Netherlands EU free movement

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and work in the Netherlands without a residence permit or work permit. Those staying longer than 4 months register with their municipality in the Personal Records Database (BRP). ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12}

Requirements

• Citizens of EU and EEA states and of Switzerland can live in the Netherlands without a visa or residence permit. ^{1 8}
• Stays of up to 3 months need only a valid passport or national ID card. ^{1 3}
• After 3 months, work, self-employment, study, or sufficient resources with health insurance is needed. ^{3 9}
• Workers must do genuine work, for example at least 40% of a full working week or income of at least 50% of the social assistance benefit. ⁹
• Economically inactive residents need income at least equal to the Dutch minimum wage with holiday pay, or enough to live on. ⁹
• Students must be enrolled in the Netherlands, have health insurance in the Netherlands and sufficient funds, without claiming benefits. ⁹
• A valid passport or ID card issued by an EU or EEA country or Switzerland serves as proof of lawful residence. ⁹
• Register at your town hall (gemeente) as soon as possible if you will stay longer than 4 months; you go into the BRP. ^{9 10}
• Registration with the municipality is due within 5 days of arriving; a citizen service number (BSN) is issued then. ¹¹
• Take out health insurance within 4 months of arriving if staying longer. ⁹
• Registering with the IND is only needed if you previously lived legally in the Netherlands as an EU citizen and the IND ended your residence. ⁹
• Permanent residence is acquired automatically after 5 years of continuous lawful residence. ⁴
• After 5 years of continuous residence while working or having enough money, a permanent residence document valid for 10 years can be requested from the IND. ¹²

Stay

• No time limit; no residence document is needed. Register with your municipality (BRP) if staying longer than 4 months.
• First 3 months up to 3 months: Valid ID card or passport only.
• After 3 months: Worker, self-employed person, student, or person with sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance; registration of residence.

Nationality

Citizens of the 27 EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Work

Citizens are free to work in the Netherlands and the employer does not need a work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning).

Family

Married, registered or unmarried partners, children, grandchildren, parents and grandparents can join under EU law; other relatives qualify if financially dependent or needing care.

Checked 2026-10-10

Official sources

1. Residence rights when living abroad in the EU · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
2. Registering residence abroad after the first 3 months · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
3. Residence rights for economically inactive EU citizens · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
4. Permanent residence (after 5 years) for EU nationals · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
5. Work permits · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
6. Work in the public sector abroad · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
7. Your non-EU spouse and children's residence rights in the EU · European Union, Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
8. The European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the North · European Parliament · checked 2026-10-10
9. Staying in the Netherlands as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-10
10. As an EU citizen, how can I stay in the Netherlands for longer than three months? · Government of the Netherlands (Government.nl) · checked 2026-10-10
11. When should I register with the Personal Records Database as a resident? · Government of the Netherlands (Government.nl) · checked 2026-10-10
12. Permanent residency for Union citizens and their family · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-10