Before you leave

Before you leave

Immigrational work permit uitklapper, klik om te openen

Employee outside the European Union?

If you arrive from a country that is subject to visa requirements, you will also have to contact the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) as soon as possible upon arrival in the Netherlands in order to pick up your residence permit. If you will be living in Utrecht, ISD can organise both procedures for you and arrange that you will be able to pick up your BSN and residence permit from the municipality’s Expat Center at the same time. To do this, a number of documents will have to be submitted beforehand, the most important of which is your rental agreement.

Contact with the ISD uitklapper, klik om te openen

ISD will contact you as soon as possible to arrange these matters. If ISD cannot arrange this appointment prior to your arrival, for instance because you will not be living in Utrecht, you will have to make an appointment with the specific municipality yourself. You will have to bring along the following documents: a copy of your passport, your (legalised) birth certificate (and those of any accompanying family members); your (legalised) marriage certificate (if married and your partner accompanies you); a copy of your hospitality agreement and a copy of the housing agreement in the Netherlands and the housing address. The ISD is happy to advise you when needed.  

When your residence permit application has been approved by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) you may make arrangements to travel to The Netherlands.

As soon as you know when you will be arriving in The Netherlands, please inform the ISD what your arrival date will be. They will schedule an intake interview. During this interview required topics will be discussed, for example: opening a Dutch bank account, Dutch citizen service number (BSN), acquiring a health insurance and also the 30%-facility.

Employee within the European Union?

If you come from an EU country or Switzerland and stay up to 90 days you only need a valid passport. Your nationality entitles you to travel freely to and from all EU members. If you are planning for a longer stay, we need to arrange things for you to make sure you can live and work here.

Finding housing uitklapper, klik om te openen

Utrecht is a very popular international university city and, therefore, finding housing is extremely difficult, especially when you are on a tight budget. When you are preparing to come to Utrecht, housing is probably the most essential matter that has to be arranged.  

UMC Utrecht has a housing programme with Short Stay Solutions (SSH), a local housing corporation. UMC Utrecht has reserved a variety of furnished accommodation especially for international staff, researchers and guests with SSH. You can register and view the available rent offers online and reserve temporary housing prior to your arrival in the Netherlands. The reserved accommodation can be rented for a maximum of one year.  

Although UMC Utrecht aims to house as many applicants as possible through this programme, availability is not guaranteed. 

Housing UMC Utrecht Employees

Please do not underestimate the difficulty of finding housing in Utrecht. It is recommended you look for housing as early as possible when planning your stay in Utrecht. Utrecht is a very popular international university city and, therefore, finding housing is extremely difficult, especially when you are on a tight budget. When you are preparing to come to Utrecht, housing is probably the most essential matter that has to be arranged.

The UMC Utrecht has limited accommodations available for new employees. The accommodation is always for a limited time and usually only suitable for one person. There is often a waiting list. The following target groups can make use of the accommodation of the UMC Utrecht:

• student nurses, interns
• employees up to and including salary scale 8
• foreign employees and guests
• PhD students

UMC Utrecht offers employees and guests coming from abroad two possibilities to get housing.

It is recommended you look for housing via SSH (or another way, if you prefer) as early as possible when planning your stay in Utrecht. The following link can be used to register at the SSH (Short Stay Housing). After you have been registered you can view the available rent offers at SSH online and reserve temporary housing as of 4 months prior to your arrival in The Netherlands. Be sure to register as guest of Utrecht University (UU), international staff member of the Faculty of Medicine. The reserved accommodation can be rented for a maximum of one year. Although the university aims to house as many applicants as possible through this programme, availability is not guaranteed.

If you have registered, you will receive an email to confirm your registration and a log-in code. Your registration has to be approved by UMCU.

After approval, you may check the rent offers and the SSH will make the final decision.

We recommend to register asap. If you experience any trouble with your registration you can contact the contact person POServicecentruminternationaal@umcutrecht.nl at the HRM department.

You can find other general information about housing on the website of Utrecht University

The other possibility is The Biltstraat House with 49 rooms ranging from 8-13 square metres, which are rented to single persons only.

For information on availability for the Biltstraat please contact the house manager: huisvestingbiltstraat@umcutrecht.nl

Financial matters uitklapper, klik om te openen

Everyone living in the Netherlands in general must submit an annual income tax return. Tax is imposed on your income. If you do not receive a salary from UMC Utrecht but, for instance, a grant from your home country or you have personal resources, you are still subject to taxation. If you do not submit a tax return, the Tax Office will make an estimation of the amount of your income. You will then receive a tax assessment as well as a default penalty. If you need assistance in submitting your tax return, please contact the ISD. They can refer you to a tax consultant who, for a fee, can help you with this.  

Supplementary allowances   

Under certain circumstances, the government contributes towards the costs of living. Whether you are entitled to one or more of these supplementary allowances strongly depends on your personal situation and income. There are five different supplementary allowances that are concisely explained below. 

BSN (dutch citizen service number) 

Everybody who will be living in the Netherlands for more than four months, needs to obtain a citizen service number (to apply for health insurance and to open a bank account, among other things). It may take some time before a BSN number (burgerservicenummer in dutch) is issued by the municipality when you've arrived in the Netherlands. We advise you to bring some cash with you to bridge the first two or three weeks in the Netherlands.  

Opening a bank account  

If you intend to stay in the Netherlands for a longer period of time, we advise you to open a Dutch bank account. As soon as the municipality will have issued you a BSN, you can go to any bank and open a bank account.  

Partner, children and pets uitklapper, klik om te openen

Children 
If you have children up to the age of 18, you may be entitled to supplementary child benefit . This is a contribution towards the costs of your children. Childcare facilities in the Netherlands are rather expensive, but people with lower or middle incomes can generally apply for an additional childcare benefit . Keep in mind that there is a waiting list. 

International school Utrecht 
Since August 2012, the International School Utrecht (ISU) has opened its doors. ISU provides a high-quality and accessible international learning environment to children from diverse international backgrounds. ISU educates to unite, bridge cultures and at the same time celebrate difference. Community spirit, from the local to the global, is a key part of the school ethos. ISU is the first official Dutch International School in the Province of Utrecht. The school is funded and recognised by the Dutch government, and it offers academic programmes for international pupils living in Utrecht and the surrounding area. The funding provided by the Dutch government ensures the ISU has a fee structure that is accessible to many families. More information is available on their website. 

Getting around uitklapper, klik om te openen

People in Utrecht ride a bicycle within the city. A bike is often the easiest and fastest way to your destination. Utrecht also has an excellent public transport network that covers all of the city, connecting the inner city with Utrecht Science Park/De Uithof, the suburbs and the Utrecht region. You can use your own bank card to pay for the ride.

E-mail - manual entering employment uitklapper, klik om te openen

Once you have been accepted, you will receive an email from PO Diensten (HRM Services), requesting to complete forms and submit documents. In the "Manual entering employment, further explanations are given on what exactly is being asked of you. As long as you do not receive an email from PO Diensten (HRM Services), you are not required to do anything.