Registering with your municipality (BRP) and getting a BSN

Registering with your municipality (gemeente) is usually the first official step after you arrive in the Netherlands under the Temporary Protection Directive. It places you in the Dutch population register (BRP) and gives you a BSN — the citizen service number you need for almost everything official.

This is orientation, not legal advice. Procedures can differ per municipality and change over time — check your gemeente and the official sources for your situation.

Why the BSN matters

Your BSN (burgerservicenummer) is your personal number for dealing with Dutch authorities. You usually need it to:

• start work and be paid correctly;
• arrange healthcare and insurance;
• open a bank account;
• apply for a living allowance (leefgeld) and other support;
• use DigiD and deal with the Belastingdienst (tax office), UWV and your gemeente.

Who can register

You can usually register under temporary protection if you are:

• a Ukrainian national who left Ukraine on or after 26 November 2021 (or left earlier but can show you were already in the Netherlands); or
• a non-Ukrainian who, on 23 February 2022, had international protection or a permanent Ukrainian residence permit; or
• a close family member of someone covered (the relationship existing before 23 February 2022).

People who only held a temporary Ukrainian permit generally lost eligibility on 4 September 2025, unless they obtained another Dutch residence permit.

The steps

1. Register at the gemeente (BRP) where you are staying. You provide your personal details and your (temporary) address.
2. You receive your BSN. After BRP registration you are given a BSN automatically — often by letter shortly afterwards.
3. Make an IND appointment for your proof of temporary protection, usually within 4 weeks of your BRP registration. There you collect your proof — a sticker, a separate paper, or an O-document (for people aged 14 and over). Biometrics (photo, fingerprints, signature) are taken.

What to bring

An original identity document if you have one — a passport, birth certificate, or residence permit. If you have no documents, the gemeente starts a separate identity-verification process, and you can still begin.

How long it takes

• BRP registration is often completed at the appointment itself; your BSN usually follows by letter soon after.
• The IND appointment is normally within 4 weeks of BRP registration.
• Biometrics are taken at the IND. Some people receive a separate letter and should make an appointment within two weeks of receiving it.

Waiting times vary by municipality and by period.

After you are registered

Once you are registered and have your proof, you are generally entitled to accommodation, a living allowance (leefgeld), healthcare and education for children. You may also work as an employee without a work permit — your employer only notifies the UWV, and work can usually start a couple of working days after that notification.

Common problems and what to watch

• No documents? The gemeente starts a separate identity-verification process — you can still register.
• Keep your proof safe (the sticker or O-document) — you may need to show it.
• Tell your gemeente about changes in address, income or household — these can affect your allowance.
• Watch for letters from the gemeente and the IND, and respond within the time stated.
• A BSN is not a residence permit. Your proof of temporary protection is the document that shows your status.

Good to know

• Temporary protection in the Netherlands currently runs until 4 March 2027. The government has announced a 3-year transition document for after that date; the details are still being finalised.

If you get stuck

If the gemeente process is unclear, your documents are missing, or you received a letter you do not understand — you can ask our consultant in the app, or contact RefugeeHelp, the Juridisch Loket, or your gemeente directly.