Moving to NL

Guide

Applying for DigiD

Who this is for: Anyone with a Dutch citizen service number (BSN) who needs to log in to Dutch government services online — the Tax Administration, benefits, healthcare, your municipality — whether you already live in the Netherlands or are still applying from abroad.

In 60 seconds

DigiD is the digital login you use to identify yourself for almost all Dutch government websites — tax returns, benefits, your municipality, healthcare. You need a BSN first. If you're already registered with a Dutch municipality, apply online at digid.nl with your BSN, date of birth, postcode and house number, then pick a username and password; an activation code normally arrives by post within 3 business days (up to a maximum of 5 working days), and you must activate within 21 days or start over. If you're still abroad, you apply the same way but collect your activation code via a video call with Netherlands Worldwide or a DigiD service desk instead of by post; that activation code is valid 21 days. No official source checked states a price, so treat the cost as unconfirmed rather than assuming it's free.

Step by step

  1. 1 Check you have what you need

    For an application from inside the Netherlands you need your BSN, your registration address with a Dutch municipality, and a mobile phone. Applying from abroad instead needs a valid passport or ID, your BSN, a phone that can receive SMS text messages, and an email address — and you must already have a BSN before you start.

    Where
    No visit needed — this is a checklist you go through before starting the online application.
    How long
    Immediate — this is a checklist, not an appointment.
    Cost
    No fee is mentioned for this checklist step.

    What to bring

    • BSN
    • Dutch municipal registration address (if applying from the Netherlands)
    • Valid passport or ID (if applying from abroad)
    • A phone that can receive SMS
    • Email address

  2. 2 Apply online at digid.nl

    Go to the DigiD application form (digid.nl/en/aanvragen), fill in your BSN, date of birth, postcode and house number, and choose a username and password. You can also start the application through the DigiD app instead of the website form.

    Where
    digid.nl (English version available) or the DigiD app.
    How long
    A few minutes to complete the form.
    Cost
    Not stated by the official sources checked — no page found mentions a fee for applying, so treat cost as unconfirmed rather than assuming it is free.

    What to bring

    • BSN
    • Date of birth
    • Postcode and house number
    • A username and password you will remember

  3. 3 Collect your activation code

    If you're in the Netherlands, the activation code arrives by post at your registered municipal address, normally within 3 business days and up to a maximum of 5 working days (for a child under 14, the letter goes out within 3 working days). If you're applying from abroad, you first get a 9-digit collection code (starting with 'B', valid 30 days) after applying, then get your actual activation code (9 digits starting with 'A', valid 21 days) via a video call with Netherlands Worldwide, a DigiD service desk outside the Netherlands, or a DigiD service desk inside the Netherlands.

    Where
    By post (domestic), or via a video call / DigiD service desk appointment (abroad).
    How long
    Domestic: normally 3 business days, up to a maximum of 5 working days. Abroad: collection code valid 30 days; activation code valid 21 days once issued.
    Cost
    Not stated by the official sources checked.

    What to bring

    • Your DigiD username and password from the application step
    • For the abroad route: your collection code and valid ID for the video call or desk appointment

  4. 4 Activate within 21 days

    Activate your DigiD with the activation code within 21 days of receiving it — if you miss the window (or the code was for a Netherlands application and you never activate), you have to apply again. DigiD also expires after 3 years of not being used and requires a fresh application.

    Where
    digid.nl or the DigiD app.
    How long
    21 days from receiving the activation code.
    Cost
    Not stated by the official sources checked.

    What to bring

    • Activation code from the previous step
    • Your DigiD username and password

Common mistakes

  • Applying for DigiD before you have a BSN — you need the BSN first (see the "Registering at the municipality and getting a BSN" guide).
  • Letting the activation code expire: 21 days for the code itself, and domestic applicants must also watch the shorter posting window (3–5 working days) before the letter even arrives.
  • Assuming the domestic and abroad application routes are identical — abroad applicants get a collection code first, then a separate activation code via video call or service desk, not a posted letter.
  • Not using DigiD for 3 years and being surprised it's expired — it has to be requested again from scratch.

When this does not apply to you

  • You don't have a BSN yet — get registered with your municipality first; DigiD applications require one.
  • You already receive or will soon receive a Dutch state pension (AOW) while abroad — Netherlands Worldwide runs a separate DigiD-from-abroad process for AOW pensioners, not the general route in this guide.
  • You're applying on behalf of a child aged 13 or under — the activation letter timing differs (3 working days) and a parent/guardian manages the request.

Not covered here

This guide deliberately says nothing about eherkenning, business login, dutch passport. 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. DigiD application steps and timelines can change — always confirm current requirements at digid.nl before you apply.

Facts last checked against their sources on 2026-09-17.