New to the Netherlands: The Essential Checklist

New to the Netherlands? Here is a list of your 10 most important tasks to tackle:

As soon as you have an address in the Netherlands, you need to register at your local municipality. They will send you your own citizen service number, or ‘burgerservicenummer’. With this, you can acquire your digital identity, or ‘Digid’. You will be asked to provide these forms of identification frequently in the Netherlands. Many of the tasks on this list will require you to have them!

If you do not have a job yet, look into finding work in the Netherlands. Whether you plan to start your own company, or you just want to begin networking and let opportunities present themselves, you can find advice here.

In order to buy your groceries and get your wages, you will need to open a Dutch bank account.

Your tax obligations will vary, depending on your financial situation, your relationship status and where you work. Some expatriates also benefit from a system called the ‘30% ruling’. Find out if it applies to you, here.

Make sure you and your belongings are fully covered. There are so many different kinds of insurance in the Netherlands. Read about them in this article, and get signed up.

Don’t wait until you or your children fall ill to find a GP! It can be difficult to get an appointment at short notice, so book yourself in with your local ‘huisarts’ as soon as you can. They can refer you for specialist treatment and advise you on all other health- related matters.

Work out how to get to work, to the shops and into town. Sometimes public transport is the best option, especially in the wet and windy winter months. Otherwise, you could drive or make the most of the Netherlands’ amazing cycling system.

Get all your devices up and running, to stay connected to friends and relatives back home, and to remain up to date with current affairs.

Groceries, toiletries, kids’ food, cat food: You need to get to know where to go shopping in the Netherlands. Explore your local area, and seek out the best value and best quality produce.

It is so helpful to do a little research on your new daily life in the Netherlands. Read up on general things, like: recycling, Dutch cuisine and how to hire household help. It will leave you prepared for when you come up against a cultural barrier.