19 votes

I'm moving, in the EU, from Hungary to The Netherlands. Any tips?

Posted by Eric_the_Cerise
Tags: ask.advice, moving, housing, europe, hungary, netherlands

Inspired by (or if you prefer, ripping off) @spit-evil-olive-tips ' moving thread.

I'm a US expat with Hungarian citizenship, moving with two native Hungarian friends (plus a dog and 2 cats), to The Hague. We have an apartment there, all 3 animals are chipped and vaccinated (and we 3 are not...). My cousin will be driving us there in about a month.

We already have an appointment, a couple days after the move, to register our BRPs and BSNs at the local govt office. Sooner would be better, but it must be done in person, and right now, I don't relish the idea of a 2nd trip across the EU just to get registered a bit faster.

I'm primarily looking for tips on smoothly integrating into Dutch society ... utilities, banking, health care, whatever else I'm forgetting to worry about. But I'm open to any tips regarding any aspect of moving between countries in the EU, in the middle of a poorly-managed global pandemic.

Side-note for the entrepreneurs: In the US, you can rent a car, truck or trailer anywhere, drive it to anywhere else ... and leave it there. I appreciate the added complexities of an int'l version of that service, but if anyone can be the first to resolve those challenges in the EU ... $$$. Or rather, €€€.

ETA: Any advice posted to @spit-evil-olive-tips thread need not be repeated here.

3 comments

  1. [3]
    timo
    Link
    You should be able to find a lot of information on the Dutch government website: https://www.government.nl/topics/immigration-to-the-netherlands Make sure you: register at the municipality (and...
    • Exemplary

    You should be able to find a lot of information on the Dutch government website:
    https://www.government.nl/topics/immigration-to-the-netherlands

    Make sure you:

    • register at the municipality (and maybe national government, not sure).
    • register your pets
    • get utilities sorted out; you need electricity, gas (if required) and water. If you rent, this might be included, so ask your landlord.
    • get internet installed asap (compare at https://www.breedbandwinkel.nl/)
    • get a mobile network provider (compare at https://www.belsimpel.nl/)
    • regarding banks, get a bank account (compare at https://www.independer.nl/algemeen/info/betaalrekening.aspx). In the Netherlands, debit cards are the norm, credit cards are used sometimes but not much. Online you can pay at most shops using "Ideal", it's quite simple.
    • Make sure you get health insurance, it is required by law (compare at https://www.independer.nl/zorgverzekering/intro.aspx). You pay a monthly premium, which depends on the size of your deductible (e.g. high deductible means low monthly fee). Things like a GP visit are free.
    • get a bike! Especially in the city, you can do everything with a bike and public transport. A car is not necessary.
    • regarding public transport, you need a special card: https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/home-1.htm#/
    • there's probably more I forgot

    Regarding norms and society:

    • we are pretty honest and opinionated (you could call it blunt)
    • we are fairly individualistic (but less so than US)
    • working hours are 9-5, overtime is not normal or expected. Working 4 days a week is pretty normal.
    • there is little hierarchy.
    • we have a saying that roughly says "act normal, because normal is already crazy enough". Most people aren't trying to be special.
    • English level is very good. You will absolutely have trouble learning Dutch, simply because others will just answer you in English.
    • making friends is relatively difficult. Most people already have a group of friends from existing circles (school, sports, work)
    • most people dislike the " fake" friendliness of Americans

    I can really recommend reading up on differences between cultures between US, Hungary and the Netherlands.

    Regarding renting a car:
    A lot of car rental companies are international, you pay an extra fee if you do not return to your starting point.

    Do you study? Do you have a job? How old are you?

    Regarding pandemic:
    Read about the measures here: https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19

    News:
    If you want to keep up to date to daily news, follow nos.nl, nu.nl. Maybe find a newspaper you like and maybe check out the dutch subreddit. You can watch public TV channels at npo.nl.

    Have fun!

    12 votes
    1. [2]
      Eric_the_Cerise
      Link Parent
      Wow. Dankjewel, especially for all of the comparison links. Follow-ups ... We have our appointment to register at our local Hague office. Can you clarify on that? All three pets have their shots,...

      Wow. Dankjewel, especially for all of the comparison links.

      Follow-ups ...

      We have our appointment to register at our local Hague office.

      register your pets

      Can you clarify on that? All three pets have their shots, their microchips and their EU-wide travel passports. Is there something more/else specific to The Netherlands to register them for?

      I have already been reading two expat-oriented English-language news sites, DutchNews and DutchReview, for months now. I will add the ones you mentioned to my RSS.

      I started learning Dutch a few months ago ... but then I got a new job in Germany, so Dutch got put on hold while I re-learn German. I will come back to focusing on Dutch soon.

      I'm a middle-aged software developer. My roommates are younger (20-something) non-professionals. We all speak English and we all are (or soon will be) learning Dutch. My roommates are wide open to job prospects, and one or all of us might decide to go back to school, but for now, they are focusing on basic entry-level stuff -- clerking, stocking shelves, picking produce, whatever is available that doesn't require advanced Dutch proficiency.

      Our apartment is unfurnished (includes floors, walls, major appliances, etc) and utilities are separate, so I'm already working on figuring out which ones to get and how to get them turned on before we arrive. I may well have follow-up questions about that in the days to come. Ditto mobile service and (esp.) Internet.

      Regarding the culture shock ... yeah. Hungarians are very different from the Dutch. Frankly, it's one of the reasons we're going. But I also specifically chose The Hague because it has such a thriving international community.

      5 votes
      1. timo
        Link Parent
        I believe for dogs you have to pay some tax, but this can depend on the municipality. Not sure about others (like cats). For The Hague it is explained at...

        Can you clarify on that? All three pets have their shots, their microchips and their EU-wide travel passports. Is there something more/else specific to The Netherlands to register them for?

        I believe for dogs you have to pay some tax, but this can depend on the municipality. Not sure about others (like cats). For The Hague it is explained at https://www.denhaag.nl/en/taxes/dog-tax.htm

        I'm a middle-aged software developer. My roommates are younger (20-something) non-professionals. We all speak English and we all are (or soon will be) learning Dutch. My roommates are wide open to job prospects, and one or all of us might decide to go back to school, but for now, they are focusing on basic entry-level stuff -- clerking, stocking shelves, picking produce, whatever is available that doesn't require advanced Dutch proficiency.

        Nice! You definitely don't need to speak Dutch in a lot of software developer jobs. It kind of depends on the company, but most hire quite a few expats.

        1 vote