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Register with the municipality

Everyone living in the Netherlands for more than four months must register at the municipality (in Dutch: gemeente). This is a simple process without any additional costs, which takes place at your local municipality office of the town where you are going to live. It is only possible to register in person and only on or after the start date of your rental contract, not before this date.

Important for non-EU students with a residence permit for study purposes:

Registering with the municipality and obtaining your residence permit are different and separate procedures, but both are mandatory. Failing to register with the municipality may result in the loss of your​ residence permit.

Amsterdam 

To register at the municipality of Amsterdam, the AUAS organises specific registration days at the start of each semester for our international students for easy and fast registration. This way, students will receive their BSN (citizen service number) immediately. Do not make a regular appointment with the municipality, as this process will be slow and inefficient and you will receive your BSN many weeks later.

Spring 2025 REGISTRATION DAYS
Information to be announced in November/December 2024.

Diemen

If you are going to live in the municipality of Diemen, a neighbouring town of Amsterdam, you will have to register there instead of Amsterdam. In AUAS Housing this is the case at Rode Kruislaan (housing provider Lieven De Key) or at Dalsteindreef (housing provider OurCampus).

Spring 2025 REGISTRATION DAYS
Information to be announced in November/December 2024.

Visiting address


D.J. Den Hartoglaan 1
1111 ZB Diemen
Check location in Google Maps(opens in new window).

Other municipalities

If you are not going to live in Amsterdam or Diemen but at a different municipality or town, you cannot register in Amsterdam or Diemen! You have to register at the municipality where you are going to live. Check the website of the specific municipality on how to register and what documents you need to bring. You might be required to bring a birth certificate as well. Examples of surrounding towns are Amstelveen, Duivendrecht, Haarlem, Haarlemmermeer, Zaandam, Purmerend, Almere. 

Citizen Service Number (BSN)

Once registered, you will receive a citizen service number(opens in new window) (burgerservicenummer/BSN). You will need this number for example for opening a Dutch bank account, visiting a doctor, receiving hospital treatment or to start work.

Don't have a place to stay yet?     

Officially, you must register as soon as possible  after your arrival in the Netherlands. If you do not have a place to live yet, you cannot register anywhere unfortunately.

No rental contract?

If you do not have a rental contract, because you stay in the house of a friend or relative, the landlord/primary occupant/home owner needs to fill out and sign a permission to register at address form(opens in new window) (pdf download), including a copy of their proof of identity. You need to bring this document as well to your appointment. This is for the municipality of Amsterdam only. For other municipalities, please check their procedure yourself.

Couples Room

If you rent a couples room through the AUAS, only one of you is mentioned on the rental contract. In order to get you both registered at the municipality of Amsterdam, you need to fill out the permission to register at address form(opens in new window) as well. It also helps if you go to register together at the municipality. For other municipalities, please check their procedure yourself.

Changing address within Amsterdam?

Notify the municipality on time if you change address(opens in new window).