if you already have one. This needs to be a document that has your name and BSN on it like the BSN proof you received from the city hall, an old salary specification, a document from the tax authority (belastingdienst in Dutch) or an annual statement from your previous employer in the Netherlands (jaaropgave in Dutch).

No, when going on holiday you need to arrange the transport yourself. You can of course ask one of your housemates to bring you to the airport/bus station or use the public transport. Don’t know how the public transport works? Read all about it in our blog.

Yes, our coordinators will pick you up from the airport or from the train/bus station. They will drive you to the accommodation. This is a one time service.

Yes. You start accruing a pension under the Stipp Basic Plan immediately from your first working day. After 52 worked weeks, you will be enrolled in the Stipp Plus plan. 

DigiD is a secure login method that allows you to identify yourself online when dealing with government institutions, health care, education institutions or pension funds. You can apply for it for free in the DigiD app or by visiting their website. You will need your BSN number for the application. After a successful application, you will receive a letter at home with your activation code within 3 working days.

Yes. In order to open a bank account, you will need to make an (online) appointment at your desired bank. Depending on how busy their schedule is, some banks will also open an account for you even if you do not have an appointment. You can just walk to the nearest branch and ask whether they can fit you into their schedule. You can find a list of the most popular banks in the Netherlands here.

Most banks will require you to bring your BSN and a valid passport or ID card. If needed, we can provide a ‘werkgeversverklaring’ which you can request by sending an email to [email protected].

A BSN (burgerservicenummer in Dutch) is a citizen service number, a unique registration number for everyone who lives in the Netherlands. A BSN is needed when opening a bank account, applying for health insurance and government benefits, or even buying a phone subscription. Your employer also needs it in order to be able to pay your salary. Without it, you cannot get paid. Upon your arrival in the Netherlands, our coordination department will arrange an appointment for you at the city hall and will email you all the details. You will receive your BSN after attending the appointment. You will need to bring a valid passport or a valid national ID card with you (if you are an EU citizen).

No, the BSN number is a unique number, given only once in a lifetime. It can therefore not be deleted, changed or renewed.