Frequently asked questions
Find the answers to your settling-in questions. You can find answers to the most frequently asked questions about first registration with the municipality, permits, and visa related questions, the Utrecht International Center's services and more.
Any questions left unanswered? Please contact the Utrecht International Center. For questions about living in Utrecht Region, please check out our website or visit our helpdesk for a free consult.
Utrecht International Center
The Utrecht International Center offers free services to newcomers in Utrecht Region. Our services will help you settle-in and are all free of charge. You can arrange your paperwork at our office (residence documents en municipal registration), receive practical information about living in Utrecht Region at our helpdesk and website, and join one of our free events to meet new people and build a social network.
If you want to visit our Civil Affairs or IND desk to register or arrange a permit, you need an appointment. You can visit our helpdesk without an appointment.
Yes. We are happy to help. You can use all the services we offer. Please find information for international students about city registration, housing, student life in Utrecht and more on our website.
Are you looking for someone that specialises in relocation, healthcare, childcare, housing, banking or another field? The Utrecht International Center will connect you with reliable experts who offer high-quality services in English and are familiar with the needs of internationals living, working and studying in Utrecht Region.
You can contact us by email and phone, and visit our desks during opening hours – appointment needed for Civil Affairs and IND.
Utrecht International Center service fees
The Utrecht International Center charges fees for the following services:
- Municipal registration in Utrecht at the Utrecht International Center's office
- Collection of residence permit at the Utrecht International Center's office
Find a detailed overview of the Utrecht International Center's fees below.
* The partner and of child(ren) must live at the same address and come to the same appointment. If the family is not able to join the appointment, the regular fee will be charged.
Exemptions
Exempt from all payments at the Utrecht International Center are:
- International students and employees of the Utrecht University and Hogeschool Utrecht
Exempt from payment for municipal registration at the Utrecht International Center are:
- Citizens of the cities of Amersfoort, Hilversum, Oudewater, Woerden, De Ronde Venen.
The Utrecht International Center's fees are fixed for the year and not negotiable.
You will be asked to pay in the final stage of the appointment form on the Utrecht International Center website. You need to pay before your appointment. It is not possible to pay at the desk and the appointment. It is also not possible to make an appointment by calling us.
It is not possible to pay at the appointment at the Utrecht International Center. You must pay beforehand, through the appointment form on our website.
You can pay by VISA, Mastercard, and IDEAL (a Dutch online payment system).
Please send an email to the Utrecht International Center at info@utrechtinternationalcenter.com including the first and last name that you used to book the appointment and the case number (‘zaaknummer’).
Only businesses can pay by invoice. You have to pay by VISA, Mastercard, and IDEAL in the Utrecht International Center appointment form.
As of November 25, 2024, the Utrecht International Center will conduct random checks to verify if the payment was made or the payment obligation has been agreed upon. If not, the customer may be denied service at the desk and asked to reschedule their appointment. We will check this in our system: customers don't need to bring a proof of payment to their appointment.
Yes. You can register directly through your local municipality. The appointment will be free of charge and you will receive your BSN within four weeks after the appointment. If you register at the Utrecht International Center, you have to pay the service fee, but you are guaranteed to receive your BSN at the appointment.
It is possible to collect your residence permit free of charge at one of the IND desks if your residence permit is not already delivered at the Utrecht International Center. Please contact the IND at +31 88 043 04 30 to check the status of your application and discuss the possibilities. Or send a message in the chat bot on the IND website.
No, these services are free of charge. You only need to pay to collect your residence permit at the Utrecht International Center.
This depends on the status of your application. If you still need to provide your biometrics, it is possible to change to pick-up location at the appointment. If you already provided your biometrics, you need to contact the IND to discuss whether it is possible to choose a different pick-up location. Please contact the IND at +31 88 043 04 30 or send a message in the chat bot on the IND website.
The discounted price only counts of the whole family comes to the same appointment. If they can't join, they need to make a new appointment and the regular service fees will apply.
You can reschedule or cancel your appointment using the respective links in the confirmation email that you have received from the city of Utrecht. We will not refund the appointment costs if you cancel your appointment within 5 full working days of your appointment or fail to attend your appointment. To claim your refund, you need to fill in this refund form. If you need help rescheduling or cancelling your appointment, you can get in touch with us: info@utrechtinternationalcenter.com.
You have to cancel your appointment 5 full working days (or earlier) before the appointment to be eligible for a refund. The first step is to cancel your appointment using the respective links in the confirmation email that you have received from the city of Utrecht. The second step is to fill in and submit this refund form.
First registration
A BSN (citizen service number or in Dutch ‘burgerservicenummer’) is a unique personal number allocated to everyone registered in the municipal Personal Records Database (BRP). You need a BSN if you want to arrange something with the Dutch government. For example, arrange health insurance or your tax return.
You must register with the municipality where you are going to live (for a short or long stay) to obtain a citizen service number.
If you are going to live and/ or work in the Netherlands, you need to register with your local municipality. Unless you are staying for four months or less. In that case, you are not officially required to register. However, if you plan to work or want access to services like healthcare, you require a citizen service number (BSN). You can register for a short stay (RNI) to receive a BSN.
If you are planning on staying in the Netherlands for less than four months, you can apply for a short-term municipal registration (RNI). RNI stands for registration as a non-inhabitant (in Dutch: registratie niet-ingezetenen’). You will receive a BSN number, but you will not be registered as a resident in the Netherlands.
No. It is not possible to register without an appointment. Please make an appointment on the Utrecht International Center's website.
You can schedule an appointment on the website of the Utrecht International Center. Read up on the important information and schedule an appointment.
You can register at the Utrecht International Center if you live in/ plan to live in Utrecht, Amersfoort, Hilversum, De Ronde Venen, Woerden or Oudewater. Please note: you can only register using a ‘briefadres’ or postal address if you live in Utrecht. Moving to another city or town in Utrecht Region? We have listed their contact details for you.
In some cases, it is possible to register. This only applies of you live in the city in Utrecht. If you meet certain criteria, you can register using the official postal address of your employer. Sometimes you can also register if you are living at a residence rented by your employer or if you are temporarily living at someone else's address.
- A valid passport or ID card for each person that needs to be registered.
- Proof of occupancy: a rental/ tenancy agreement, home purchase deed or a completed form for temporary registration.
- Legalised birth, marriage and/ or divorce certificate (if available) – this doesn’t apply to international students. The municipality only accepts deeds in English, German and French. Deeds in other languages must be translated by a sworn translator. Both the original deed and the translated document must be legalised. Please note: all deeds must comply with the rules for legalisation. Read more about the legalisation of documents.
- A proof of deregistration in case you are relocating from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba or Sint Eustatius.
When you live in the Netherlands, you may have to present official documents such as civil status documents, diplomas or certificates at some point. Sometimes these documents do not meet the Dutch legal requirements. In this case, it is necessary to authenticate (legalise) the documents to show that the document has been issued by an official authority. Please check if you need to legalise documents when preparing for your relocation to the Netherlands. If the answer is yes, leave plenty of time to legalise the documents because it can be a lengthy process.
You can cancel your appointment via the link in the confirmation email. Click the cancel-link. In case this doesn’t work, please contact the Utrecht International Center at info@utrechtinternationalcenter.com.
Yes. If you moved within the same municipality, you must inform them within 5 days of your move. If you are moving to another municipality you need to inform your new municipality within the same time period.
Yes. If you are leaving the Netherlands for at 8 months or more in 12 months time (these 8 months do not have to be consecutive), you must inform the municipality. This does not have to be in a consecutive period of time. They need to remove your personal details from the Personal Records Database (BRP) and inform other government authorities of your departure. If your partner and/or child(ren) leave the Netherlands as well, they also need to deregister.
You have to make an appointment with the city of Utrecht if you have arranged your first registration but need to come back to have some documents registered. Please note: the Utrecht International Center only processes certificates for the municipality of Utrecht. If you live in another municipality, please contact your local municipality to register your documents.
Permits, visa and other IND related questions
Yes. You can make an appointment with the Utrecht International Center to pick up your residence permit. Please note: you need to meet certain requirements.
If your IND letter states you can pick up your residence permit at the Utrecht International Center, you can make an appointment on our website.
Please find a link to reschedule or cancel your appointment in the confirmation e-mail that you have received from noreply@utrecht.nl. Please contact the Utrecht International Center at info@utrechtinternationalcenter.com in case of questions.
A recognised sponsor is a company, school or organisation that has an interest in the arrival of a third-country national. A recognised sponsor can apply for a residence permit for, for example, employees or students. See which organisations are recognised sponsors.
If you are leaving the Netherlands voluntarily, it is important to inform your municipality. In some situations, you must also inform the IND or/ and hand in your residemce document.
You can submit your biometrics at the Utrecht International Center. Find more information about the requirements on our website and make an appointment.
Other formalities
With your DigiD you identify yourself when accessing services online. It allows you to access and services safely. You need it for government matters, healthcare or your pension. To apply for a DigiD, you need a BSN, mobile phone and address registered with the Dutch municipality.
If you are new in the Netherlands and have a foreign driving license, you can continue to use this driving license for a limited period of time. How long depends on where you obtained this license. After this period ends, you need to apply for a Dutch driving license. Some internationals can exchange their driver’s license for a Dutch one easily. This includes but is not limited to EU and EEA citizens, and expats who have the 30% tax facility status.
Don’t you want to pay to park your car or other vehicle? You can apply for a resident parking permit (parkeervergunning voor bewoner) at the municipality. With a permit, you don’t have to pay for parking at the meter or via a parking app. You need one permit for every car you own. Contact the municipality you live in for more information.
Expats with a EU passport can temporarily open a bank account without a BSN via the ABN AMRO app. Expats with a non-EU passport can also open an account. However, the account remains blocked (except for incoming transfers) until they provide an extract from the BRP.
Every person who lives or works in the Netherlands is legally obliged to take out a basic health insurance within four months of registering with the municipality.
Questions about living in Utrecht Region?
Do you have questions about housing, education, healthcare, employment, finance, transportation or learning Dutch? Find plenty of information on our website. Can't find what you need? Feel free to visit our helpdesk.
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