Moving to NL

Guide

Opening a bank account

Who this is for: Anyone moving to the Netherlands who needs a Dutch bank account to receive salary, pay rent, or handle everyday payments.

In 60 seconds

You must be able to show proof of identity to open a Dutch bank account — a legal requirement, the same as for medical treatment or applying for benefits. Banks also have their own duty under Dutch anti-money-laundering law (WWFT) to investigate new customers. Beyond that, the exact documents a bank asks for (a BSN, proof of address, a residence permit) and whether you can open an account before you have a BSN are set by each bank individually — no government source checked for this guide states one nationwide checklist, so confirm directly with your chosen bank. If you cannot open a regular account, Dutch/EU law gives legal residents a fallback right to a basisbetaalrekening (basic payment account): it covers card and giro payments, online/mobile banking and paying your mortgage, pension, insurance and tax, but not overdrawing, a credit card or a savings account — and a bank can only refuse it on specific grounds (anti-money-laundering concerns, you already hold an account, no genuine connection to the Netherlands, an account closed in the last 2 years, or a conviction in the last 8 years). Whichever bank you choose, your balance is protected up to €100,000 per person per bank under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme if the bank fails.

Step by step

  1. 1 Prepare valid proof of identity

    You must be able to show proof of identity — a passport or another identity document such as an ID card — to open a bank account in the Netherlands, in the same way as for medical treatment or applying for welfare benefits.

    Where
    With the bank of your choice, in person or via their app/online process depending on the bank.
    How long
    Immediate — this is a document you need before applying, not a separate procedure.
    Cost
    Free.

    What to bring

    • Valid passport or identity card

    • If you require medical treatment in the Netherlands, or you want to open a bank account or apply for welfare benefits, you have to be able to show proof of identity, by showing a passport or other identity document, such as an identity card.

      Source: Rijksoverheid — Government.nl — Identification documents · checked 2026-09-19

  2. 2 Check what your chosen bank needs beyond ID — this is bank-specific, not government-set

    Banks are "obliged entities" under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act (WWFT): they must investigate customers and report unusual transactions before and during the relationship. Exactly which further documents a given bank asks for (BSN, proof of Dutch address, residence permit) and whether it will open an account before you have a BSN are decisions made by each bank, not set out in one nationwide rule by the official sources checked here — confirm directly with your chosen bank rather than assuming one universal checklist applies.

    Where
    With the bank of your choice.
    How long
    Varies by bank; not stated by the official sources checked.
    Cost
    Varies by bank; not stated by the official sources checked.

    What to bring

    • Valid ID (see previous step)
    • Whatever your chosen bank additionally lists — check their own website

    • Obliged entities (including banks) have a duty to investigate their customers and report unusual transactions, under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act (WWFT).

      Source: Rijksoverheid — Government.nl — Combating money laundering and terrorist financing · checked 2026-09-19

    • A single nationwide list of documents a bank must request from a new individual customer (e.g. BSN, proof of address) beyond identity verification.

      Not verified: The WWFT overview page describes the general duty to investigate customers but does not itself specify a fixed document checklist for opening a personal account; that is set per bank. Widely repeated figures such as a "90-day grace period to supply your BSN after opening an account without one" appear on bank and expat-guide sites but were not found on any government.nl/rijksoverheid.nl page checked.

      Source: Rijksoverheid — Government.nl — Combating money laundering and terrorist financing · checked 2026-09-19

  3. 3 If you are refused a regular account, use your right to a basisbetaalrekening

    You can get a basisbetaalrekening (basic payment account) if you cannot open a regular payment account. It lets you make cash and giro payments, use a debit card, bank online and via a mobile app, and pay your mortgage, pension premiums, insurance and taxes — but you cannot use it to overdraw, use a credit card, or open a savings account. A bank may refuse a basisbetaalrekening only on specific grounds: it cannot comply with the WWFT for you, you already hold a regular or basic account at a Dutch bank, you cannot show a genuine connection to the Netherlands, an account of yours was closed within the past 2 years, or you were convicted of a crime in the past 8 years. If refused, you can complain to the bank directly, then free of charge to the Kifid (Klachteninstituut Financiële Dienstverlening) complaints institute, or pursue the Convenant Basisbankrekening or the courts.

    Where
    With any Dutch bank offering payment accounts; complaints go to the bank first, then Kifid.
    How long
    Not stated by the sources checked for opening a basisbetaalrekening itself; a Kifid complaint is free to file.
    Cost
    Free to open; complaining to Kifid is free of charge.

    What to bring

    • Valid ID
    • Proof you cannot open a regular account, if a bank asks for it
    • Your complaint in writing, if you need to escalate to Kifid

  4. 4 Know your deposit protection

    Once you have an account with a Dutch-licensed bank, your money is protected under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS), administered by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), covering almost all savings accounts, current accounts and fixed-term deposits.

    Where
    Automatic for accounts at Dutch-licensed banks; no action needed unless a bank fails, in which case DNB announces how to claim.
    How long
    Automatic protection; if a bank fails, DNB announces when and how to apply for compensation.
    Cost
    Free — this protection is not something you pay for separately.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming one nationwide checklist of required documents applies to every bank — it doesn't; ask your chosen bank directly.
  • Not realising the basisbetaalrekening is a fallback right (for when a regular account is refused), not the standard account most people open.
  • Confusing the government-backed Deposit Guarantee Scheme (protects your balance if the bank fails) with fraud/scam protection, which it is not.
  • Giving up after one bank refuses instead of using the free Kifid complaints route or the Convenant Basisbankrekening.

When this does not apply to you

  • You're opening a business account rather than a personal one — different rules and documents apply; this guide covers personal accounts only.
  • Your bank is not licensed in the Netherlands — the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme in this guide only covers accounts at Dutch-licensed banks.

Not covered here

This guide deliberately says nothing about mortgage, loan, credit card application, crypto, investing. Those are separate procedures with their own rules; guessing about them would do more harm than staying silent.

This guide gives general information, not legal or tax advice. Bank-specific requirements and processes are set by each bank and can change — always confirm current requirements directly with your chosen bank.

Facts last checked against their sources on 2026-09-19.