Claiming an AOW pension if you live outside the Netherlands
If you live outside the Netherlands, you should apply for your AOW pension 6 months before you reach your AOW pension age. In which country you should submit your claim will depend on your situation. You do not need a Burgerservicenummer (BSN) or DigiD in order to apply.
Select the situation that applies to you and find out more about applying for an AOW pension if you live outside the Netherlands.
You live in a country of the European Union (EU).
You should submit your AOW pension claim to the pension organisation in:
- the country where you live (they will send it on to us), or
- the last country where you were covered by national insurance for old-age pension, medical costs and unemployment
If you do not know which organisation to contact outside the Netherlands, please get in touch with us so we can help you further.
If you live in Belgium or Germany
If you need more information and you live in Belgium or Germany, you can contact the Bureau for Belgian Affairs (BBZ) or the Bureau for German Affairs (BDZ).
You live in a country of the EEA (European Economic Area), or a country with which the Netherlands has an agreement on social security (treaty country).
If you live in an EEA country or in a treaty country, 1 of the following situations will apply to you:
1. You have basic state pension insurance in the country where you live. In that case, you should contact the pension institution in that country.
2. You do not have basic state pension insurance in the country where you live. In that case, you should contact the pension institution in the last country where you were covered by national insurance for old-age pension, medical costs and unemployment.
If you do not know which organisation to contact outside the Netherlands, please get in touch with us so we can help you further.
You live in another country
If you do not live in an EU country or treaty country, you should contact us 6 months before you reach your AOW pension age.
If you are already receiving a benefit from us, we will contact you
If you are already receiving a benefit from us, for example, Anw survivor benefit or remigration benefit, you do not have to do anything. We will contact you.