Settling-in services in the Netherlands: what is included

What do settling-in services include in the Netherlands?

A settling-in service covers the paperwork and the first appointments after you arrive. Agencies describe it differently, so ask for a written list. The published lists we read name these tasks. Housing & Relocation Rotterdam lists BSN registration, a bank account, health insurance registration, driving licence conversion, mobile and internet set-up and general settling-in support. Xpats-Service lists utility registration, insurance registration, a bank account, BSN registration, healthcare enrolment, an internet and TV connection and a Dutch mobile contract (Housing & Relocation Rotterdam, Xpats-Service, both read 7 Oct 2026).

The number that matters is the citizen service number (BSN). It is given to everyone registered in the personal records database, and the government uses it to process your data (Government of the Netherlands). The registration page says you need it for all government contact, including tax matters. So the registration is the step that unlocks the rest.

Which steps need you in person, and which can an agency do?

Step	Timeline we could source
Register with the municipality	Within 5 days of arrival, free
BSN	Comes with the registration
DigiD	Letter within 3 business days, 5 at most
Bank account	Not stated
Health insurance	First day of work, or within 4 months
Driving licence exchange	Letter in 15 working days, collect after 5 more

Who does what:

• Registration. An agency can book the appointment, check documents and go with you. You attend in person, with your partner and children.
• BSN. Nothing separate to do.
• DigiD. An agency can help with the application. You receive the letter at your registered address.
• Bank account. An agency can book and attend. You bring ID, proof of address and your BSN.
• Health insurance. An agency can guide you and help you register. You choose the policy and sign.
• Driving licence. An agency can guide the application. You apply at the municipality with your documents.

Registration. You register within five days of arriving if you will stay for more than four months, and it is free. Rotterdam says you have to register in person at the city hall, and appointments are by phone. If you have no fixed address, the government says you may register your postal address (SDG portal; Rotterdam International Center). In Rotterdam, highly skilled migrants whom the IND has approved get a combined appointment to collect the permit and register. Our registration guide has the document list.

DigiD. You need a BSN, a registered address and a mobile phone. DigiD says the activation code arrives by post within three business days, and within five working days at most (DigiD). The letter goes to your registered address, so the registration has to be done first.

Bank account. To open an account in person you bring proof of ID, official proof of address such as a tenancy agreement, your BSN and, if you are from outside the EU, your residence permit or registration with the Foreign Police (IN Amsterdam). The page also notes that some digital banks let you open an account without visiting a branch.

Health insurance. SKGZ says you must enrol within four months of arriving, and that cover must start on your first day of work if you are employed (SKGZ). Our health insurance guide covers the rules.

Driving licence. You must be registered in the personal records database. You apply at the municipality with a colour photo, your licence and, for licences from outside the EU and EFTA, a health declaration. RDW writes within 15 working days, and you can collect after five more. The original licence is not returned. Non-EU licences are only accepted from some countries and need 185 days of residence in the year you got the licence, but highly skilled migrants can exchange a licence from any country (RDW). Start before the licence expires, because an expired non-EU licence cannot be exchanged.

How long does the whole sequence take?

The timelines we could source add up to about a month for the paperwork, if you start at once:

1. Days 1 to 5: register, in person.
2. Within a week or so: BSN issued with the registration, and DigiD letter in 3 to 5 working days.
3. In parallel: bank account, once you hold the BSN and proof of address.
4. If you exchange a licence: about 15 working days for the letter, then 5 more.
5. Health insurance: by your first day of work, or within four months.

We found no source for how long utilities, internet or a mobile contract take, so the guide does not time them. A late registration slows everything, because DigiD and the bank both depend on your registered address.

What do these services cost?

Housing & Relocation Rotterdam publishes single prices, excluding 21% VAT: EUR 250 for BSN registration, EUR 150 for a bank account, EUR 200 for health insurance, EUR 200 for a driving licence conversion, EUR 150 for mobile and internet, and EUR 150 for general settling-in support. Xpats-Service includes several of these tasks in a package that starts at EUR 2,950 for one adult. Our guide to what a relocation agency costs in the Netherlands has the full table and what moves the price.

Does my employer’s package already include them?

Sometimes the relocation budget sits with the employer. Corporate packages are negotiated between the agency and the employer, and few agencies publish prices for private clients. Ask HR which tasks are covered, who books them, and what you must do in person. Then you only pay for what is left.

Should I do it myself or buy the service?

You can do every step above yourself, and each one has an official page. Buying a service makes sense in three cases:

• You cannot take time off for appointments and need someone to book and attend them.
• Your first language is neither English nor Dutch and you want a person next to you.
• You are moving with a family and need several steps done in the same week.

If you only need a home, see our guide to finding an apartment in the Netherlands. Start from the first 90 days if you want the full order. To compare agencies, open the Netherlands hub, or get matched with one that offers settling-in services in your city.

What we could not source

We found no official source for how long a bank takes to open an account, or whether it will open one before you hold a BSN. We found no timeline for utilities, internet or mobile contracts. Municipalities differ on appointment systems, and we read only Rotterdam’s page for the document details. We did not research taxes beyond the BSN, and ReloFinder does not give tax advice.