If you work in 2 or more countries
If you are an employed or self-employed person or a civil servant working in 2 or countries, this could have consequences for your social insurance position. It is important that you are insured in the right country, so that you can get a benefit, if necessary, or have your healthcare costs reimbursed. You must also pay social insurance contributions in the right country.
What will happen if you are insured in the wrong country
If you are insured in the wrong country, this will have consequences for your benefits, healthcare costs and social insurance contributions. For example, you may pay contributions in the wrong country. Or your benefit may come from the wrong country.
If it turns out later that you have been insured in the wrong country, the contributions you paid there may not be refunded. However, you will probably have to pay contributions again in the country where you are actually insured. You will also have to pay back any benefits or healthcare costs you received in the wrong country.
Inform the authorities if you are going to work in 2 or more countries
Find out which country you are insured in. To do this, you must let us know in time if you are going to start working in 2 or more countries. You are obliged by law to inform us of this.
For more information, select the situation that applies to you
- Let us know that you are going to start working in 2 or more countries.
- As soon as we have been informed, we will decide which country you are insured in.
- We will then let the other countries know which country you are insured in. We will also inform the country where your employer is based. If you are insured in the Netherlands, we will send you a letter confirming this.
Important: if you are a civil servant for only the government of an EU country other than the Netherlands and you are going to do this work in 2 or more EU countries, you must report this to the social security institution in the country where you are a civil servant. The same applies if you are going to telework in the Netherlands as a foreign civil servant.
- Inform the social security institution in the country where you live that you are going to work in 2 or more countries. You are obliged to do this by law.
- The social security institution in the country where you live will decide which country you are insured in.
- The social security institution will let you know which country you are insured in. It will also inform the other countries where you will be working.
Important: if you are a civil servant for only the Dutch government and you are going to work in more than 1 country, you must report this to us. You do not have to report this to the social security institution in your country of residence. The same applies if you are a Dutch civil servant and going to telework in your country of residence.
You can apply for an A1 certificate via TWinternet.
Apply for an A1 certificate free of charge
An A1 certificate is proof that you are covered by the social insurance schemes of the Netherlands. Your employer can apply for an A1 certificate for you.
If you are self-employed, you can apply for an A1 certificate yourself.
This page is part of a quality network of the European Union
Version: 1 March 2025