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Netherlands for Ukrainians: what to do after arrival

Core guide from municipal registration to IND. The application is free.

Booking and filing before arrival

Register in the BRP first, then make the IND appointment

The IND requires municipal BRP registration first. On the day of the first IND visit, you must have been registered in the BRP for at least one week.

What you can do before arrival

You can check your municipality's procedure before travel, but an IND appointment does not replace the BRP prerequisite.

What to do after arrival

Register with the municipality, satisfy the BRP timing requirement, and visit the IND within four weeks of registration.

Official source: IND — Temporary Protection Directive Ukraine →

Core path: municipal registration, then IND within 4 weeks. The application is free.

What you need to do

Start with the first practical steps. The full path and official sources are below.

  1. 1

    First check previous EU protection

    For a new Netherlands route, the IND requires that you have not already been granted temporary protection in another EU country. Answer the short question below and BESSMERA will show the correct next action.

  2. 2

    Town-hall BRP registration = the application start; IND names no separate fee

    In the Netherlands the temporary-protection application starts with municipal BRP registration — that is the filing, not a second 'application step'. IND does not name a separate fee for this route: do not pay an intermediary 'to file'.

    Where to go: Town hall / municipality

    What to prepare

    • · Passport or another proof of identity
    • · Your temporary address in the Netherlands
    • · If you are not Ukrainian: a Ukrainian permanent-residence or asylum permit that was valid on 23 February 2022
  3. 3

    Attend IND within 4 weeks (sign M35H there)

    IND expects a visit within 4 weeks after municipal registration. At the appointment you sign form M35H — part of the same visit, not another abstract application.

    Where to go: IND

    What to prepare

    • · IND appointment code
    • · Your BSN from municipal registration
    • · A valid passport, ID card, or statement from the Ukrainian embassy
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Full path and official sources

  1. 1

    First check previous EU protection

    For a new Netherlands route, the IND requires that you have not already been granted temporary protection in another EU country. Answer the short question below and BESSMERA will show the correct next action.

    IND

    What to do

    • · Answer the question below: has another EU country already granted you temporary protection?
    • · If yes — do not start BRP as a new first application without checking IND
    • · If no — continue to municipal registration

    Why this matters: If another EU country has already granted temporary protection, you should not automatically start the Dutch route as a first application.

    Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912, as corrected on 5 August 2026, extends temporary protection until 4 March 2028. The military-obligation condition applies from 5 August 2026 and does not apply to a person who already had temporary protection in the same state on or before 4 August 2026 and continuously kept it. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/1912/oj/eng Checked 29 September 2026: IND — temporary protection through 4 March 2028 inclusive; holders who already had TP in the EU before 5 August 2026 get an automatic extension with no action required. New applications from 5 August 2026 — military-obligation condition.

    Official source: IND

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  2. 2

    Town-hall BRP registration = the application start; IND names no separate fee

    In the Netherlands the temporary-protection application starts with municipal BRP registration — that is the filing, not a second 'application step'. IND does not name a separate fee for this route: do not pay an intermediary 'to file'.

    What to do

    • · Book / attend the municipality where you are staying
    • · Complete BRP registration and keep written confirmation
    • · From that date, count 4 weeks to the IND visit
    • · Do not pay in chats for 'filing an IND application' — the official route has no such separate fee

    Why this matters: The plan used to list almost identical 'BRP' and 'application' steps. In practice, after the town hall you have registration proof and a 4-week countdown to IND.

    Official source: IND

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  3. 3

    Attend IND within 4 weeks (sign M35H there)

    IND expects a visit within 4 weeks after municipal registration. At the appointment you sign form M35H — part of the same visit, not another abstract application.

    IND

    What to do

    • · Note the deadline: 4 weeks from the BRP date
    • · Attend IND at the place named
    • · Sign M35H on site and keep whatever they issue after the visit

    Why this matters: Missing the deadline stops the document. Do not confuse this with registering again at the town hall.

    Official source: IND

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  4. 4

    Residence sticker or O-document

    After the procedure you receive a residence sticker or an O-document. For applicants aged 14 and over, proof of residence from IND is normally required.

    IND

    What to do

    • · For a person aged 14 or over, check that the IND proof is there
    • · Verify name and validity on the sticker/O-document
    • · Photograph the document — carry the original for work/healthcare

    Why this matters: Children under 14 are not normally given that same requirement.

    Official source: IND

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  5. 5

    If you do not have sufficient income, check the municipal living allowance

    The municipality pays a living allowance for food, clothing and personal expenses to people under temporary protection when those needs are not provided in kind and the household does not have sufficient income. The amount depends on age, family size and whether meals are provided.

    Municipality

    What to do

    • · Ask your municipality how to apply for the living allowance locally
    • · Confirm whether meals are provided at your reception location because this affects the allowance
    • · Report paid work or other qualifying income to the municipality immediately
    • · Ask the municipality to show the calculation under the current 115% norm: living allowance can be withdrawn partially below the threshold rather than only on an all-or-nothing basis
    • · If you live in municipal accommodation and have income, separately check the personal contribution; its own 115% threshold is applied after the withdrawn living allowance is taken into account

    Why this matters: This is a separate municipal payment, not part of the IND procedure and not a work permit. Since 1 October 2025, a 115% norm applies: below the relevant threshold the municipality can partially withdraw living allowance, while full income-based withdrawal applies once income exceeds 115% of the relevant living-allowance amount. The municipality performs the calculation.

    Official source: Rijksoverheid — living allowance withdrawal and personal contribution

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  6. 6

    Healthcare

    After BRP registration and confirmation of residence rights through the IND, you can use healthcare under the arrangements for displaced people from Ukraine.

    What to do

    • · For an ordinary health problem, find a GP (huisarts) and contact them first
    • · For vaccinations or public-health matters, find the GGD in your region
    • · Show your BSN and IND document if already available; do not buy private insurance solely because of this step without checking your situation separately

    Why this matters: For an ordinary health problem in the Netherlands, the first contact is usually a GP (huisarts); some vaccination and public-health services are handled by the GGD.

    Official source: Government of the Netherlands — Care and support for refugees from Ukraine

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  7. 7

    School

    Parents can register a child directly at a local school. If you live in a reception centre or do not know where to start, the municipality can help find a school place.

    What to do

    • · Contact a local school directly
    • · If you live in municipal reception or do not know which school to use, ask the municipality to help find a place
    • · Provide the child’s age, previous grade, and available school records; the school will discuss the appropriate option with you, including a newcomer class when suitable

    Why this matters: After BRP registration, you do not need to wait for the IND to assign a school.

    Official source: Government of the Netherlands — Education for children from Ukraine

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  8. 8

    Work

    A temporary-protection beneficiary can work as an employee without a TWV work permit. The employer must notify UWV. Self-employment has different rules and is not the same.

    IND

    What to do

    • · If you are an employee, check the employer’s duty to UWV
    • · If you want to work for yourself, open the separate IND rules

    Why this matters: “You can work” does not mean a business is opened in the same way.

    Official source: IND

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  9. 9

    DigiD and MijnOverheid when you are eligible

    DigiD and MijnOverheid are connected when you are already eligible. This guide does not create the account.

    What to do

    • · Open the official DigiD page
    • · Do not enter details on a copy of the site

    Why this matters: Digital access does not replace the IND visit.

    Official source: IND

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Netherlands

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

Popular questions

Netherlands for Ukrainians: BRP or IND first, and where do you go?Netherlands: what if you already had protection in another EU country?Sticker or O-document in the Netherlands: what does a Ukrainian receive?Healthcare in the Netherlands for Ukrainians with temporary protectionHow do you enrol a Ukrainian child in school in the Netherlands?Working in the Netherlands with temporary protection: what does a Ukrainian need?

Official institutions

  • Gemeente Amsterdam — leefgeld Oekraïne — Amsterdam municipality asks applicants to apply for living allowance after BRP/BSN and opening an IBAN through this official email. For income calculations, BESSMERA follows the current national 115% norm even where a local page still contains older wording.
  • Gemeente Tilburg — leefgeld Oekraïne — Tilburg publishes a separate living-allowance application form and this email for applications, income statements and changes. After filing, the municipality contacts you about an appointment at Stadswinkel Centrum, Koningsplein 10.
  • Gemeente Nijmegen — leefgeld Oekraïne — Nijmegen uses an official living-allowance application form and a separate change form. The municipal page also states that living allowance can decrease when you work and that, after the personal contribution, you must retain at least 115% of the relevant living-allowance amount.
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  • Gemeente Utrecht — leefgeld Oekraïne — For a living-allowance application or questions, Utrecht municipality uses its official appointment route; appointments take place at the Municipal Office, Stadsplateau 1. The municipality publishes this email for appointments and questions.
  • Gemeente Eindhoven — spreekuur leefgeld Oekraïne — Official weekly Eindhoven municipality walk-in session for living-allowance applications and changes. Bring your BSN, ID and, if available, bank card/IBAN.
  • Gemeente Den Haag — SZW leefgeld Oekraïne — For a first living-allowance application, The Hague asks you to book through SZW customer service. The appointment takes place at City Hall, Spui 70; the municipality publishes a separate email/form route for changes to an existing case.
  • Gemeente Rotterdam — leefgeld Oekraïne — Rotterdam municipality asks applicants to start a living-allowance application by email and then schedules an appointment. BESSMERA deliberately does not present Coolsingel 40 as the first-application address because the official route starts by email.
  • Gemeente Groningen — leefgeld Oekraïne — Groningen municipality publishes this email for living allowance and related financial requests; the municipality contacts you after receiving your details.
  • Gemeente Almere — leefgeld Oekraïne — After BRP registration, Almere asks you to book an income-consultant appointment by calling 14 036 or at the living-allowance desk in the town hall, Stadhuisplein 1. Bring the BRP proof, passport and a Dutch bank card. The page uses leefgeld@almere.nl for absences over 28 days and some reimbursements, not as the first application. For income, BESSMERA follows the national 115% norm.
  • Gemeente Breda — leefgeld Oekraïne — Breda takes the first application and later changes through the official form on this page after BRP registration and a BSN. The page does not publish a separate email or a town-hall address as the place to start. The municipality itself states that living allowance stops when earnings exceed 115% of the living allowance.
  • Gemeente Arnhem — leefgeld Oekraïne — After BRP registration and a BSN, Arnhem asks you to email the completed “Aanvragen leefgeld Oekraïne” form to poortproces@arnhem.nl. Changes go to the same address. The town hall is not the first-application point. The local page still describes a full stop when you work; for the calculation, BESSMERA follows the national 115% norm.
  • Gemeente Amersfoort — leefgeld Oekraïne — Amersfoort asks you to email leefgeld@amersfoort.nl and then attend an appointment with the whole family at Stadhuisplein 3, bringing ID and BSN. The application starts with the email, not with an unbooked visit. For income, BESSMERA follows the national 115% norm even where the local text still mixes older wording.
  • Gemeente Apeldoorn — leefgeld Oekraïne — Apeldoorn explicitly says you do not need to go to the town hall for living allowance: send the completed form to leefgeld@apeldoorn.nl or by post to the published reply number. BESSMERA does not present the town hall as the application place. Income follows the national 115% norm; the municipality calculates the amount.
  • Gemeente Enschede — leefgeld Oekraïne — After the first registration, Enschede issues a living-allowance form. A new application can start by calling 053 481 7800 on weekdays 09:00–17:00, or by collecting the form at the Stadskantoor counter. The page does not publish that Stadskantoor’s street, so BESSMERA does not build an address route.
  • Gemeente Leiden — leefgeld Oekraïne — Leiden asks you to email the completed form to leefgeld.oekraine@leiden.nl to get an appointment. The page does not give a town-hall address as the first-application place, so no street route is built. For income, BESSMERA follows the national 115% norm.
  • Gemeente Delft — leefgeld Oekraïne — Once you have a BSN, Delft asks you to email teaminkomen@delft.nl that you want living allowance; the municipality then contacts you. The general phone is 14 015. The page does not publish a counter address for the first application.
  • Gemeente Zwolle — leefgeld Oekraïne — Zwolle issues living allowance at the reception location on arrival, and the right to payment depends on BRP registration. Report work and income changes to ovo.sdv@zwolle.nl. This is not a town-hall address for a first application. For the calculation, BESSMERA follows the national 115% norm.
  • IND desk Utrecht for Ukraine — Ukraine-specific IND desk. An appointment is required for a sticker or card; the desk is at Atoomweg 100, Utrecht.
  • Gemeente — The town hall that registers you in the BRP. The application starts here, not at the nearest IND desk.
  • Gemeente — leefgeld Oekraïne — The living allowance is administered by the municipality where you are registered/live. BESSMERA shows verified local routes for major cities; elsewhere use your municipality’s official website.
  • IND — IND. The visit is within 4 weeks after municipal registration. A specific desk is not named here.

What is available now

The core path is available. For some topics BESSMERA may ask for more details or mark that additional verification is needed.

  • Core journeyVerified
  • Temporary protectionVerified
  • Address registrationVerified
  • WorkVerified
  • HealthcareBasic guidance available
  • SchoolBasic guidance available
  • HousingBasic guidance available
  • BankingBasic guidance available
  • Life toolkitBasic guidance available
  • PetsBasic guidance available
  • Driving licenceAdditional verification needed
  • Car registrationIn preparation
  • DocumentsBasic guidance available
  • Local languageIn preparation