The types of accounts offered are:

• Betaalrekening (current account)
• Spaarrekening (savings account)
• Vreemde valuta rekening (foreign currency account)

Other services that banks may offer include:

• debit (PIN) and credit cards
• internet banking (internetbankieren), also on your phone
• investments (beleggingen)
• private banking (requirements can differ per bank)
• insurance (verzekering)
• loans (leningen)
• mortgages (hypotheken)
• fixed-term deposits (spaardeposito’s)
• life insurance (levensverzekering)

You are advised to check with the local branch of your chosen bank for their specific requirements. The usual requirements are:

• proof of identity (passport or identity card)
• official proof of address, such as a tenancy agreement
• your burgerservicenummer – BSN (citizen service number) In case of a delay in the registration process, ABN AMRO , ING and Bunq offer the possibility to open an account without a BSN and provide it within 90 days. You can find more information about the procedure for Bunq on https://together.bunq.com/d/2970-why-do-i-need-to-fill-in-a-taxpayer-identification-nu
• proof of your income, unless you are only opening a spaarrekening (savings account). Your contract of employment or three consecutive pay slips will be accepted by most banks as proof.

A valid phone number (preferably a Dutch number) for communication purposes if you are staying for more than four months. As a new client, the bank may wish to check your credit history. Hence, the bank may instigate a credit check and register you with the Bureau Krediet Registratie – BKR (Central Credit Registration Agency).

To manage your day-to-day finances, you will need a current or payment account called a betaalrekening in Dutch. Before opening a bank account, you need to be a legal resident of the Netherlands. You should register yourself with the municipality where you reside to make your stay legal (please have a look at our ‘First three months in the Netherlands‘  https://access-nl.org/relocating-to-netherlands/first-three-months/formalities/ for more information). As soon as you have completed your registration and have been given your burgerservicenummer – BSN (citizen service number), you can go to any bank of your choice to open a bank account.

In case of a delay in the registration process, ABN AMRO, ING and Bunq offer the possibility to open an account without a BSN and provide it within 90 days. You can find more information about the procedure for Bunq on https://together.bunq.com/d/2970-why-do-i-need-to-fill-in-a-taxpayer-identification-number (note: a taxpayer identification number is in the Netherlands your BSN) and for ABN AMRO 

The major retail banks in the Netherlands having their websites in English are ABN AMRO and ING Bank (limited information in English).

The Dutch method of punctuating numbers and decimals is exactly opposite to the English system. Therefore, for example, twenty-five euros and fifty euro-cents would be written as €25,50 and five thousand two hundred euros would be shown as €5.200. Round figures are written with a comma and a dash after the number: e.g.15 euros is €15,-.

The monetary currency of the Netherlands is the euro, and Eurozone countries share the same euro bank notes and coins. There are seven bank note denominations (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros) and eight coins denominations (1 and 2 euros and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro-cents). In the Netherlands, very few establishments will accept the 500 euro note and most small shops including supermarkets will not accept 100 and 200 euro notes and coins of 1 and 2 cents notes either.  If you pay cash, the amount will be rounded off  to the nearest  5 cents, e.g.  €10.13 will become €10.15 while €10.12 will become €10.10. If you pay with your bank card you will pay the exact amount.