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KNM

KNM 6: Instanties

Public services and organizations. This theme is about the organizations you deal with: the municipality, the tax office (Belastingdienst), the police, and the places that give legal and social help. Most contact with the government is online.

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  • Practice questions

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Study notes

Online with the government

  • Most information and contact from the government is digital. Use your citizen service number (BSN) and your DigiD safely: never give your DigiD to anyone.
  • You can find information and make appointments online, and you can get help with digital contact if you need it.
  • Other organizations help too: Nibud (money and budgets), debt counseling (schuldhulpverlening), the food bank (voedselbank), the GGD (public health), the Juridisch Loket (legal advice), social work (maatschappelijk werk) and youth care (jeugdzorg).

The municipality

  • The municipality keeps the population register, the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP). Coming to live here for more than 4 months? Register within 5 days of arrival; you then get a BSN.
  • Report changes to the municipality: a birth, marriage, living together, divorce, death, a move or emigration. A move you report no later than 5 days after moving; a late report can be fined. Where it applies, report the acknowledgement of a child (erkenning).
  • Changes in your household can change your benefits.
  • The municipality issues passports, ID cards and driver’s licenses. Residence permits and naturalization go through the IND. After naturalization you must in principle give up your other nationality.
  • The municipality collects local taxes such as the property tax (ozb), sewerage and waste charges and parking fees.

Taxes and allowances

  • You get a payslip (salarisstrook or loonstrook) and once a year an annual statement (jaaropgave). Keep the jaaropgave for at least five years.
  • Gross (bruto) is before tax and premiums, net (netto) is what you receive.
  • Filing an income tax return (aangifte inkomstenbelasting) is required in many cases. Sometimes you pay, sometimes you get money back. Help is available.
  • Taxes pay for things like education, healthcare, roads, the government, police and courts.
  • The Belastingdienst pays allowances (toeslagen), for example for healthcare, rent and childcare. Apply if you are entitled, and report a change in income in time.
  • Child benefit (kinderbijslag) comes from the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB).

The police

  • The police protect, supervise and enforce the law. Follow their instructions.
  • You must report a serious crime such as murder, manslaughter, rape or kidnapping.
  • You can also call on the police for nuisance, accidents, theft, (sexual) violence, fraud and discrimination.
  • From 14 you must show ID when the police ask for it in public (on public transport from 12).

Complaints and legal help

  • You can object (bezwaar maken) to a decision or to bad treatment or discrimination by the government.
  • Complaints about how the government acted go to a municipal ombudsman or the Nationale ombudsman.
  • Corruption by the government or police is forbidden and punishable.
  • For legal help, go to a lawyer (advocaat) or the Juridisch Loket. People on a low income pay a contribution that fits their income.

Insurance

  • Health insurance is compulsory.
  • Liability insurance (aansprakelijkheidsverzekering, WA) is not compulsory, but very wise: it pays if you damage someone else's things.
  • If you own a car or motorcycle, WA insurance and road tax are compulsory.
  • Homeowners need buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): a mortgage lender requires it.

Words to know

Dutch terms in this theme
DutchEnglish
het burgerservicenummer (BSN)citizen service number
de DigiDgovernment login
inschrijvento register
de verhuizing doorgevento report a move
de aangiftetax return; police report
de toeslagallowance
de kinderbijslagchild benefit
bezwaar makento object
de verzekeringinsurance
het Juridisch Loketlegal advice desk

Next

Official sources

Rules and amounts change: your letter from DUO and Mijn Inburgering always win.

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