On this page
A BSN comes from one of two registers. Which one applies depends on how long you will stay, and each municipality sets its own housing-proof rules. Check the live page of the municipality or RNI desk you plan to use.
At a glance
- Over four months
- Register in the BRP of the municipality where you live, within five days of arrival.
- Under four months
- RNI registration at one of 19 desks by appointment; the BSN is issued at the appointment.
- Housing proof
- Set by each municipality. Amsterdam accepts a contract or a signed consent form from the main occupant.
Your checklist
First steps
Your checklist stays on this device.
A lease is one kind of address proof, not the only one
Resident registration (BRP) needs a place where you actually live, and the municipality decides which documents prove it. Amsterdam lists an original purchase contract, an original active rental contract, or an original consent form signed by the main occupant with a copy of their ID.
That makes a signed consent form the usual answer when you rent a room or stay with someone who holds the lease. It is not a national rule, so ask your own municipality before you travel.
RNI gives a BSN, but it is not a resident registration
The RNI is for people who live abroad or will stay less than four months. You receive a BSN, but you are not registered as a resident at an address. Anyone staying longer than four months is expected to register in the municipality where they live.
Who may use which desk is limited: people with a passport from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland can use any of the 19 RNI desks, while other nationalities can only use the desks in Breda and Venlo.
If you have no housing yet
Resident registration is tied to an address where you live, so a stay of more than four months with no address is hard to register. Get a consent form from a host or main occupant, or secure a contract, before the appointment.
The sources reviewed do not say whether a hotel or short-let booking counts as address proof for BRP registration. Ask the municipality in writing and keep its answer.
Common questions
Can I get a BSN without a rental contract?
Sometimes. Some municipalities accept a signed consent form from the main occupant instead of a lease, and the RNI route issues a BSN for stays under four months. A longer stay with no accepted proof of address is hard to register.
How quickly do I receive the BSN?
Amsterdam says you receive the confirmation letter and your BSN immediately after BRP registration. The Hague says RNI registration is immediate and you receive the BSN at the appointment.
Does a hotel or Airbnb booking work as proof of address?
The pages reviewed do not say. Amsterdam’s list names a purchase contract, a rental contract or a consent form from the main occupant. Ask your municipality before relying on a booking.
Do I need an appointment?
RNI registration needs an online appointment at one of the 19 desks. Amsterdam says its City Offices work without an appointment, except Weesp. Other municipalities differ, so check yours.
Official sources
Read this first
- Government.nl: when to register as a residentThe five-day registration rule and the four-month threshold
- City of Amsterdam: first registration from abroadAmsterdam’s accepted housing proof, documents, appointment rule and BSN timing
- NetherlandsWorldwide: register in the RNIRNI eligibility and where non-EU nationals can register
- City of The Hague: BSN and RNI registrationRNI appointment booking, documents, free registration and immediate BSN
Rules can vary by nationality, work or study status, and city. Confirm your route with the official authority before you act.