Before 2021, a British citizen moved to the Netherlands the way a German or a Spaniard did: pack, register, start. That ended with Brexit. If you are planning your move now, the single most important fact is that you are a third-country national. This guide explains moving to the Netherlands from the UK in plain terms, and what stays the same.
Do you need a permit for moving to the Netherlands from the UK?
If you began living in the Netherlands after 31 December 2020, yes. The Brexit Withdrawal Agreement does not cover you; the IND says so plainly. You need a residence permit based on your reason for coming: work, study, family or another purpose. You apply for a permit, and in many cases an employer or an educational institution does it on your behalf.
British nationals are on the IND's list of nationalities that do not need a provisional residence visa (MVV), so you do not have to apply for an MVV before you travel. The IND does not say there that you may stay while your permit is processed, so check your own case with the IND before you travel.
Who still has Withdrawal Agreement rights?
British nationals who were legally living in the Netherlands before 1 January 2021 and have a residence document under the Withdrawal Agreement. The temporary document is valid for five years, and the IND has a permanent document for those who qualify. The deadlines have passed: according to the IND, an application made on or after 1 October 2021 is late. A late application made before 1 October 2022 needs no explanation, but from 1 October 2022 the IND considers a late application only if you have a good reason.
Family reunification with a British national who holds a Withdrawal Agreement document remains possible if the application is filed within three months of the family member's arrival.
What are the main permit routes for work?
- Highly skilled migrant. The employer must be a recognised sponsor with the IND, listed in the public register, and the job must meet an income threshold set by the IND. You must be on Dutch payroll. The legal decision period for a first application is 90 days.
- Independent professional or contractual service supplier under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The IND says this permit is for a temporary stay in a sector listed in the agreement: independent professionals need at least six years' experience, and contractual service suppliers work for a UK employer that has no branch in the Netherlands. The permit is valid for the duration of your contract and for a maximum of 12 months, and it can be extended only up to that maximum.
- Study, family or other purposes, each with its own conditions.
A short business trip is different: up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day period across all Schengen countries combined, for permitted activities such as meetings.
If you are weighing which route fits, whether your employer is a recognised sponsor, whether your partner is an EU citizen and changes your options, or what to bring to the first appointment, Moovy can set out what the official pages say for each. The permit decision belongs to the IND.
What happens to registration and your BSN?
You still register with the municipality if you stay more than four months, within five days of arriving. But registration requires a lawful residence, so the municipality may wait until your permit or document is in place. Until then, a BSN may be delayed, and with it your bank account and health insurance. See BSN number in the Netherlands.
What changes for health, driving and money?
Health. For temporary visits you use the UK's GHIC card. Once you live or work in the Netherlands, the same duty as everyone applies: basic Dutch health insurance within four months. See health insurance in the Netherlands.
Driving. A UK licence is a licence from outside the EU/EFTA: valid for 185 days after you settle, then a Dutch licence is needed. The RDW's exchange list governs whether you can exchange without exams; the page we read does not mention the UK, so check with the RDW.
Tax. The Netherlands has a tax treaty with the UK, including Scotland. If an employer recruits you from abroad, you may qualify for the 30% ruling (a special tax scheme), but the 150 km rule excludes people who lived near the Dutch border, which the tax office says includes parts of the UK.
Pensions. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement coordinates pensions and healthcare. If you draw a UK pension, ask the UK authority for the right S1 before you leave. For how health cover works once you live here, see health insurance in the Netherlands.
What should a British citizen do before moving to the Netherlands from the UK?
Start with the reason for your move, because it decides your permit. Work, study, family or a company transfer each lead to a different procedure and to a different person who applies: your employer, your university or you. If you work for a company, ask whether it is an IND-recognised sponsor; the IND publishes a public register of them. If you are moving with an EU partner or family, ask the IND which route fits, since family situations differ and the IND's pages should decide, not forum advice.
Then plan the timeline. A highly skilled migrant application has a legal decision period of 90 days, according to the IND, and in practice you should allow extra time for gathering documents and for the municipality appointment. Do not give notice on a UK lease or sell your car before you know the permit is approved.
What documents do you need when moving to the Netherlands from the UK?
Expect the usual: a valid passport, your employment contract or admission letter, proof of how you will support yourself where the permit requires it, and civil-status documents such as birth or marriage certificates, which may need an apostille. The Netherlands and the UK both belong to the Hague Convention on apostilles, so an apostille is the normal route for a UK-issued document, but ask your municipality or the IND what they want. Translations may be required for some documents.
Keep digital copies. You will use the same documents at the IND, the municipality, your bank and your insurer.
What about British citizens already living in the Netherlands?
If you are already living here under the Withdrawal Agreement, check that your document is valid. The temporary document lasts five years, and the IND runs a separate procedure for a permanent document. If you cannot find your document or your situation changed, contact the IND early. If you came after 2020, you are not covered by the Agreement, and the sooner you regularise your stay, the fewer problems you will meet with registration, banking and work.
What can Moovy and Hello Expat do for British movers?
We can help you understand the rules and prepare your questions. We cannot apply for your permit, sign for you or represent you with the IND. Always confirm your situation with the IND before you move.
What mistakes do British movers make?
- Moving first and sorting the permit later. Registration, BSN, bank and insurance all depend on it.
- Believing the Withdrawal Agreement covers a post-2020 move. It does not.
- Assuming a UK licence will carry on indefinitely. It stops being valid 185 days after you settle.
- Not checking the sponsor. For the highly skilled route the employer must appear in the IND's register.
- Relying on old forum posts. The rules and thresholds change; use IND pages.
For the whole sequence once you can register, see moving to the Netherlands, and for EU rules compared, residence in the Netherlands for EU citizens.