IND and registration in Groningen (2026): the IWCN, the City of Groningen and your BSN
Your registration in Groningen and your IND formalities run through the city or through the International Welcome Center North. This guide explains which one fits you, what to bring, the first weeks, and how to get a free first legal answer.
FindLawyer gives practical initial guidance, prepares your case and matches you with a suitable independent lawyer. Legal advice comes from the independent lawyer.
Rules from the IND, the City of Groningen, the IWCN and RvIG · Checked 28 September 2026
When you need an immigration lawyer in Groningen
You can usually register in Groningen 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
Groningen has no IND desk of its own. The nearest is the IND desk Zwolle, Zuiderzeelaan 43-51, 8017 JV Zwolle, by appointment only with no walk-in hours, 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. Highly skilled migrants, researchers and some other newcomers can have biometrics taken and collect their document at the International Welcome Center North (IWCN), Gedempte Zuiderdiep 98. Registration happens at the City of Groningen: register in person within 5 days of arriving if you will stay at least 4 months; a first-time resident gets a BSN on the spot.
| IND location | Address | Opening hours | What you can do there |
|---|---|---|---|
| IND desk Zwolle (nearest IND desk) | Building ‘La Grande Vitesse’, Zuiderzeelaan 43-51, 8017 JV Zwolle | 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 |
| International Welcome Center North (IWCN) | Gedempte Zuiderdiep 98, 9711 HL Groningen; +31 (0)50 367 7197 | IND slots on Tuesday and Thursday, by appointment (IWCN) | 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 the deadline to register in person with the City of Groningen.
- 11 municipalities in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe work with the IWCN for registration.
- 1 meeting at the IWCN can cover your residence permit and your BSN, if you qualify.
- 3 postal business days is how long the BSN takes by post for IWCN clients outside the city.
- Kreupelstraat 1 is the Groningen RNI desk for stays of 4 months or less.
- €5,942 gross a month is the 2026 highly skilled migrant threshold from age 30.
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 the North
The IWCN: the IND and registration in one place for the North
Groningen has no separate IND desk, but the International Welcome Center North handles IND formalities for eligible newcomers across the three northern provinces.
- Where and what. The IWCN at Gedempte Zuiderdiep 98 takes biometrics and issues residence documents and endorsement stickers on behalf of the IND (IND). It calls itself the only one-stop shop for internationals and companies in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe, and works on registration with the municipalities of Assen, Eemsdelta, Emmen, Groningen, Heerenveen, Het Hogeland, Leeuwarden, Midden-Groningen, Noordenveld, Smallingerland and Súdwest-Fryslân; a fee may apply (IWCN).
- Who can use it. Highly skilled migrants, scientific researchers, intra-corporate transferees, orientation year and start-up permit holders, EU Blue Card holders, EU employees and their families. You collect the residence permit and register for a BSN in one meeting, and for IND services your employer must be a recognised sponsor. Living in the city of Groningen, you get the BSN at the appointment; in another partner municipality, by post within three postal business days (IWCN).
- Opening hours. Monday to Thursday, 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00, with Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only (IWCN). Appointments are requested in advance:
| When | Service |
|---|---|
| Tuesday and Thursday, 9:50 to 12:00 | IND only |
| Tuesday and Thursday, 13:00 to 16:00 | IND |
| Tuesday and Thursday, 13:30 to 16:30 | Municipality |
IWCN appointment slots for non-EU/EEA/Swiss clients.
Starting at the University of Groningen? The university tells new staff that the IWCN will contact them to arrange the permit card, biometrics and municipal registration (University of Groningen). For every IND desk and its services, see our IND appointments guide; the IND desk in Zwolle, Zuiderzeelaan 43-51, is by appointment only (IND).
Registration
Registration in Groningen: the city appointment, the papers, the RNI
Anyone moving to Groningen from abroad for at least 4 months registers in person with the city within 5 days of arriving, and it costs nothing.
- From outside the EU. First apply for a residence permit with the IND, then register, bringing the permit or the IND letter or sticker (City of Groningen).
- What to bring. A valid passport or ID card, your birth certificate if it has not been registered before, and your rental or purchase contract, or a signed permission statement if you have none. Certificates must be in Dutch, English, French or German, and from outside the EU also legalised (City of Groningen).
- Your BSN. First-time residents receive their citizen service number (burgerservicenummer) straight away; if you lived here before, the city processes the registration within 5 working days. The date of the appointment counts as your official registration date. Questions: 14 050 (City of Groningen).
- International students staying 4 months or longer must register too (City of Groningen); see our student visa guide.
- Short stays. For 4 months or less, the RNI desk at Kreupelstraat 1 registers you (RvIG); this is not possible at the IWCN (IWCN), and for a longer stay you cannot use an RNI desk (Netherlands Worldwide). Our BSN guide compares the two.
First weeks
Your first weeks in Groningen: BSN, DigiD, bank, insurance
In Groningen, as elsewhere, the registration appointment is the step that unlocks the rest.
- Register and receive your BSN At the City of Groningen or the IWCN; everything below depends on it.
- Apply for DigiD Possible as soon as you are in the Personal Records Database (Netherlands Worldwide).
- Open a bank account Most Dutch banks ask for your BSN when you apply, and your first salary can be delayed by paperwork (University of Groningen).
- Arrange Dutch health insurance No later than 4 months after arriving (Government.nl).
- Find a home you can register at Our renting in Groningen guide explains the room permits and the free Steunpunt Huren.
Routes
Studying and working in Groningen: sponsors and routes
The Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, the UMCG and the Hanzehogeschool Groningen all appear on the IND register of recognised sponsors for work.
They are listed as Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, UMCG Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen and Hanzehogeschool Groningen (IND register). A highly skilled migrant needs a sponsor and, in 2026, a gross monthly salary of at least €5,942 from age 30, €4,357 under 30 or €3,122 after an orientation year (IND). Our sponsorship jobs guide shows how to search the register.
- Work: the highly skilled migrant guide and working in Groningen.
- Study, then stay: after graduating, the orientation year.
- Family and visits: the partner and family guide and the Schengen visa guide; for entry, the MVV guide.
Legal help
Getting legal help with immigration in Groningen
You can get an honest first answer about your immigration problem without paying, and then decide whether you need a lawyer.
- How it works. FindLawyer is free to start: you tell us what happened, and we match you with an English-speaking Dutch immigration lawyer; the lawyer’s fees are explained before you commit, and it works wherever you live.
- Low income? You may qualify for subsidised legal aid.
- Refused: the objection deadline is short, so read our IND refusal guide straight away.
- No decision yet: see IND processing times.
- Job lost on a permit: read what happens to your permit.
A permit refused, delayed or at risk? 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 Groningen and the North.
IND appointments and desks
Every IND desk and expat centre.
AdminBSN number
BRP or RNI, and what to bring.
HousingRenting in Groningen
Room permits, deposits, free help.
WorkWorking in Groningen
Contracts and dismissal help.
StudyStudent visa
Studying in the Netherlands.
VisasNetherlands visa guide
Every route side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Where is the nearest IND desk to Groningen, and when is it open?
The nearest IND desk is in Zwolle at Zuiderzeelaan 43-51, 8017 JV Zwolle. It has no walk-in opening hours: you visit by appointment only, booked online in the IND appointment planner once the IND asks you to come. If you qualify, the IWCN at Gedempte Zuiderdiep 98 in Groningen also takes biometrics and issues residence documents and endorsement stickers, by appointment.
How do I register in Groningen after moving from abroad?
Make an appointment with the City of Groningen and go in person within 5 days of arriving, if you will live in the Netherlands for at least 4 months. Bring a valid passport or ID card, your rental or purchase contract and, from outside the EU, your residence permit or the IND letter or sticker. Registration is free.
What is the IWCN, and can I use it?
The International Welcome Center North is the one-stop shop for internationals in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe. Highly skilled migrants, researchers, intra-corporate transferees, orientation year and start-up permit holders, EU Blue Card holders, EU employees and their families can arrange the IND and the municipality there. For IND services, the employer must be a recognised sponsor.
When do I get my BSN in Groningen?
If you have never lived in the Netherlands before, the City of Groningen gives you the BSN at your appointment; if you have, it processes the registration within 5 working days. At the IWCN, residents of the city receive the BSN during the appointment, while residents of the other partner municipalities get it by post within three postal business days.
I am staying in Groningen for less than 4 months. Where do I register?
In the Non-residents Records Database, the RNI, which also gives you a BSN. Groningen has an RNI desk at Kreupelstraat 1. You cannot register in the RNI at the IWCN, and if you will stay longer than 4 months the RNI is not an option: you register with the municipality instead.
Is there a free immigration lawyer consultation in the Netherlands?
FindLawyer is free to start: you tell us what happened, and we then match you with an English-speaking Dutch immigration lawyer, whose fees are explained before you proceed; that works from Groningen as from anywhere. On a low income you may qualify for subsidised legal aid. Practical questions about settling in can go to the IWCN.
Which Groningen employers can sponsor a highly skilled migrant?
Only recognised sponsors on the IND register. Groningen entries include the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, the UMCG and the Hanzehogeschool Groningen. From age 30 the 2026 salary threshold is €5,942 gross a month, €4,357 under 30, and €3,122 after an orientation year. Our sponsorship jobs guide explains how to search the register.
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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
- IWCN: formalities services
- IWCN: formalities for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
- IWCN: Welcome to the North
- University of Groningen: after arrival (new staff)
- City of Groningen: registering in the Netherlands (in Dutch)
- RvIG: addresses of the RNI municipalities (in Dutch)
- IWCN: long-term registration (BRP)
- 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
- IND: public register of recognised sponsors, work
- IND: required amounts and income requirements
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 Groningen, 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.