The short answer
Keep valid identification and check the municipality’s own registration checklist before travelling. Requirements for civil-status documents, legalisation or translations can depend on the document and situation.
Prepare documents for each appointment
Bring the employment offer, accommodation details and any existing BSN information. A short stay and a planned long stay use different registration routes; choose the route based on your actual plans.
Keep personal access and an emergency reserve
Store your own copies of contracts and important correspondence somewhere you can reach if an agency app stops working. Confirm the first payday and costs payable before it. Arrange healthcare according to your actual insurance status, including any posting or RMO exception. Your DigiD and banking passwords should stay under your control; a recruiter does not need them to explain paperwork.
What to do next
- Check the municipality’s appointment and document requirements.
- Collect identity, contract, housing and insurance-status documents.
- Keep copies, contact details and enough money for the gap before first pay.
Your first wage arrives four weeks after starting, while transport and groceries must be paid immediately. Preparing documents alone is not enough: check the payment calendar and plan that first-month cash gap.
Questions people ask
Should I get a new BSN if I worked in the Netherlands before?
Normally you keep your existing BSN. Bring the old record and explain your return to the municipality.
Does everyone need the same translated documents?
No. Check the municipality’s list for your own circumstances before paying for translations or legalisation.
Should I use RNI for any new job?
No. The registration route depends on planned residence duration and circumstances, not simply on starting work.
Can the agency use my DigiD to arrange everything?
Keep your login private. Use an official authorisation route where a service allows someone to act for you.
What financial information should I confirm before travelling?
Guaranteed hours, gross rate, pay period, first payday and every expected housing, insurance or transport cost.
Sources
Last verified: 4 October 2026. Sources are in Dutch or English.