Everyone residing in the Netherlands has a registration number: the Citizen Service Number (Burger Service Nummer, BSN). A BSN is issued to you when you are born and registered at the municipal register. When you start living in the Netherlands later, a BSN will be issued to you when your registration at the municipality is completed. For non-EU citizens this also depends on an action by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND). After you have visited the municipality, you will go to the IND to hand in your application for a residence permit. If the IND accepts the application, it will notify the municipality and your BSN will be sent to your home address. This will take about 10 days after you have registered with the municipality.

Why do I need a BSN?
You need this number if, for example, you wish to take out insurance, open a bank account, receive your salary or apply for benefits.

Tax and Social Security number (Sofi-number)
If your stay is shorter than four months, you can apply for a ‘Sofi-number' (Tax and Social Security number). This is issued by the Dutch Tax Administration. You have to make an appointment via the tax information line in order to obtain a Tax and Social Security number at one of the offices of Tax Administration 0800-0543.

Possession of a Tax and Social Security number does not automatically imply that you may stay or work in The Netherlands.

Conditions to obtain a Social Security number:

• You may only obtain a tax and social security number for yourself or your children under 16;
• You must provide your address details;
• You must present a valid passport. Only if you are a national of an EU member state, you may present a different identification document. Driver's  licenses are not accepted as identity cards.

Are you not a national of an EU member state, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, or Switzerland? The following applies to you:

• You must have a note/sticker in your passport that permits you to stay and work in The Netherlands. You can apply for this note/sticker at the Immigration and Naturalization Service Desks (IND).

Immigration and Naturalization Service Desk (IND)
Eindhoven Rijksverzamelgebouw ‘Hooghuis’
Keizersgracht 5
5611 GB Eindhoven

Opening Hours:

Monday -Friday: 08.30-17.00 

For more information contact:
Tax Information Line Non-resident Tax Issues
Telephone number: (055) 538 53 85
From abroad +31 555 385 385

Or visit one of the Expat Desks.

Opening Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 08.00-20.00 
Friday: 08.00-17.00 

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