Living abroad: Losing your citizen service number (BSN)

The citizen service number (BSN) is your personal number for contact with the Dutch authorities. You can usually find your BSN on your passport, identity card and driving licence from the Netherlands. You can also look up the number online via Mijnoverheid. You can also find the BSN on a Dutch payslip, annual statement, health insurance card or health insurance policy.

However, you may not be able to find your BSN. This is particularly the case for people who have been living abroad for a long time. If you do not live in the Netherlands but work in the Netherlands, or if you have lived or worked in the Netherlands, you will be registered in the Registratie Niet Ingezetenen (RNI). If you have lost your BSN, you can apply for a BSN extract at one of the 19 RNI centres in the Netherlands. The cost of applying for an extract varies per RNI office.

Requesting an extract if you are not listed in the RNI

Are your details not listed in the RNI? But did you live in the Netherlands and were deregistered from the Netherlands before 1 October 1994? In that case, you can request proof of deregistration or a copy of your identity card from the municipality of The Hague. You can do this digitally or in writing.

More information

You can find more information and the contact details of the RNI municipalities on the nederlandwereldwijd website.