Do I need to deregister with the municipality before I leave the Netherlands? – ACCESS NL (2025)

For EU/EEA or Switzerland and non-EU citizen

When you first arrived in the Netherlands, you were obliged to register with the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP) ( municipality’s personal records database) of your city or town of residence. Similarly, when you leave the Netherlands, you must deregister. This is important as the gemeente(municipality) will need to remove your personal details at the same location. The municipality will also be obliged to inform other government authorities of your departure.

The first step is to report your intended departure to the stadhuis(town hall). You are advised to check with your municipality about the required notice period for notifying them that you intend to leave the country. The notice period may vary from one municipality to another. For the The Hague municipality, you are required to deregister yourself and/or other members of the family no more than five days in advance of your leaving date. One adult member can deregister the whole family. This can be done in person or in writing. The municipality will then update your details. However, if not all the family members that reside at one address are moving abroad, then everyone who is leaving the Netherlands (including children 16 years of age or older) must appear in person at the municipality’s Department of Public Service counter to report their move.

If you intend to visit your town hall in person, you will need to bring your passport or other valid proof of identity. You will probably be asked to give your current address as well as your future forwarding address. The deregistration process may vary slightly from one municipality to another. Some municipalities may ask you to complete a form notifying them of your imminent departure prior to visiting the town hall.

If all family members are leaving the country, you may have the option to inform the hall town in writing. For the Den Haag municipality, a letter can be sent which contains the following information:

  • Your old and new addresses
  • List of names of all your family members
  • The date of departure
  • Signature
  • You must also supply a copy of your proof of identity with the letter

Once you have deregistered from the BRP as a resident, your personal data will move to the non-residents part of the BRP, the Non-residents Records Database (RNI). This is for people who do not live in the Netherlands anymore, or who live in the Netherlands for less than 4 months. You can ask for a proof that you deregistered. You can apply for this proof from one of the following RNI-municipalities with a Non-residents Records Database:

• Alkmaar
• Almelo
• Amsterdam
• Breda
• Doetinchem
• Eindhoven
• Goes
• Groningen
• The Hague
• Heerlen
• Leeuwarden
• Leiden
• Nijmegen
• Rotterdam
• Terneuzen
• Utrecht
• Venlo
• Westland
• Zwolle

The international extract is available in Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, French, German and English.

If you have a Dutch residence permit and are leaving the country on a permanent basis, then you must return your residence permit as follows:

  • either at the airport ID checkpoint in the Netherlands
  • or by post to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst – IND)

Note that the residence permit is state property and thus it is your personal responsibility to ensure that it is returned as part of the deregistration process. Find the address of return and more information about this matter here.

It is advised that when returning your residence permit by post, you send it with a short accompanying letter and make a copy of both the front and back of the card for your future reference.

When you deregister with the municipality they will notify all the other governmental institutions like the UWV, SVB, kinderbijslag, etc.

For commercial services such as utilities, you will need to notify them. If you cancel your parking permit before the end of its validity period, you could be eligible to claim some money back, for this you need to cancel the parking yourself. Keep in mind it can take up to six weeks before you get your money back, so you may need to keep a bank account open for this period.

Diplomats, consular officials and employees of an international organisation

At the start of your assignment, you will have been registered with theMinistry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken – BZ). Similarly, on departure you must deregister with the Protocol Department. When the posting of a privileged person comes to an end, the employer (embassy or international organisation) should send a ‘note verbale’ to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informing them that the posting of the person and/or of members of his family has come to an end. The ‘note verbale’ also informs the Ministry of Foreign Affair whether or not the person(s) is(are) departing from the Netherlands. The BZ ID card(s) should also be returned with the ‘note verbale’.

Do I need to deregister with the municipality before I leave the Netherlands? – ACCESS NL (2025)

FAQs

Do I need to deregister with the municipality before I leave the Netherlands? – ACCESS NL? ›

You must deregister from the municipality where you live in the Netherlands. You do this from 5 days before your departure until the day of departure at the latest.

What happens if I don't deregister from the Netherlands? ›

So, if you don't deregister yourself, you still take up one of the registration 'seats' at the address which might result in the next tenant not being able to register. Besides this, it can also bring extra taxes for your landlord and/or roommates because you did not deregister yourself in time.

When to deregister from a municipality? ›

Deregistering from the municipality

You must deregister from the municipality you live in. You can do this 5 days (or fewer) before your departure (not earlier), in person. The municipality can at your request issue proof of deregistration.

Do I need to close my bank account if I leave the Netherlands? ›

If you do not plan to return to the Netherlands in the coming years, make sure to cancel your Dutch bank account to avoid any unnecessary charges.

How to cancel residence permit in the Netherlands? ›

When you wish to leave the Netherlands, you must contact the Municipal personal records database (BRP) in your local municipality to deregister. Your residence card must also be returned to the IND, as it is the property of the Dutch government.

Does the Netherlands have an exit tax? ›

The exit-tax applies to cross-border reorganisations of companies established in the Netherlands (head offices) that are part of a group as referred to in Article 24b of the Dutch Civil Code or similar foreign regulations with a consolidated net turnover of at least EUR 750 million.

How long can I be not registered in the Netherlands? ›

If you are coming to live and work in the Netherlands for less than 4 months, then you must register. You will then be regarded as a non-resident of the Netherlands ('niet-ingezetene') and you will be given a citizen service number (BSN).

How to get proof of deregistration in the Netherlands? ›

If you have already deregistered, you can request a proof of deregistration from an RNI municipality. If you are not registered in the RNI, you may be able to apply for a certificate of deregistration from the municipality of The Hague.

What is the impact of deregistration? ›

Deregistration terminates the authority of a person who was a lawful agent of the company or CC prior to deregistration and an attorney who continues to act for the company or CC may be held personally liable for the costs of the action from the date of deregistration.

How long does deregistration take? ›

Deregistration Timeline: The process can take 3-12 months, so follow up with the CIPC to ensure all documents are received and the deregistration is progressing. Deregistering your company involves a systematic approach, and being well-informed is key to a successful process.

What happens to my bank account if I leave the country? ›

While many banks allow addresses abroad, some banks may close your account if you request a change of address.

Do I need to notify my bank when I leave the country? ›

Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans, so they do not flag charges you make in another country as fraudulent.

Can I have a Dutch bank account without living in the Netherlands? ›

You can open up a non-resident or international account with some Dutch banks. This gives you the option of opening up and operating the account from outside the country. Different banks have different offers and procedures.

How long can you be outside the Netherlands with a residence permit? ›

You may stay outside the Netherlands for a maximum of 8 months per 12 months. But only if this is for work purposes. We add up any separate periods. You must continue to meet the requirements of your residence permit.

Do I have to return my residence permit in the Netherlands? ›

If you have stayed in the Netherlands with a residence permit, you should return the residence card to the Immigration & Naturalisation Service (IND) before leaving, as this remains property of the Dutch government. Visit the website of IND for the details of the address.

How to deregister from GP Netherlands? ›

As soon as you are registered as a patient with the new GP, you can deregister yourself as a patient with your old GP. You can do this in writing, by telephone or modeling. When deregistering, always indicate when you will switch and why you actually switched to the other GP.

Can I stay in Netherlands without registration? ›

If you are staying, or plan to stay, in the Netherlands for more than four months then you need to register (inschrijven) at the town hall in the municipality (gemeente) where you are living.

Could I lose my Dutch nationality automatically and how can I avoid this? ›

If you only hold citizenship of the Netherlands, you will never automatically lose it. However, you can automatically lose your Dutch citizenship if you acquire another citizenship or if you have dual citizenship.

How long can you stay outside the Netherlands? ›

Residence permit as a foreign investor

You are allowed to stay outside the Netherlands for a total of 8 out of 12 months. We add up separate periods. You must still meet the requirements of your residence permit.

References

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