IND and registration in Amsterdam (2026): IN Amsterdam or the IND desk, the City Office, your BSN
Your registration in Amsterdam and your IND formalities happen in three places: a City Office, IN Amsterdam and the IND desk. This guide explains which one you need, what to bring, what it costs, and when a lawyer helps.
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Rules from the IND, the City of Amsterdam, IN Amsterdam and RvIG · Checked 28 September 2026
When you need an immigration lawyer in Amsterdam
You can usually register in Amsterdam and book IND appointments yourself. An independent lawyer helps when the IND decision is the problem:
- A refusal. Object (bezwaar) in writing within 4 weeks: how to object.
- A failed objection. The next step is an appeal to the court.
- A late decision. A notice of default (ingebrekestelling) gives the IND 2 more weeks, then you can go to court: what to do when the IND is late.
- Job loss. A highly skilled migrant has up to 3 months to find a new sponsor, or 6 months after 2 years on the permit.
Short answer
The IND desk Amsterdam is at Pieter Calandlaan 1, 1065 KH Amsterdam, opposite Lelylaan station. It has no walk-in opening hours: you visit by appointment only, booked online, according to ind.nl (checked 28 September 2026). There you give biometrics, collect your residence document if your IND letter names that desk, get a residence endorsement sticker or apply for a return visa. Eligible highly skilled migrants can use the same IND services at IN Amsterdam, World Trade Center, for a fee. Registration and your BSN happen at a City Office: go in person within 5 days of arriving if you stay longer than 4 months; you need no appointment except in Weesp.
| IND location | Address | Opening hours | What you can do there |
|---|---|---|---|
| IND desk Amsterdam | Pieter Calandlaan 1, 1065 KH Amsterdam (opposite Lelylaan station) | No walk-in hours: by appointment only; free time slots are in the IND appointment planner | Biometrics, collecting your residence document (if your IND letter names this desk), residence endorsement sticker, return visa |
| IN Amsterdam (expat centre) | World Trade Center, Tower Two (ground floor), Strawinskylaan 1767, 1077 XX Amsterdam; +31 (0)20 254 79 99 | By appointment; Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00 (I amsterdam) | Biometrics, residence document, residence endorsement sticker, for eligible newcomers; the centre may charge a fee |
Source: IND desks and locations, checked 28 September 2026. Expat centres help highly skilled migrants and each decides whether you pay. At an IND desk or Service Point, biometrics, a residence endorsement sticker and collecting your document are free; a return visa costs €197 in 2026.
How to book. Wait until the IND asks you to come: a letter for biometrics, and a letter, a message in My IND or a text message once your document is ready. Then book online on the IND’s Make an appointment page and bring your passport and the appointment code from the confirmation email. You cannot reschedule: cancel through the link in that email and book again. Step by step: how to book an IND appointment.
Key facts for 2026
- 5 days after arriving is your deadline to register at an Amsterdam City Office.
- 09:00 to 16:00 are the City Office registration hours on most weekdays, with no appointment except in Weesp.
- €321 excluding VAT is IN Amsterdam’s 2026 fee for the combined procedure for a highly skilled migrant.
- €76 excluding VAT is its fee for registration and a BSN alone.
- 2 RNI desks in Amsterdam serve stays of less than 4 months: Zuidoost and West.
- 4 months after arriving is the latest date for Dutch health insurance.
This is general information about Dutch law, not legal advice for your situation. Rules change; figures are for 2026. No rights can be derived from this text.
IND in Amsterdam
IN Amsterdam or the IND desk: which one you need
Amsterdam has two places where the IND serves you in person, and which one you use depends on who you are and whether you want to pay.
| Where | Address | What happens there | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IN Amsterdam | World Trade Center, Tower Two (ground floor), Strawinskylaan 1767 | Taking biometrics, issuing residence documents and endorsement stickers; registration for eligible newcomers | IND |
| IND desk Amsterdam | Pieter Calandlaan 1, opposite Lelylaan station | By appointment only | IND |
- IN Amsterdam (International Newcomers Amsterdam, formerly Expatcenter Amsterdam) is a joint initiative of Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Almere, Diemen, Haarlem, Hilversum, Haarlemmermeer and Velsen, with the IND and the Tax Office (I amsterdam). It is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00; to pick up an extended residence card you book by phone once the IND has written that the card is ready (I amsterdam).
- Who can use it. Highly skilled migrants including researchers, and people eligible for the startup, orientation year or intra-corporate transferee permit; EU citizens working for a company recognised as a sponsor by the IND can use it as well (I amsterdam). You or your employer need an address in one of the eight municipalities, you fill in an online form first and then call +31 (0)20 254 7999 to fix a time (I amsterdam).
- What it costs. IN Amsterdam charges on top of the IND and the Personal Records Database. In 2026 the combined procedure for a highly skilled migrant from outside the EU costs €321 excluding VAT (€388.41 with 21% VAT), and registration with a BSN alone €76 (€91.96). Orientation year and startup visa holders and admitted researchers are exempt, and cash is not accepted (I amsterdam).
- Prefer not to pay? Choose an IND desk or IND Service Point on your application form to collect your residence permit: the IND does this free of charge (IND). Our guide to IND appointments lists every desk.
Registration
Registration in Amsterdam: the City Office, the documents and the RNI
Anyone moving to Amsterdam from abroad for more than 4 months registers in person at a City Office within 5 days of arriving.
- No appointment. You do not need one, except in Weesp. Registration hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 09:00 to 16:00 and Thursday from 09:00 to 18:00. Coming to study? Pre-register online first (City of Amsterdam).
- What to bring. From outside the EU, a valid passport and a valid residence permit for a longer stay; your rental contract or a signed consent form from the main resident; and original certificates such as your birth certificate, in Dutch, English, French or German, or translated by a sworn translator. After registering you get your citizen service number (burgerservicenummer, BSN).
- Everyone registers. This includes citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland (I amsterdam).
- Staying less than 4 months? Register in the RNI instead. Amsterdam’s RNI desks are in Zuidoost, Anton de Komplein 150, and West, Bos en Lommerplein 176 (RvIG). For a longer stay you cannot use an RNI desk (Netherlands Worldwide).
- No address yet? Our renting in Amsterdam guide covers housing you can register at, and our BSN guide the options without a fixed address.
First weeks
Your first weeks in Amsterdam: BSN, DigiD, bank, insurance
Registration comes first, because the BSN it gives you unlocks almost everything else.
- Register and get your BSN At a City Office or IN Amsterdam; you need the BSN to work, open a bank account and take out health insurance (City of Amsterdam).
- Request your DigiD Once you are in the Personal Records Database, you can request a DigiD (Netherlands Worldwide).
- Open a Dutch bank account The bank asks for your BSN.
- Take out health insurance within 4 months Dutch basic insurance is compulsory once you live or work here (Government.nl).
- Get free answers The ACCESS helpdesk at IN Amsterdam answers questions on housing, healthcare and work, walk-in Monday to Thursday 09:30 to 12:30 and 13:00 to 16:00 and Friday morning (I amsterdam).
Routes
Studying and working in Amsterdam: sponsors and routes
Several Amsterdam institutions appear by name on the IND register of recognised sponsors for work, including the Universiteit van Amsterdam, the Hogeschool van Amsterdam and Amsterdam UMC Research B.V.
The register lists every recognised sponsor with its Chamber of Commerce number (IND register). Our sponsorship jobs guide explains how to search it. The route depends on your purpose:
- Work: the work visa guide and the highly skilled migrant guide.
- Study: the student visa guide; after graduating, the orientation year.
- Family: the partner and family guide; for visits, the Schengen visa guide.
- Staying for good: Dutch citizenship. Working in the city is covered in our working in Amsterdam guide.
Legal help
When you need an immigration lawyer in Amsterdam
Most arrivals need no lawyer, but a refusal, a late IND decision or losing your job on a permit calls for advice quickly.
- Refused: an objection has a short deadline; read our IND refusal guide the day the decision arrives.
- Waiting too long: our IND processing times guide explains the legal decision periods and what to do when they pass.
- Lost your job on a highly skilled migrant permit: see what happens to your permit.
- Free to start: telling FindLawyer what happened costs nothing, and on a low income you may qualify for subsidised legal aid.
Refused, delayed or unsure of your permit? Talk to an immigration lawyer
Need help with this? We match you with an English-speaking Dutch immigration lawyer. Most clients are introduced to a lawyer within one business day. Lawyer fees are paid to the firm and explained before you proceed.
Keep reading
Related guides
More of our guides for arriving in Amsterdam.
IND appointments and desks
Every IND desk and expat centre.
AdminBSN number
BRP or RNI, and what to bring.
HousingRenting in Amsterdam
Rents, permits and your deposit.
WorkWorking in Amsterdam
Contracts and dismissal help.
EntryMVV entry visa
Who needs it before arriving.
VisasNetherlands visa guide
Every route side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What are the opening hours of the IND desk in Amsterdam?
The IND desk Amsterdam, Pieter Calandlaan 1, 1065 KH Amsterdam, has no walk-in opening hours: you can only visit with an appointment, and the free time slots are in the IND’s online appointment planner. Book once the IND asks you to come, by letter, My IND or text message. For questions, the IND phone line, 088 043 04 30, is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00.
Do I need an appointment to register in Amsterdam?
Not at a City Office: you go in person, and only Weesp asks for an appointment. Registration hours are 09:00 to 16:00 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 09:00 to 18:00 on Thursday. Go within 5 days of arriving if you will stay longer than 4 months. If you come to study, pre-register online first.
What is the difference between IN Amsterdam and the IND desk?
IN Amsterdam is the city’s centre for international newcomers, run with neighbouring municipalities, the IND and the Tax Office, where eligible people register and handle IND formalities in one visit, for a fee. The IND desk Amsterdam at Pieter Calandlaan 1 is the IND’s own office, open by appointment only, where the IND’s services are free.
Who can use IN Amsterdam?
Highly skilled migrants, including researchers, and people eligible for the startup, orientation year or intra-corporate transferee permit. EU citizens working for an employer recognised as a sponsor by the IND can use it too. You or your employer need an address in Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Almere, Diemen, Haarlem, Hilversum, Haarlemmermeer or Velsen.
How much does IN Amsterdam charge?
In 2026 the combined procedure for a highly skilled migrant from outside the EU costs €321, or €388.41 with 21% VAT, and registration with a BSN alone costs €76, or €91.96 with VAT. Orientation year and startup visa holders, and admitted researchers, pay no service fees. Payment in cash is not possible.
I am staying less than 4 months. Where do I register?
Not at a City Office, but in the Non-residents Records Database (RNI), which still gives you a BSN. Amsterdam has two RNI desks, in Zuidoost at Anton de Komplein 150 and in West at Bos en Lommerplein 176. If you will stay more than 4 months, you cannot use an RNI desk and must register with the municipality.
Is there a free immigration lawyer consultation in Amsterdam?
FindLawyer is free to start: you tell us what happened, and we then match you with an English-speaking Dutch immigration lawyer; the lawyer’s fees are explained before you proceed. On a low income you may qualify for subsidised legal aid. For general questions, the ACCESS helpdesk at IN Amsterdam is free.
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Official sources, checked 28 September 2026
- IND: make an appointment with the IND (checked 28 September 2026)
- IND: call the IND (checked 28 September 2026)
- IND: IND desks and locations
- I amsterdam: about IN Amsterdam
- I amsterdam: important to know before your IN Amsterdam appointment
- I amsterdam: registering in the Amsterdam Area
- I amsterdam: make an appointment at IN Amsterdam (individuals)
- I amsterdam: IN Amsterdam service fees
- City of Amsterdam: moving from abroad (registration)
- RvIG: addresses of the RNI municipalities (in Dutch)
- Netherlands Worldwide: registering in the Non-residents Records Database (RNI)
- Netherlands Worldwide: checklist for moving to the Netherlands
- Government.nl: when to take out health insurance if you come to live in the Netherlands
- I amsterdam: free helpdesk for internationals at ACCESS Netherlands
- IND: public register of recognised sponsors, work
Final notes and legal disclaimer
- This article provides general information and is not tailored to your personal circumstances.
- It does not cover all situations, exceptions, or recent legal changes.
- Reading this article does not create a lawyer-client relationship with findlawyer.nl or any associated entity.
- No guarantee is given that this information is complete, accurate, or up to date.
- No rights can be derived from this article.
- For decisions about registering and the IND in Amsterdam, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.
FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service. Legal advice comes from the independent lawyer.