Bank Account Number

To open a Dutch bank account, you will need to go to a bank and bring a form of identification (ID card or passport), your BSN number, a copy of your work contract, proof of residence in the Netherlands, and a rental/housing contract. Your bank will send you a debit card and PIN code in two separate letters. 

You can use this debit card to pay for things at payment terminals in shops and to withdraw money at ATMs. At the ATM, you can also see bank statements or even transfer money. Withdrawing money at an ATM is free at branches of your bank or banks that form part of the 'Cash Group' bank association. However, if you use ATMs at other banks, you may incur additional costs. Transfers abroad may also be expensive. The best course of action is to ask the bank in your own country whether it has a cooperation agreement with a Dutch financial institution. 

You can set up standing orders for regular payments such as rent, and it is also possible to provide authorisation for direct debits, i.e., regular but variable amounts (for example, for insurance or telephone contracts), which are then automatically debited from your account. 

As well as the debit card, you can also use credit cards to make cash-free payments. You can also use these to make withdrawals at ATMs, although this usually involves additional costs. 

The most widely used credit cards in the Netherlands are Eurocard/Mastercard and Visa card. Please note that credit cards are not always accepted in supermarkets! Debit cards are more commonly used to make payments in Dutch shops, but sometimes there is a minimum amount for purchases.