Netherlands BSN and Municipality Registration for International Students

What the BSN is and why you need it

The BSN (burgerservicenummer, or citizen service number) is a unique personal number used by Dutch government bodies and many service providers. As an international student in the Netherlands you will be asked for it in several everyday situations — and you cannot get it until you register with a Dutch municipality.

You typically need a BSN to open a Dutch bank account, to arrange Dutch health insurance if it applies to you, and to take a part-time job. Because of this, registering with your municipality is one of the first things to organise after you arrive.

Registering with the gemeente (BRP)

You get your BSN by registering in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen, or BRP) at your gemeente — the municipality where you will live. Whether you register and how depends partly on how long you intend to stay; people staying longer generally register as residents in the BRP.

You usually book an appointment with the gemeente in advance. Some university cities run dedicated registration events for new international students at the start of the academic year, where the municipality comes to campus — your university's international office will tell you if one is available.

• Find your municipality's official website (the gemeente)
• Book a registration appointment in the BRP
• Ask your university's international office about on-campus registration days
• Register at the address where you actually live

Documents to bring

Bring the originals. The municipality verifies your identity and your right to live at the address before it registers you and issues your BSN. Exact requirements vary by gemeente, so confirm the checklist on your municipality's official page.

A common requirement that trips students up is proof of your home address in the Netherlands — for example a rental contract or a statement from your housing provider. Without a registered address, the gemeente generally cannot register you.

• Valid passport or EU/EEA identity document
• Proof of your Dutch address (e.g. rental contract)
• Birth certificate, sometimes legalised/translated — check your gemeente
• Proof of enrolment or your residence document, if requested

How the BSN connects to everything else

Once you are registered in the BRP, you are issued your BSN. Keep it safe and private — it is a personal identifier, so do not share it more widely than necessary.

With your BSN you can complete the practical steps of settling in: opening a Dutch bank account, sorting out insurance where required, and starting a part-time job (employers need your BSN to pay you correctly). If you later move to a new address within the Netherlands, you update your registration with the new municipality.

Plan around timing and appointments

Registration appointments can be in high demand at the start of term, so book early. If you arrive before your permanent housing is ready, find out from your gemeente how registration works for your situation, as rules can differ for short stays versus longer residence.

Residence and immigration matters in the Netherlands are handled by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). Immigration rules can change and this is general information, not immigration advice — verify anything visa-related on the official IND website.