Getting Started
The unglamorous but essential stuff, BSN, gemeente registration, health insurance, finding a home, schools and learning Dutch. Roughly in the order you'll actually need it.
Should you move abroad? An honest gut-check
Before the paperwork, the harder question: is moving abroad actually right for you? An honest checklist on money, culture, language, mindset, tax and savings.
Read guide 9 min read · August 2026Your first 30 days in the Netherlands
The exact order to do things (residence permit, gemeente registration, BSN, bank, health insurance, DigiD) so nothing blocks anything else.
Read guide 6 min read · August 2026Health insurance, explained
It's mandatory, you have 4 months, and it costs around €155–165/month. Here's how the basic package, the €385 deductible and the zorgtoeslag allowance fit together.
Read guide 7 min read · August 2026Finding a home (without losing your mind)
The rental market is brutal in 2026, especially around Amsterdam. Deposits, social vs free-sector rent, huurtoeslag, and a survival strategy for newcomers.
Read guide 6 min read · August 2026Schools & childcare
When kids start school, Dutch vs international schools, and how childcare allowance (kinderopvangtoeslag) can cover most of your daycare bill.
Read guide 5 min read · August 2026Learning Dutch (and whether you need to)
You can live in English, but a little Dutch changes everything. Plus: who's exempt from inburgering, and the language level you'll actually need for citizenship.
Read guide 5 min read · August 2026Staying long-term: residence & citizenship
The 5-year path to permanent residence, what citizenship requires, and the dual-nationality reality every Indian should understand before naturalising.
Read guide 6 min read · August 2026Bringing your dog (or cat) from India
Relocating a pet from India to the Netherlands is very doable, but the rabies antibody test and 3-month wait catch people out. Start about four months early.
Read guide 4 min read · August 2026Packing for the move from India
What's worth bringing, what to leave, and the packing mistakes that cost people baggage allowance and money.
Read guide 7 min read · August 2026How the Dutch medical system works
Your GP is the gatekeeper, referrals rule everything, and yes, you'll hear 'rest and paracetamol' a lot. What to expect, and how it differs from India.
Read guide 6 min read · August 2026Apostille & legalising your documents
Your birth and marriage certificates need an apostille from India's MEA before you move. Get this wrong and your gemeente registration stalls. Here's the process.
Read guide 8 min read · August 2026Having a baby in the Netherlands
Midwife-led care, the wonder that is kraamzorg, what it costs, how much leave you get, and how to sort your newborn's registration, Indian passport and OCI.
Read guide 7 min read · August 2026Setting up your home: energy, internet, mobile & taxes
The week-three admin nobody warns you about: choosing an energy supplier, getting internet and a SIM, and the municipal taxes and bin rules that surprise every newcomer.
Read guide 5 min read · August 2026DigiD & the government portals you'll actually use
DigiD is the login key to almost everything official here. How to get it, the app and ID-check, the portals you'll use, and why your Berichtenbox matters.
Read guidePrefer to watch?
We share our Netherlands journey on YouTube, practical, honest, and from two people who actually did it. Come say hi.