Moving to the Netherlands Step by Step: BSN, Registration, Housing

The Netherlands is, after Germany, the second most common direction we move things to. The drive from Wrocław to Utrecht or Eindhoven takes a single day, so the transport itself is simple. What's harder is what waits on the other side: moving to the Netherlands requires a BSN number, registration with the municipality, and housing that you won't find on that market overnight.

Below is the order that works for our clients: what to arrange before departure, what to do on moving day, and what to handle in the first week after arrival.

1. A rental contract or an address where you can register. No address means no registration, and no registration means no BSN. A short-term rental that bans registration blocks the whole chain.
2. A gemeente appointment booked in advance. Slots in Amsterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven can be two or three weeks out — it pays to book before the transport is arranged.
3. Documents: passport or ID card, children's birth certificates, marriage certificate. Dutch offices often ask for multilingual copies — these are issued by the Polish civil registry office (USC).
4. Cancelling contracts in Poland for electricity, gas, internet and home insurance.
5. A list of items to transport. The sooner we know how many cubic metres are travelling, the more certain the date.

BSN — the number nothing works without

The BSN (burgerservicenummer) is the Dutch equivalent of the Polish PESEL number. You get it when you register with the municipality, and you need it for everything: an employment contract, a bank account, health insurance, a family doctor. If you're staying longer than four months, you register as a resident (BRP); for a shorter stay, RNI registration is enough.

Health insurance within four months

The Netherlands requires you to take out private health insurance (zorgverzekering) within four months of registering. Being late results in a fine, calculated retroactively from the registration date.

Bank account and salary

Opening an account with a Dutch bank requires a BSN and an address. Some employers pay wages only into a local account, so this is one of the first things to sort out after registering.

School and nursery

Registration for primary school is done directly at the school, not at the municipality. In larger cities, popular schools have waiting lists, so it's worth asking before the move.

With a full household, a dedicated vehicle is used: loading in Wrocław, unloading at the Dutch address the next day. With a smaller load — a dozen or so boxes, a bed, a desk — a shared load pays off: you pay for the space you use, not for the whole vehicle.

What to watch out for on the Dutch side:

• Narrow streets and steep stairs in old buildings — in Amsterdam, Leiden or Haarlem, a furniture lift through the window is often needed.
• Low-emission zones (milieuzone) in city centres — the vehicle has to meet the standard, or it won't be allowed in.
• A parking spot at the address — in many cities it has to be reported to the municipality in advance, sometimes for a fee.
• Canals and bridges — on tight quays, a larger vehicle simply can't get to the door.

Sockets and voltage are the same as in Poland, so appliances and electronics work without any changes. Furniture is a different story: Dutch flats can be narrow, with steep, winding staircases. A wardrobe that went up by lift in Wrocław might not fit at all in Utrecht.

Before packing large furniture, it's worth measuring the staircase and doors at the new flat. One measurement before the move saves you from returning a piece of furniture or booking an extra furniture lift on site.

How long does a move from Poland to the Netherlands take?

The drive itself is a single day. With dedicated transport, unloading happens the day after loading. With a shared load, add time for putting together a full load for that direction — usually a few days.

Do I have to be there for the unloading?

Yes, someone has to show where the furniture goes and sign the handover report. It can be someone you authorise if you're arriving later.

Do I need more than an ID card?

For the transport itself, no. For registration and the BSN — an identity document, a rental agreement and, if you're moving with family, birth and marriage certificates, ideally in a multilingual version.

What about a car on Polish plates?

Once you're registered in the Netherlands, you have a limited time to re-register the car. The deadline is counted from the registration date, so it's worth checking straight away, not after six months.