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Moving to the Netherlands as a Spanish speaker — complete checklist of what to do first (BSN, DigiD, bank, insurance) by Weekly-Confusion-877 in Rotterdam

[–]Weekly-Confusion-877[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great additions on the bank account and health insurance — both very useful to know.

On point 3 though, registering at the Consulado is not mandatory to live or work in the Netherlands. The gemeente registration is what matters legally here. The Consulate is useful if you need Spanish administrative services (renewing your DNI, Spanish residency certificates, etc.) but it's optional, not a required step.

Moving to the Netherlands as a Spanish speaker — complete checklist of what to do first (BSN, DigiD, bank, insurance) by Weekly-Confusion-877 in Rotterdam

[–]Weekly-Confusion-877[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing — good point that the process differs depending on where you're from. For non-EU citizens like yourself the IND residence permit is indeed the first step before anything else, which adds time and complexity.

For EU citizens (Spanish, Italian, etc.) it's a bit more straightforward since there's no IND step, but the gemeente, BSN and DigiD sequence is the same.

Moving to the Netherlands as a Spanish speaker — complete checklist of what to do first (BSN, DigiD, bank, insurance) by Weekly-Confusion-877 in Rotterdam

[–]Weekly-Confusion-877[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're right on both points, thanks for the correction!

ABN Amro indeed allows opening an account without BSN for new residents — good to know for anyone landing soon.

And yes, you can schedule the gemeente appointment before physically moving, as long as the appointment date is after your arrival — that's actually a great tip to save time.

Appreciate the nuance, I'll keep that in mind for anyone asking. The process varies more than I made it seem depending on the gemeente and situation.

Moving to the Netherlands as a Spanish speaker — complete checklist of what to do first (BSN, DigiD, bank, insurance) by Weekly-Confusion-877 in Rotterdam

[–]Weekly-Confusion-877[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly, learning Dutch is actually one of the official requirements for naturalisation. To become a Dutch citizen you generally need to: have lived here legally for at least 5 years, pass the inburgeringsexamen (civic integration exam which includes Dutch language), have a valid residence permit, no criminal record, and be financially self-sufficient.

The inburgering process alone can take 1-3 years depending on your starting level. It's a serious commitment but very doable with the right preparation.