Opening a Bank Account

It is advisable to open Dutch bank account once you move to The Hague (if you do not have one already), as it will allow you to get many other services such as a mobile phone contract, transportation, etc.

Do I need to open a Dutch bank account?

If you have a bank account in a country that is not a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)* you are strongly advised to open a Dutch bank account.

If you have a bank account in a country that is a member of Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)* it can also be handy to have a Dutch bank account.  Many organisations require a Dutch bank account number if you want to become a member or request a card, e.g. public transport organisations.

* SEPA member countries include all EEA member states plus Monaco and Switzerland.

How do I open a Dutch bank account?

In The Hague you will find branches of several banks with which you can open a Dutch bank account.* Most banks will ask for your BSN (citizen service number) before opening a bank account. The municipality will provide you with this BSN as soon as you are registered as a citizen of The Hague (this procedure may take a few weeks).

*Please note that if you are a minor at the time of opening a bank account, you need a legal guardian with you.

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Social Accountability & Banks

As you may know, banks invest their money very differently from each other. While ING, ABN Amro and Rabo Bank offer English services and tend to be well-acquainted with international students and their needs, you may wish to prioritize other aspects in choosing your bank. Via this link you can find a comparison of seven bigger banks in the Netherlands and their scores of what they invest in. Another bank that is not included in this ranking is ASN Bank, which you can find out more about here. This information is provided in Dutch and can mostly only be found in Dutch.