Everything that comes with a new life in the Netherlands

The paperwork is one half. The Dutch way of doing things is the other: school choice, childcare, doctors, going out, dealing with the government. We know both sides and translate between them.

Arriving

The first weeks, when everything depends on everything else.

  • Gemeente registration and BSN appointment
  • DigiD, bank account, phone contract
  • Health insurance that fits your family, chosen together with you
  • 30% ruling paperwork (usually via your employer)
  • Housing viewings, rental contracts, advice on what's normal (and what isn't)
  • Driving licence exchange, car, bike, OV-chipkaart

Family and school

For parents who can't afford to guess.

  • Dutch school or international school: an honest comparison for your child
  • Enrolment, waitlists and visits, with us alongside you
  • Kinderopvang and BSO: finding a spot and applying for kinderopvangtoeslag
  • Huisarts, dentist, consultatiebureau and vaccinations
  • Partner support: job search, networks, Dutch lessons
  • Bringing parents over: visas, insurance, the practical side

The government

Letters in Dutch, deadlines in Dutch, penalties in euros.

  • Every letter from the Belastingdienst, IND, gemeente or CJIB explained the day it arrives
  • Toeslagen: which ones you qualify for and applying for them
  • Annual tax return, M-form for your first year
  • Residence permit renewals, family reunification, permanent residence
  • Municipal taxes, waste, parking permits

The soft landing

Once the paperwork is done, the real settling in starts. This is the part we care about most.

  • Zwemles and the A/B/C diplomas: how the Dutch system works, which pool, how to get on the list
  • Sports clubs for the whole family: football, cricket, hockey, tennis, judo, gymnastics
  • How the Netherlands actually works: schooling, healthcare, cycling, weather, seasons, the agenda
  • Weekends worth having: Waddenzee, Zeeland, the Veluwe, Kinderdijk, Maastricht, Giethoorn
  • Museums, markets, festivals and what to do with kids when it rains for four days
  • Meeting people: neighbours, other parents, Dutch lessons, the international community around Amstelveen
  • International groceries, restaurants and the festivals your family celebrates
  • Anything else. That's the point of a personal assistant.