If you do not have a Burgerservicenummer (BSN)

If you live outside the Netherlands and you do not have a Burgerservicenummer (BSN ) or you have lost your BSN, select the situation that applies to you and read what you can do.

You have claimed an AOW pension

If you have claimed an AOW pension, you do not have to do anything. We will make sure that you are entered in the Register of Non-Residents (RNI ). You will then receive your Burgerservicenummer from the National Office for Identity Data (RvIG).RvIG

You have not claimed an AOW pension

If you have not claimed an AOW pension but you have lived in the Netherlands, applying for a BSN is usually simple. 

On 1 October 1994, a change was made to BSNs. That is why it is important to know when you left the Netherlands.

You left the Netherlands on or after 1 October 1994

If you left the Netherlands on or after 1 October 1994, you will be listed in the Register of Non-Residents (RNI) and you will already have a BSN. You may find your BSN in old letters or documents.  

If you cannot find your BSN, you can apply to a Dutch municipality that has an RNI service desk for an extract containing your BSN. The fees may vary from one service desk to another. 

You left the Netherlands before 1 October 1994

If you left the Netherlands before 1 October 1994, you can have yourself registered in the Register of Non-Residents (RNI). You will then be issued a BSN. To do this, you can visit 1 of the 19 municipalities in the Netherlands that have an RNI service desk. How to do this is explained below in 5 steps.

  1. Go to the Netherlands Worldwide website to find a municipality that has an RNI service desk 
  2. Make an appointment 
  3. Collect together all of the required documents, such as your ID and proof of your address 
  4. Visit the RNI service desk in the Netherlands in person 
  5. Once you have been registered in the RNI, you will be issued a BSN

You have never lived in the Netherlands

If you have never lived in the Netherlands, you can have yourself registered in the Register of Non-Residents (RNI). You will then be issued a BSN. To do this, you can visit 1 of the 19 municipalities in the Netherlands that have an RNI service desk. How to do this is explained below in 5 steps.

  1. Go to the Netherlands Worldwide website to find a municipality that has an RNI service desk 
  2. Make an appointment 
  3. Collect together all of the required documents, such as your ID and proof of your address 
  4. Visit the RNI service desk in the Netherlands in person 
  5. Once you have been registered in the RNI, you will be issued a BSN 

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