What should I do first when moving to the Netherlands?

Book a municipal registration appointment (required within 5 days if you stay more than 4 months) and get a prepaid SIM. The BSN you get through registration unlocks a bank account, health insurance and DigiD.

Do I need a BSN for internet or a phone plan?

No. Telecom providers are not among the organisations the law allows to use your BSN. You need a Dutch address, ID and a euro bank account.

How long do I have to take out Dutch health insurance?

Four months after arrival, with cover starting on the day you arrived. If you take it out later, you are not insured retroactively.

Can I apply for DigiD before I have a BSN?

No. DigiD requires a BSN and an address registered with the municipality; the activation code is sent by post to that address.

Moving to the Netherlands: checklist for internet, phone, energy and insurance

The order that works: register with the municipality within 5 days (BSN), open a bank account, take out health insurance within 4 months, then arrange internet, a SIM-only plan and energy. Checklist with deadlines, what each step needs and what depends on what.

Short answer

As of 29 September 2026: if you stay more than 4 months, register with your municipality within 5 days of arrival; the municipality arranges your BSN (Government.nl). Take out Dutch health insurance within 4 months, with cover from the day you arrived (Government.nl). Apply for DigiD once you are registered. Internet, a phone plan and energy don't legally need a BSN, but they do need a Dutch address and, in practice, a euro bank account. Start with a prepaid SIM, order internet as soon as you have a rental contract, and arrange energy before you get the keys.

What do you need to arrange, and in what order?

Government first, then money, then home services. The table shows deadlines and dependencies.

Step	Deadline	Needs	More
Prepaid SIM	Day 1	Nothing	Dutch SIM guide
Register with municipality (BRP) → BSN	Within 5 days (stays over 4 months)	Appointment, ID, proof of address	Government.nl
Bank account	As soon as possible	Usually a BSN	–
Health insurance	Within 4 months, cover from arrival	BSN, bank account	health insurance basics
DigiD	No deadline	BSN and registered address	DigiD
Home internet	Order early; delivery takes days to weeks	Address, ID, euro IBAN	internet guide
Energy (gas/electricity)	Before key handover	Address, meter readings, IBAN	energy when moving (in Dutch)
SIM-only plan	When you have address and IBAN	Address, ID, IBAN	compare SIM-only

Registration appointments in large cities can be weeks away, so book the moment you arrive. Staying 4 months or less? Then you don't register as a resident; Government.nl describes a separate non-resident registration (in the RNI, the register of non-residents) that also gives you a BSN (Government.nl). Government.nl also recommends registering with a GP (huisarts) and says you will receive a letter from the Tax and Customs Administration when you need to file a return (Government.nl).

Which services really need a BSN?

Government, healthcare, banks and your employer; not your telecom provider. Private organisations may only use your BSN if a law allows it (Rijksoverheid).

Service	Uses your BSN?
Municipality, tax office, DigiD	Yes
Health insurance and healthcare providers	Yes
Bank account	Yes
Employer / payroll	Yes
Internet, TV and mobile	No legal basis

The Dutch data protection authority advises making your BSN unreadable on ID copies given to organisations that may not use it (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).

How do you get DigiD?

Apply online once you have a BSN and a registered address. DigiD is the login for government services such as the tax office and the healthcare allowance. You need your BSN, the address you registered with the municipality and a mobile phone. The activation code arrives by post at your registered address, usually within a few working days; DigiD mentions a maximum of 5 working days depending on post in your area (DigiD). The letter can only go to your registered address, so make sure your name is on the letterbox.

How do you set up internet, phone and energy?

Internet: check your address on our internet comparison as soon as you have a rental contract. Ziggo says it can connect cable internet from 3 working days (Ziggo); new fibre connections take longer. See providers explained.
Mobile: prepaid first, then SIM-only once you have an address and IBAN. Dutch plans include EU roaming; see roaming with a Dutch plan.
TV: many expats go internet-only plus streaming; see English-language TV.
Energy: in a home with its own meters you choose your own supplier. Note the meter readings on the day you get the keys. Compare on energy comparison.
Payments: companies offering euro direct debit must accept any EU/EEA IBAN (De Nederlandsche Bank).

Check what the rent includes

Student rooms and furnished apartments often include internet and energy in the service costs. Ask before ordering your own, or you may pay twice.

What should you do when you leave the Netherlands?

Deregister with your municipality and use that letter as proof to end contracts. KPN accepts a deregistration certificate, a job contract abroad or a foreign school statement when you emigrate; Ziggo waives early termination costs with proof (KPN, Ziggo). An English template letter is in how to cancel a Dutch contract. End your health insurance from your departure date as well.

The Dutch contract vocabulary (opzegtermijn, overstapservice and so on) is explained in Dutch telecom contracts explained.