As a new resident of the Netherlands, you need to register your address with the municipality of the city you are living in. For most of our students this means they will register with the municipality of Nijmegen.
I will stay up to four months
If your stay in the Netherlands will be shorter than four months, you can register with the Registration of Non-Residents (RNI) to receive your bsn (Citizen Service Number). This is a personal number that you need to manage matters with the Dutch government and other official bodies. We strongly recommend to keep the letter with your bsn in a safe place.
I will stay longer than four months
If your stay in the Netherlands will be longer than four months, you have to make an appointment with the municipality (of Nijmegen) after your arrival to register your address. You need to do this in person. During the appointment you will receive your bsn (Citizen Service Number). This is a personal number that you need to manage matters with the Dutch government and other official bodies. We strongly recommend to keep the letter with your bsn in a safe place.
Information for students from Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten and Caribisch Nederland
How to schedule an appointment with the municipality of Nijmegen
This only works on a PC or laptop.
Use the municipality’s online tool to schedule an appointment between 29 January and 13 February 2026. The location of the appointment is Stadswinkel Nijmegen, Mariënburg 30, Nijmegen. Appointments made in any other way or via a different link will be cancelled.
Fill out the form ‘student first registration’ (available in step 2). This form is a mandatory part of the registration and has to be filled out online while booking the appointment.
Required documents for the appointment:
- your valid passport (mandatory for non-EU/EEA students) or ID (NOT a driver's license). You need to bring the original document, not a photocopy of the document. If you have multiple nationalities, please bring proof of this in the form of a passport or ID card.
- your Dutch residence permit or a print out (colour) of the IND approval letter. In case of intra EU-mobility, please bring a print out (colour) of the mobility document and the residence permit of the other EU Member state. This is only applicable to non-EU/EEA students.
- a printed version of your rental or purchase contract of the room or house you are living in, signed by both parties.
If you do not have a rental or purchase contract, you will have to show a dated and signed statement of the main occupant, which states that you are allowed to live at that address, and you will need a signed colour copy of the passport or ID of the main occupant.
Schedule your appointment with another municipality
Go to the website of the municipality you will be living in to schedule your appointment. Also make sure to look at the required documents for the registration, as it might differ from the documents that the municipality of Nijmegen requires. If you need help to schedule your appointment, please contact the Visa Team of Student Admissions.
I do not have an address in the Netherlands (yet). Do I still have to register with the municipality?
If you do not have an address yet please wait with the registration until you have an address that is eligible for registration. Please keep in mind that having a Dutch address is mandatory for obtaining your residence permit. Read more on the requirement of main residency here.