IND and registration in Tilburg (2026): the city shops, the expat centre, the IND desk and your BSN
Your registration in Tilburg happens at the city shop, but the IND, the expat centre and the RNI desks are in other cities. This guide shows where to go, what to bring, how long it takes, and what to do after a refusal.
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Rules from the Municipality of Tilburg, the IND, Holland Expat Center South and RvIG · Checked 15 September 2026
Short answer
Registration in Tilburg is done in person at a municipal city shop, by appointment, within 5 days of arriving if you will stay at least 4 of the next 6 months. Tilburg has no IND desk or expat centre of its own: knowledge workers who live in Tilburg can use Holland Expat Center South in Eindhoven, the nearest IND desk is in ’s-Hertogenbosch, and short stays are registered at the RNI desks in Breda or Eindhoven.
Key facts for 2026
- 5 days after arriving is your deadline to register in person with the municipality of Tilburg.
- 1 week or longer is the usual wait for a Tilburg counter appointment; Reeshof and Noord are often sooner.
- 2 months is how long a registration after immigration can take before it is final.
- 5 working days is how long Holland Expat Center South takes to post a BSN to a Tilburg resident.
- 14 013 is the number for booking an appointment with the municipality of Tilburg.
- 4 weeks is the usual deadline to object to an IND refusal.
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.
Registration
Registration in Tilburg: the city shops, the documents and the wait
Everyone moving to Tilburg from abroad for at least 4 of the next 6 months registers in person with the municipality within 5 days of arriving.
- The appointment. You need an address in Tilburg and an online appointment with the completed questionnaire Settling in the Netherlands; a partner and children who arrived with you come too (Municipality of Tilburg). The counters are busy and you often wait a week or longer, but the Reeshof and Noord city shops can often see you sooner (Municipality of Tilburg). You can also book on 14 013 (Municipality of Tilburg).
- What to bring. Valid ID proving your nationality for each person; your rental or purchase contract, or the main resident’s permission and ID copy; and original certificates such as a birth or marriage certificate. Certificates in English, German or French need no sworn translation (Municipality of Tilburg), and the city asks for foreign certificates no older than 6 months (Municipality of Tilburg).
- From outside the EU. Apply for your residence permit first. Your registration is only final once the IND confirms to the municipality that you live in the Netherlands lawfully (Municipality of Tilburg), and that can take up to 2 months (Municipality of Tilburg).
- Students. Foreign students book their registration with a separate form (Municipality of Tilburg) and must deregister at the end of their course; ESN has more on student life (Municipality of Tilburg).
- Why it matters for housing. Proof of registration is needed, for example, to sign up with Woning In Zicht or to open a bank account (Municipality of Tilburg); see our renting in Tilburg guide.
Where to go
Where Tilburg residents go for the IND, the expat centre and the RNI
Tilburg has no IND desk of its own, so newcomers use offices in Eindhoven, ’s-Hertogenbosch and Breda.
| Where | Address | For what | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipality of Tilburg, city shops | By appointment, 14 013 | Registration for stays of 4 months or more | Tilburg |
| Holland Expat Center South | Stadhuisplein 10, third floor, Eindhoven | Registration and IND for eligible knowledge workers | IND |
| IND desk ’s-Hertogenbosch | Leeghwaterlaan 14, ’s-Hertogenbosch | IND appointments; by appointment only | IND |
| RNI desk Breda | Claudius Prinsenlaan 10, Breda | Stays under 4 months, any passport | RvIG |
| RNI desk Eindhoven | Stadhuisplein 1, Eindhoven | Stays under 4 months, European passports | RvIG |
- The expat centre route. Tilburg is on the list of municipalities that take part in Holland Expat Center South (Holland Expat Center South). Eligible knowledge workers who live there get municipal registration and IND formalities in one appointment in Eindhoven, with the BSN posted within 5 working days; for its IND services you must work in the region (Holland Expat Center South). Our IND and registration in Eindhoven guide explains who qualifies.
- Short stays. Seasonal workers staying less than 4 months get a BSN at the RNI desks in Breda or Eindhoven, on 14 076 or 14 040, without registering in Tilburg (Municipality of Tilburg). Since January 2026, people without a European passport can register in the RNI only in Breda or Venlo (RvIG).
- Every IND desk is listed in our IND appointment guide.
First weeks
Your first weeks in Tilburg: BSN, DigiD, bank, insurance
Plan the first weeks around your registration appointment, because the rest follows from it.
- Register and receive your BSN Your citizen service number (burgerservicenummer) follows registration; our BSN guide explains its uses.
- Request DigiD Once you are in the Personal Records Database you can request a DigiD (Netherlands Worldwide); Tilburg notes you must be registered to do so (Municipality of Tilburg).
- Open a bank account The bank asks for your BSN (Netherlands Worldwide).
- Take out health insurance Dutch basic insurance no later than 4 months after arriving (Government.nl).
Routes
Studying and working in Tilburg: sponsors and routes
Tilburg’s university, a university of applied sciences, a hospital, a school board and a logistics firm are among the entries on the IND register of recognised sponsors for work.
| Register entry | Chamber of Commerce number |
|---|---|
| Universiteit van Tilburg | 41095855 |
| Fontys Hogescholen | 41097718 |
| Elisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis | 41095510 |
| Stichting Openbaar Voortgezet Onderwijs Tilburg | 18085696 |
| ID Logistics Tilburg B.V. | 62319574 |
IND public register of recognised sponsors (work), read 15 September 2026.
- The register is on the IND website; our sponsorship jobs guide shows how to search it. A highly skilled migrant of 30 or older needs at least €5,942 gross a month in 2026, under 30 €4,357, and €3,122 on the reduced criterion (IND).
- Study: the student visa guide, then the orientation year after graduating.
- Visits and family: the Schengen visa guide and the partner and family guide.
- EU workers: agency work and housing are covered in our guide for Polish workers and our working in Tilburg guide.
Legal help
Refusals, removal and when you need an immigration lawyer in Tilburg
If the IND refuses or ends your permit, the deadline to respond is short, so act the day the decision arrives.
The period to object to an IND decision, or to appeal it, is four weeks under article 69 of the Aliens Act 2000 (Aliens Act 2000), and the decision itself states the date by which your objection must be sent (IND). Whether you can stay in the Netherlands while an objection or appeal runs depends on the kind of decision, which is exactly what a lawyer checks first. Our IND refusal and appeal guide sets out every step.
- A late decision: see our IND processing times guide.
- Your job on a permit ends: read what happens to a highly skilled migrant permit.
- Cost: FindLawyer starts with a free 15-minute call, and on a low income you may qualify for subsidised legal aid.
Refused, or told your permit will end? Talk to an immigration lawyer
Need help with this? We match you with an English-speaking Dutch immigration lawyer. Free 15-minute matching call first. Lawyer fees are paid to the firm and explained before you proceed.
Keep reading
Related guides
More of our guides for arriving in Tilburg and Brabant.
IND refusal and appeal
The objection, the court and the deadlines.
AdminBSN number
BRP or RNI, and what to bring.
HousingRenting in Tilburg
Local rules, worker housing and deposits.
WorkWorking in Tilburg
Logistics, agency work and your rights.
BrabantIND and registration in Eindhoven
Holland Expat Center South explained.
VisasNetherlands visa guide
Every route side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I register when I move to Tilburg?
Book an appointment online or on 14 013 and fill in the questionnaire Settling in the Netherlands, then go in person within 5 days of arriving. Bring valid ID for everyone you register, your rental contract or the main resident’s permission, and original certificates. Counters are busy, so book early and try the Reeshof or Noord city shop.
Is there an IND desk or expat centre in Tilburg?
No. Tilburg is one of the participating municipalities of Holland Expat Center South, whose office is in Eindhoven, so eligible knowledge workers living in Tilburg can register and handle IND formalities there. For other IND appointments the nearest IND desk is at Leeghwaterlaan 14 in ’s-Hertogenbosch, by appointment only.
How long does it take to get a BSN in Tilburg?
After immigration, the municipality registers you once the IND has given permission and you hold a valid residence permit, which can take up to 2 months according to the city. Through Holland Expat Center South, a Tilburg resident receives the BSN by post within 5 working days of the appointment.
I am working in Tilburg for less than 4 months. Where do I get a BSN?
At an RNI desk, not at the Tilburg city shop. The city points short-stay workers to the RNI desks in Breda and Eindhoven. If you do not have a European passport, only the RNI desks in Breda and Venlo can register you since January 2026.
I study in Tilburg. What do I need to arrange?
Register with the municipality if you will stay at least 4 months, using the form for foreign students when you book your appointment. At the end of your course, deregister before you leave the Netherlands. ESN offers more information on student life in Tilburg, and our student visa guide covers the permit.
The IND refused my permit. Can I be removed from the Netherlands?
A refusal is not the end: you can usually object within 4 weeks, and the decision states the last date. Whether you may stay while the objection runs depends on your situation, so read the decision carefully and get legal advice at once. FindLawyer starts with a free 15-minute call with an English-speaking immigration lawyer.
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Official sources, checked 15 September 2026
- Municipality of Tilburg: settling in the Netherlands
- Municipality of Tilburg: making an appointment (in Dutch)
- Municipality of Tilburg: information for newcomers
- Municipality of Tilburg: moving from abroad (in Dutch)
- Municipality of Tilburg: citizen service number (BSN)
- IND: IND desks and locations
- RvIG: addresses of the RNI municipalities (in Dutch)
- Holland Expat Center South: participating municipalities
- Holland Expat Center South: appointment at the Expat Center
- 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
- Aliens Act 2000, article 69 (in Dutch), wetten.overheid.nl
- IND: object or appeal a decision
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 Tilburg, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.
FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service, not a law firm. Legal advice comes from the partner lawyer.