Dutch governmental websites that a residence permit holder should monitor frequently

If you are a holder of a Dutch residence permit, there are a couple of Dutch governmental websites that you should monitor frequently. In this article, we will explain what you should look out and why you should monitor them frequently.

Mijn.overheid.nl

First, the website of mijn.overheid.nl is a website directly associated with the BRP system (“Basisregistratie persoonsgegevens” in Dutch). This Dutch system of population registration can be a kind of cultural shock to people from common law countries. For example, in the UK, one normally uses a utility bill or a recent bank statement to prove his/her address. Under the laws of most US states, domicile contains two elements that must exist concurrently: (1) the physical presence at a specific location; and (2) the intention to remain there indefinitely. Thus, in many common law countries, there are no such systems of population registry. Nevertheless, in the Netherlands, we have the BRP system. What is mentioned in the BRP system is deemed to be true. This website of mijn.overheid.nl is basically a general public version of the BRP system, as it is directly linked to the BRP system.

What should you check after you log onto mijn.overheid.nl? 

• Your current and previous addresses

After you log onto the site with you Digid, you need to click on “identiteit” and then on “bekijk persoonsgegevens.” There, you should be able to see your current and previous addresses in the Netherlands.

(If it is your first time to log onto this site, it will ask you to activate it. Then, the steps will be different).

Pursuant to Dutch laws, everyone who plans to live four months or longer in the NL should register him/herself within the BRP system. Your BRP address should be a residential address (“woonadres”), not a postal address (“briefadres”). A big red flag that a residence permit holder should look out is the phrase “Registratie Niet Ingezetenen (RNI)”, which means "registry of non residents" in English. If you see that you have or had “RNI” under the address section, it means that you are/were de-registered from the BRP system, as the city hall may have concluded that you no longer live(d) in the Netherlands. This RNI status can be detrimental, as this information is passed onto the IND. Potentially, the IND can contend that you have moved your main residence (“hoofdverblijf”) outside the Netherlands and the IND can potentially revoke your residence permit. If you have/had the status of RNI as a part of your address history, you may not be able to apply for naturalization. If one wants to apply for naturalization, he/she needs to have both five consecutive years of residence title and five continuous years of address registration. If your address registration has not been continuous (due to the appearance of RNI in the system), the IND will probably refuse your naturalization application.

• Your parents’ names

After you log onto the site of mijn.overheid.nl, you click on “identiteit” and then on “bekijk persoonsgegevens” and then on “familie.” You should be able to see your parents’ names there. If you don’t see your parents’ names, it means that you have never shown your legalized birth certificate to the municipal government or that the municipal government did not register your parental details properly. Without your parents’ names in the system, you cannot apply for naturalization. If you are interested in becoming a Dutch citizen through naturalization, you should register your parental information as soon as possible. Without such details in the system, a city hall may refuse to accept your application for naturalization.

• Your residence history (Verblijfstitel)

You log onto the site of mijn.overheid.nl, and then you click on “identiteit” and then on “bekijk persoongegevens”. After that, you click “nationaliteit”, and then you scroll to the section “verblijfstitel”. There, you see one or more droplist(s). Each time that you apply for a residence permit or renew your residence permit, a droplist is added onto this section.

If you see details that do not fully comply with your own records, you don’t need to worry too much, as these details are based on “specific codes” that the municipal government uses. Sometimes, there can be discrepancies between these codes and the records of the IND. With regard to the history of residence titles, the IND records overrule the details recorded under each droplist. However, if the contents of the uppermost droplist are “geen verblijfstitel (meer)”, that is not a good sign. The phrase “geen verblijfstitel (meer)” means that you have no legal stay. If you are in possession of a valid residence card and you see “geen verblijfstitel (meer)” under the uppermost droplist, it may mean that your permit has been revoked by the IND (with or without your knowledge). In such situations, it will be necessary to investigate further. 

Mijn.uwv.nl

Another website that a residence permit holder should check is the website of mijn.uwv.nl

This site is very important, especially if you hold a highly skilled migrant permit or an European blue card. Highly skilled migrants and European blue card holders must receive their monthly salary in a timely fashion. By “timely fashion”, it means that the salary of a calendar month must be paid in that specific month, not later. For example, the salary of February 2024 must be paid in February 2024. If an employer pays the salary late, that can be problematic.

After you log on to the site of mijn.uwv.nl, you need to click on “persoonlijke gegevens” and then on “loongegevens controleren” and then click “download printversie (pdf).” Each month that your employer pays you, the salary details will be shared with the tax office and the UWV (the labour department). Also, the IND has access to these details. In practice, the IND often checks your income details. The pdf document that you can download from the website of the UWV reflects more or less what the IND can see on their side. The pdf document shows the number of hours that you have worked each month and the corresponding SV loon. "SV loon" means socially insurable salary, which can be lower than your gross salary, especially when you are entitled to 30% ruling. Therefore, the SV salary amounts can be different from the gross salaries on your salary slips. However, if you are a highly skilled migrant or a blue card holder and you notice that the SV salary of a specific month was unreasonably low, zero or missing, which can be a red flag. In that case, you should definitely investigate further and discuss with your employer.

Should you have any questions about Dutch immigration/nationality laws, please feel free to contact Mynta Law.