Tool
Create a simple arrival plan for your first week and first month after moving to the Netherlands.
After arriving in the Netherlands, many expats ask what to do first. This arrival planner helps you prioritize your first week and first month based on your housing status, household setup, and banking urgency.
Use it as a practical checklist for your first week in the Netherlands, your first month checklist, and steps that often need appointments or lead time. This is planning guidance, not legal advice.
Disclaimer
Explore realistic arrival situations and prefill the planner in one click.
Prioritise tracking address-dependent tasks, short-term housing plan, and banking prep once you have an address.
Focus on coordinated admin ownership, registration readiness, and banking once you have an address.
With housing in place, prioritise registration, BSN, banking and family-related admin.
Use a practical catch-up sequence so registration and follow-ups become manageable week by week.
With housing arranged, focus on registration, BSN and first-month stabilisation.
You're planning your arrival from Australia. Long-distance moves often benefit from a bit of buffer in the first week for admin and appointments. Some steps will wait until you have a stable address; the plan below reflects that. Banking is prioritised so salary and payments can flow as soon as possible.
Confirm the date you can move in and which address will receive official letters (e.g. from the municipality, IND, or bank). Clarify with your landlord or host that you can use this address for registration and that post in your name will be accepted and passed to you.
Collect the documents you are likely to need for municipality registration: valid passport, proof of address (e.g. rental contract or landlord confirmation), and any required civil or residence documents. Check your municipality’s website for the exact list, as requirements can vary slightly.
Book an appointment with your municipality for registration, or confirm the process (e.g. online) as soon as you have a valid address.
Attend your registration appointment and complete the process. You will receive your BSN (citizen service number) as part of this. Bring your passport, proof of address, and any civil or residence documents the municipality has asked for. After the appointment, note your BSN and keep the confirmation safe.
After registration, ensure you have your BSN (on paper or in the letter from the municipality) and list which next steps need it: opening a bank account, applying for DigiD, taking out health insurance, and giving your employer your details. Plan the order so you can start each step as soon as you have the BSN.
Arrange a Dutch mobile number and data so you can receive one-time codes (OTPs), confirmations, and calls for appointments and services. Use this number when signing up for your bank, DigiD, and other official or financial services.
If you have a residence permit or need to collect it from the IND, do so as soon as you are notified.
Identify which tasks (e.g. registration, BSN, banking) depend on having an address and plan the order.
Confirm where you will stay in the short term and how long, and whether you can receive mail there.
Open a Dutch bank account once you have your BSN and proof of address (and any other documents your bank requires). Compare banks for fees, app quality, and branch or online support; many offer basic accounts with no or low monthly fees.
Have your passport or ID, BSN, proof of address (e.g. rental contract or municipality confirmation), and any employment or residency documents your chosen bank asks for. Check the bank’s website or branch for the exact list before you apply.
Confirm with your employer (or HR) which account details and documents they need for salary payment—usually your BSN and Dutch (or SEPA) bank account—and when the first payment will be made. Ask whether they need anything else (e.g. tax form, proof of address) and what to do if your account is not ready by the first pay run.
Apply for DigiD online once you have your BSN and a Dutch address where you can receive post. You will receive an activation letter at that address; follow the instructions to activate. Use a Dutch mobile number if possible for smoother verification.
Take out Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) once you are resident. It is mandatory within four months of registration; many people arrange it in the first month. You will need your BSN and usually a bank account for the premium. Use comparison sites to compare packages and prices.
If your housing is temporary, set a date by which you will decide or secure longer-term housing.
Allow extra time for jet lag, document checks and first-week admin when moving from far away.
Register with a local GP. Practices can have waiting lists, especially in busy areas, so contact them early.
Organise direct debits or standing orders for rent, insurance, utilities and other recurring costs so nothing is missed.
Check how long you may drive on your current licence and whether you need to exchange it for a Dutch one; take action before the deadline.
Arrange how you will get around: get an OV-chipkaart for trains, buses and trams (e.g. via NS or Translink); consider a bike (buy second-hand or lease); check NS subscriptions if you commute by train.
Once you have an address, consider liability insurance (aansprakelijkheidsverzekering) and contents insurance (inboedelverzekering). Many Dutch residents have these; comparison sites (e.g. Independer) can help.
Review pending admin tasks once a week (confirmations, reference numbers, next steps) so nothing is missed.
If municipality, IND or family registration may require Australian civil records, ensure you have them to hand when you arrive.
Use the Australia → Netherlands guide for document and practical steps.
This planner focuses on your first days, first week, and first month after arriving in the Netherlands. It helps you see which tasks to prioritize and which depend on your address and BSN.
You get a clear view of first-week milestones, first-month milestones, and admin dependencies—so you can book appointments and gather documents in the right order.
Municipality registration is typically one of your first steps; it gives you your BSN (citizen service number). Many next steps depend on that: opening a bank account, taking out health insurance, and applying for DigiD.
If you do not yet have a stable address, the planner still helps you see which tasks must wait and what you can do in the meantime.
Once you have completed your first week and first month priorities, use the First 90 Days Planner to plan from week 2 to month 3: DigiD, GP, recurring payments, transport routines, and housing stability.
Most people start with housing confirmation, municipality registration preparation, and understanding which tasks depend on BSN progress. If banking is urgent, banking setup usually moves higher in the first-week plan.
Registration options and requirements vary by municipality and situation. This planner gives sequencing guidance, but you should confirm exact address and registration options directly with your municipality.
Not always, but many arrivals prioritize it early for rent, salary, and recurring payments. If you select that you need banking soon, the planner moves banking-related steps higher.
Municipality registration, some bank onboarding paths, GP registration in some areas, school-related follow-up for families, and housing follow-up can involve appointment timing or lead time.
Several admin steps become easier after BSN-related progress. This planner flags BSN dependency awareness so you can sequence your first week and first month in a practical order.
You can still use the planner as a catch-up sequence. Pick your current address and household status, then focus on first-week priorities, appointment-sensitive items, and weekly follow-up reminders.
Yes. Family scenarios often add school-related awareness and extra coordination points in the first month. The planner includes these when you select a household with kids.
No. It is deterministic planning guidance based on the inputs you choose. It does not replace legal, immigration, tax, or municipality-specific advice.
Arrival overview and what depends on registration.
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