Opening an account
- 1Choose a bank
Large banks (ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank), the Volksbank brands, or app banks such as bunq and Revolut.
- 2Have your documents ready
Passport or ID, residence permit if needed, your address and usually your BSN.
- 3Open online or at a branch
Many banks let you start without a BSN and add it later.
How the Dutch pay
Paying by debit card, contactless or by phone. Some shops no longer accept cash.
Online payments straight from your bank app; the standard way to pay in Dutch web shops.
A payment request link to split bills, used by everyone.
For rent, insurance and subscriptions; most can be reversed within 8 weeks.
Less common than elsewhere; handy for travel and car rental.
Credit and the BKR
Loans, credit cards with a limit, phone contracts with a device and payment arrears are registered with the BKR. Mortgage lenders check it, so keep it clean before you buy a home.
Next: what you can deduct and how much you can borrow.
Sources
This article is based on these official pages. If anything here differs from them, the official page is right.