Amsterdam Week One: The Expat Checklist Nobody Gives You
Published • Wed, Apr 29, 2026
Welcome. Now the admin starts.
Nobody warns you about the first week. Not properly. What's surprisingly hard to find is a clear, honest answer to: what do I actually do first, and in what order? That's this article. No fluff. Just the sequence.
Before You Even Arrive: Book Your Municipality Appointment
This is the single most important piece of advice in this entire article, and most people miss it.
To get your BSN (burgerservicenummer — your Dutch citizen service number), you need to register with the Amsterdam municipality. In 2026, Amsterdam Stadsloket appointments are running 6–8 weeks out.
The BSN is the key that unlocks almost everything else on this list: your bank account, your salary, your health insurance, your GP. The sooner your appointment is booked, the sooner your life in Amsterdam properly begins.
- ✓Valid passport — EU/EEA citizens may use a national ID card
- ✓Non-EU nationals: valid passport plus your residence permit
- ✓Your signed rental/tenancy contract — this is your proof of address. Ensure the names and passport numbers of everyone registering are listed on it.
- ✓Original birth certificate (some nationalities need apostilled copies — check well in advance)
- ✓Original marriage certificate if applicable
Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant)? IN Amsterdam at Concertgebouwplein offers a combined IND and municipality appointment — typically 2–6 weeks rather than 6–8. Book via iamsterdam.com.
For a full walk-through of the registration process, documents, and what your BSN unlocks, read our complete Amsterdam BSN registration guide →
The Practical Stuff Nobody Mentions
📱 Get a Dutch SIM first
Do this on the way home from the airport. You need a Dutch phone number for almost every registration that follows — DigiD, banking apps, health insurance portals, municipality callback systems. All of them will text a Dutch number.
Prepaid options like Lebara and Lyca are available in most supermarkets and phone shops. KPN, Vodafone, T-Mobile, and Simpel offer monthly contracts. Any of them will do for now.
🚌 Get onto public transport
Amsterdam's trams, buses, metro, and ferries all run on a tap-in/tap-out system. You have two options:
| Option | Cost | Best for | Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| OVpay (contactless card/phone) | Standard fare | First few days — zero setup | Now |
| Anonymous OV-chipkaart | €7.50 card + load €20 min | Regular use, no Dutch bank needed | Now |
| Personal OV-chipkaart | €7.50 + subscription | Commuters, off-peak discounts | Needs BSN + bank |
For full details on routes, apps (NS, 9292), and getting around the city, see our Amsterdam public transport guide →
🔑 Don't lock yourself out
The Bureaucratic Sequence
🏦 Open a bank account (don't wait for your BSN)
You can — and should — open a Dutch bank account before your BSN arrives. Several banks offer a 90–120 day grace period to provide your BSN later.
| Bank | Dutch IBAN? | BSN needed upfront? | Monthly fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bunq | ✓ NL | No — 90 days | €0 | Fastest setup, day one |
| ING | ✓ NL | No — 90 days | €3/mo | Traditional bank, 170+ branches |
| ABN AMRO | ✓ NL | No — 120 days | €4.30/mo | Dedicated expat desk |
| N26 | ✗ German | No | €0 | Interim only — DE IBAN causes friction |
You need a Dutch bank account to receive salary and pay bills. Don't wait for the BSN — you'll just create a bottleneck at the worst possible time.
Three Things to Do Immediately
🏥 Sign up for Dutch health insurance
Mandatory for every Dutch resident. You have four months from registration, but your insurer will backdate your policy to your registration date regardless — so there's no reason to delay.
- Basic premium (basisverzekering): €147–185/month
- Annual deductible (eigen risico): €385 — you pay this before most treatments
- Income below ~€38,520/year? Apply for zorgtoeslag (government subsidy) at toeslagen.nl via DigiD
- The basic package is legally identical across all insurers — compare on price and service at independer.nl
For a full guide to the Dutch healthcare system including how to claim, what's covered, and the GP referral process, see our healthcare & GP registration guide →
🆔 Apply for DigiD
DigiD is your digital identity for all Dutch government services — tax, healthcare portals, benefits, address changes. Apply free at digid.nl. The activation code arrives by post within three business days.
Apply early. You'll need it for health insurance, zorgtoeslag, and a dozen other things — and it always turns up at the least convenient moment if you leave it late.
👨⚕️ Register with a GP (huisarts)
The Dutch system is gatekept: your GP is the entry point to almost all medical care. You cannot see a specialist without a GP referral. Register before you need one.
Search at zorgkaartnederland.nl for practices accepting new patients near you. In popular central neighbourhoods, practices fill up — if you're struggling, contact your health insurer. They're legally obliged to help you find a practice.
The Quality-of-Life Essentials
🚲 Get a bike
This is — genuinely — the most important item on the list for your day-to-day happiness. Amsterdam is a cycling city in a way that has no equivalent in most of the world. Trams are fine. Cycling is life.
Budget €150–300 for a reliable second-hand bike from Waterlooplein market or a local shop. Don't buy anything too nice — theft is a genuine concern. Two locks, minimum, always.
🛒 Find your Albert Heijn
Amsterdam's main supermarket chain. Most open early and close late. The app has good deals. Your Dutch bank card works on their payment terminals (iDEAL and contactless). In the Jordaan, Oud-West, or De Pijp you'll pass one within five minutes of your front door.
For a deeper look at life in different Amsterdam neighbourhoods — where to shop, eat, and spend time — see our Amsterdam neighbourhoods guide →
💧 Check your annual municipal taxes
If you are registered at an Amsterdam address on 1 January of any given year, you'll receive an annual bill covering water charges and residential waste tax (afvalstoffenheffing). This surprises people who arrive in December and find a bill waiting in January. It's nothing to worry about — just something to be aware of. Your accommodation provider can explain exactly what applies to your situation.
Emergency Numbers for Your First Week
Put these in your phone before anything else.
| Situation | Contact |
|---|---|
| Police, fire, ambulance (emergency) | 112 |
| Out-of-hours medical advice (non-emergency) | 020 592 34 34 |
| Amsterdam Municipality (general) | 14 020 |
| Your GP (once registered) | Save immediately on registration |
| Your landlord / property manager | Save immediately on arrival |
A Few Things Specific to You
We've been helping expats and corporate professionals settle into Amsterdam since 2012. Here's what you need to know from day one.
Your tenancy contract — You received a digital copy when you signed. This is your proof of address for BSN registration. Make sure the names and passport numbers of everyone registering are listed on it. Can't find it? Email info@cityretreat.com and we'll resend it.
Maintenance issues — WhatsApp us on +31 6 44 44 12 31, email info@cityretreat.com, or call +31 85 00 24 201. During working hours: response within 4 hours. Out of hours: within 12 hours.
Extending your stay — We'll have your expected end date noted. If you're uncertain about your leaving date, the most flexible option is an indefinite arrangement — we take the property off market and you give us one calendar month's notice when you're ready. Email info@cityretreat.com well in advance; once a subsequent booking is confirmed for your apartment, extension may no longer be possible.
BSN registration & de-registration — All City Retreat apartments support tenant registration. Email info@cityretreat.com if you need any support with the process.