7 Things You Should Do When Moving to The Netherlands

In December 2018 I moved from Portugal to The Netherlands. In this video I will share with you 7 things I wish I would have known when I moved to The Netherlands.
If you are thinking about living in The Netherlands, this video is a great start to help you settle in.
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⏱️Chapters⏱️
00:00 Start
00:13 BSN Number
02:36 Accommodation
05:45 Bank Account
07:35 Health Insurance
09:15 Tax Benefit - 30% Ruling
11:42 Bicycle
15:53 Public Transport - OV-chipkaart
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Links:
➡️ Dutch Government website for BSN: www.government.nl/topics/pers...
➡️ Housing websites:
Funda: www.funda.nl/
Expat Rentals: expatrentals.com/
➡️ Health Insurance: www.zorgverzekeringslijn.nl/e...
➡️ 30% Ruling: www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wc...
➡️ Bicycle links:
Decathlon: www.decathlon.nl/
Marktplaast: www.marktplaats.nl/
Swapfiets: swapfiets.nl/
➡️ OV-Chipkaart: www.ov-chipkaart.nl/en

[@helgavolpe7303]

you are a polite and sweet girl that expresses herself kindly. Peter is a great example of show and tell. MMMM the words emotions and feelings come up. One of many.

[@digitaldion]

I am moving to the Netherlands on 1 November. This is so helpful! Thank you!

[@nas4apps]

On bikes: Get a not too old second hand top rated Dutch brand of Dutch bicycle: the brands which last, they are built for Dutch usage: Gazelle (top notch), Batavus (also!) and Sparta (great) are the classic Dutch brands which will last decades as well. There are many 'B' brands as well, just not as good (for utilitarian use that is!). Get the bike from a local bike shop (shop around a bit, there are many shops) and make sure all is fixed and up to snub. Some maintenance is best every year (do it yourself or just get it checked) - and the bike will be great for you. Important features: lighting (!) you can get ticketed without decent lighting - especially in the autumn there are many 'traps'. Important too, unlighted bikes are hard to see by motorists. And most important: the fit, as in size - make sure the bike fits you well, frame size, wheel size, steering wheel height, that sort of thing. Finally, get good tires if needed! Flats are bummers, but easy to repair yourself (typically). Sometimes the need to be replaced: Vredestein is the brand, German Schwalbe are great too. Don't want too many flat tires! Cheap tires lead to bad results. It is not about looks. Have fun!

[@Auke1993]

My partner (from the USA) will be moving in with me in the Netherlands soon. We'd done a lot of research already for what we should do, but this video gave us some more insights as to what we should do, and do soon after we arrive. Thank you for making this video. I think it's very helpful.

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Auke1993! I'm very happy that the video gave you some insights about moving to The Netherlands :) I hope everything goes well with your move!

[@Auke1993]

@@mafaldaboers I hope so as well. Thank you.

[@zakariazaki7513]

Thanks for video keep going 🤠 greeting from Morocco

[@feikodelavieter7515]

If you do not have an adress use the RNI registration to get the BSN, there are several larger municipalities that provide RNI registration.

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Feiko de la Vieter! Thank you for sharing this tip! Very helpful

[@sannynjoo9776]

KZbin suggested this video to me. Though interesting for interested people who want go live in the Netherlands, I don't need it as I'm Dutch resident already :).. but your channel deserves more views and subscribers! Obrigado

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Sanny, thank you for your kind comment! I hope my future videos, not so much related with expat life in the Netherlands, will add some value to you. Have a great day!

[@bastange8856]

5:02 Really take this to hart, it really is an interview. The people renting the place out want to be sure you'll take care of the apartment. I've heard it happen many times where they'll rent the apartment for less than they could have gotten from another just because they felt comfortable renting it to this specific person. I've also heard some horror stories of what can go wrong with renting out apartments if your tenants are less savory. A father of one of my old primary school friends had to go to jail because his tenants were using his property to grow drugs (although in this case I very much suspect he knew very well what was going on). This doesn't apply for just renting either, if you want to buy a house, the one selling it will also occasionally accept a lesser offer just based on who they'll be selling to. One of my best friends took the lesser offer of an immigrant family over the greater offer of an real estate agent just because he knew the agent was just going to rent the place out for easy money while the immigrant family really needed a place to live.

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Bas Tange! Thank you for sharing that horror story. It is quite dramatic, but unfortunately stories like this do happen. Regarding buying a house, it actually happened to me (I mention this in my most recent video "Buying a house in The Netherlands").

[@eddys.3524]

Hi, Mafalda, welcome to the Netherlands. I also watched the other video, and I think you cover the most important issues about coming to live in the Netherlands. I though have some remarks with regard to the OV-chipcard. From your employer it is sometimes possible to get a socalled Bussiness card. Main purpose of that card is for work related travel public transit. Furthermore there are two individual OV-chipcards, one on a personal basis with your picture and directly linked to your bankaccount and a more incognito card on which you've got to put money.. But keep in mind using that last card that there must me enough money on the card to be able to travel. Using tram, metro or Bus it's €4,- but if you travel by train it's €20,- !! If the money is not on the card, you are denied access and you must recharge the card.

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Eddy S.! Thank you for sharing more information about the OV-chipcard, those are actually important points to mention. I believe there is a setting that allows to automatically charge the OV-Chipcard when you are out of money. It is very usefull, specially when you are late to catch the public transport!

[@PascalHermans]

Love you ❤

[@mavadelo]

Whoever told you that you can use a commercial adress (office, store, etc) as (temporary) official adress is wrong. It needs to be residential or officialy sanctioned alternative (like shelters do for the homeless in some cases for example). You can not use any old address. I know people that got in a lot of trouble with that. Some municipalities will be more lenient than others but in general, make sure it is at least a residential address. (It can be the floors above an office or store if that is residential, not the office or store itself basically) your second point, I am Dutch so your basics I can't tell if they are good or bad advice for those moving here (they sound logical to me though) but a tip I can give is that if you plan to stay for several years, make sure to enlist in the rental registry for the area you want to live in (woningnet) so you can make use of the normal housing market the Dutch use as well, However there is a long waiting period untill you are even rising on the list, up to several years, so only worth it if you are planning to stay indefinitely or for like a decade or so. However if you pplan on staying long term, do it asap. Besides buying a house, renting from one of the "Woningbouw verenigingen" (housing associations) is the best and savest way to rent. Bank: a few more than just those 3. I understand that they are the biggest but when people live in smaller towns they might find it more convenient to use: Regiobank, SNS or Triodos as they might have a better real life presence in those areas. Health insurance: The basis package is mandatory by law. So not only do they not have the option to deny you, you are obliged by law to get one. I want 30% tax excemption too :( :P We are not a flat country, we might look flat but once you are on the bike and outside into nature, you will notice it is far from flat. A word of caution, the fact that bikers are protected and favored in the law doess not mean that whatever happens, the others are to blame. I see to many tourists and expats that seem to think that. Als we, cyclers, have to obey by the rule of the road. Ig you are to blame, no preference in the law will help you. Stolen bikes: I would say that about 60% of all bikes have been stolen or will be stolen at least one time in their lifespan. Even second hand bikes from reputable sellers might have been stolen at some point in the past. We all know, we don't care. As long as you make sure you buy it from a reputable source, it is unlikely it will give you issues. Public Traansport: Together with the bike, the best way to get around the Netherlands. Great video :)

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Mavadelo! Thank you for your comment and for sharing more insights! Regarding the address I understood that you could register in a correspondence as a temporary backup and used as an administrative adress only, until you find a place to live.

[@mavadelo]

@@mafaldaboers Hi. As I said, different municipalities might be more forgiving but I would always make sure to check it with the city or town where you want to move before commiting to a lease. And especially for Students I want to add... make sure to inform yourself of your rights. Your Uni will most likely have student bodies that can help you with that information. Also the Netherlands has its fair share of potential slumlords, Knowing your rights and how to have them enforced can save you from sudden homelessness.

[@user-fn8xp4fu6f]

Olá Mafalda, sou holandesa e acho triste que já tenhas um rasist no teu youtube, acho bom que estejas aqui para contribuir. Eu realmente acharia interessante saber o que fazer quando for a Portugal, talvez no próximo vídeo

[@franklinnartz1381]

Most bike shops will have a number of second hand bikes for sale, usually around 70-100 euros. Those have been repaired/maintained and are usually not stolen unless it's some shady shop. If you buy the bike of some hobo in the streets for 10-20 euros, it's definitely stolen.

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Frank, thank you so much for your tip!

[@OrkunAkar]

👍

[@chitraravin923]

part2

[@panlomito]

Some people move to the Netherlands, we moved from the Netherlands in 2022. There are a lot of developments in the Netherlands we do not like: highest inflation in the EU, highest energy and fuel prices due to climate goals, highest immigration of people from the Middle East and Africa, highest costs for health care... Our monthly costs for living (mortgage, energy/water, groceries, health care insurance, waste tax, car fuel, internet/phone) dropped from € 2600 to € 600 and these low costs are totally compensated by revenue from our B&B. So we could stop working at 60 yo. The Netherlands are very expensive to live...

[@Aragorn.Strider]

it's gemeentehuis, not gemeenthuis, but you say it pretty good

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Aragorn Strider, thank you for correcting me. I will keep trying :)

[@narvul]

There's no such thing as a BSN number, the N in BSN is the number. But that won't change anything in your extremely hard endeavour to obtain a house.

[@robertvermaat2124]

Welkom!! Indeed - DO NOT TRY TO LIVE IN AMSTERDAM! Or in any of the major cities in the West, because the housing is just wayyyy too expensive.

[@TrickyD]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 *out of 5 Stars!* - sweet as in pleasant on the eyes & easy on the mind to remember - precise & to the point - all relevant info 🤓Just the way I take my information. Somehow your lovely accent reminds me of Salma Hayek's, except her voice is a tad deeper. 🥰She has a husky, sultry voice which just oozes with seductiveness and I gotta admit that this is my weakness. Not my greatest, mind you, but it definately is in my top 3. I particularly ❤her voice acting in the animated movie *Sausage Party* *Teresa [Selma Hayek's voice]* : I'm not a soft taco, I'm a hard horny taco.

[@momaboovo1260]

I think you are Portuguese, isn’t !?😊

[@mafaldaboers]

Yes, I'm Portuguese :)

[@momaboovo1260]

@@mafaldaboers fixe 😇

[@momaboovo1260]

@@mafaldaboers is it important to learn Dutch when all people there are fluent in English!?

[@peterhendriks1602]

If you want to attract a following, tell about your life. Practical information is important, but only for people who need it. Who are you, what drives you, what do you like to do, what makes you unhappy etc.

[@AndreUtrecht]

She's not making a Tinder profile here... she can share as much as she wants. If the practical information is not for you don't watch...

[@peterhendriks1602]

@@AndreUtrecht Sure, I would never deny anybody that right and I was not thinking in terms of Tinder profile information. However, as a journalist I know people are interested in other people and what makes them tick. So if she wants more followers, then add bits about how you live your life. Saying something controversial or funny can also work. But maybe a very private person doesn't feel comfortable doing that and that is fine. It wast just a little tip: be more than a talking head. Somehow she seems an interesting person, so I would say to her: use your intelligence and your observation skills.

[@Harry_PP030]

Before this you could consider to learn the language first....

[@faizeljakobus5278]

Thats comes nog wel

[@Harry_PP030]

@@faizeljakobus5278 that's already 2 words, it's a start!

[@mafaldaboers]

Hi Harry! I have the opinion that for someone who is moving to a country where it is very easy to get around by talking in English, learning Dutch would not be the biggest priority. There is so much to arrange and to do before you're settle in :) However, it is always nice to know the language and I recommend to learn it once you the move is complete and you have more time.

[@Harry_PP030]

@@mafaldaboers i understand, and i know it's a hard language to learn. But sometimes it frustrates me that i have to switch to English in my own country, in a shop or restaurant, while the other doesn't even try and lets me know, often in an unpleasant tone that i have to speak english to them because they don't speak Dutch.

[@woutvanostaden1299]

​@@Harry_PP030I'm familiar with the problem that you are referring to. I have taught Dutch as a tutor (also to imigrants) and many people are overwhelmingly intimidated by the idea of having to speak a foreign language. How would you fare if you were to go somewhere, where you don't yet speak the language. My little brothers girlfriend (from Equador, she has a hard time with the letter h, but with my help she's learning. She understands more than she can speak) has to learn Dutch too. For most people working up the courage to overcome the mental barriers is just as hard as the language technical diffeculties, additionally rumors and imagination of how diffecult it is to learn a certain language can be just as daunting and may actually make it seems much harder than it is. Take Dutch pronunciation, which is infamous for getting non-natives tongue-tied, but if you know that almost 85% of pronunciation errors happen with the vowels a tutor can fix that with some very simple rules and some practise in 10 to 30 minutes. If however you don't know what the problem is or where to look for solutions, it's a lot more diffecult to learn and try to use a language. I think I'd do decently well in regards to try and learn a language, due to language learning experience and an adventurous polyglot mindset, additionally I know where I can get help from teachers and tutors. So instead of critiqing/complaining, you could try and suggest that they try Italki.com (an online platform where you can connect with teachers and tutors for 1 on 1 lessons over Skype/other alternatives, for very reasonable prices) this way you do get to express that you would like it if they learn Dutch and you're trying to be helpful and encouraging.

[@ricferr6945]

OLÁAAAA !!! POIS: eu estou aqui em Portugal e estava com ideias de me passar para a Holanda mas com a descrição do outro teu vídeo, como é que arranjo trabalho se eu não tenho casa? .... é uma pescadinha de rabo na boca. Os ordenados em Portugal estão como sempre uma vergonha e sem emprego as coisas ficam mais complicadas. Enfim, já marquei subscrição para te seguir e, é isso.. espero pelos próximos vídeos . Beijinhos. Ricardo

[@mafaldaboers]

Olá Ricardo! No meu caso, eu consegui arranjar emprego em Amesterdão enquanto ainda vivia em Portugal. Assinei o contracto em Outubro para começar a trabalhar em Janeiro, o que me deu 2 meses para encontrar casa antes de iniciar o novo emprego. O meu processo de recrutamento foi todo feito através de entrevistas por video-chamada (isto foi em 2019, antes deste método ser ainda mais popular por causa do corona). Desejo sorte nesta aventura para mudar de vida!

[@ricferr6945]

@@mafaldaboers