Advice on moving to the Netherlands from England
 

Hello

I want to move to the Netherlands with my 8 year old son from England. We both have UK passports. Would we need visas etc? I have not done any research as yet as I've only thought of moving quite recently.

Any useful info would be most appreciated. How do I go about to find out about schools? Which towns are good. Housing, job etc?
Looking to learn dutch soon too.

Can anyone share their experiences moving there and whether you are settled?

Kind Regards
Zahida

Re: Advice on moving to the Netherlands from England
 

Zahida 88

If you and your son are British Citizens, you will not need a visa to stay / work / study in the Netherlands, as British Citizens enjoy the freedom of movement within the EU.

Hope this helps and the best of luck.

Re: Advice on moving to the Netherlands from England
 

If you don't speak Dutch, nor know much about the country, what attracts you to the Netherlands and why do you want to move there?

Re: Advice on moving to the Netherlands from England
 

The most important question - do you already have a work contract here? It needs to be the foundation to your whole move. If you do, some of what I write below isn't relevant...

'Thinking about it' is risky enough if you're young, free and single: finding a job here is as tough as anywhere in Europe, especially if you don't speak Dutch. Acting without thorough planning and without an income, a roof over your head, and an 8 year old in tow is a whole different ballgame.

I'm concerned because people usually move for work so already know the location (or at least the province) where they need to settle, but you don't seem to have specifics in mind, so like the poster above, I'm wondering if you realise the emotional toll such a move can make to a land with a strange language, without a chest of money (or promise of regular income) to get you through.

A visa is not required. Registration at the local town hall (gemeente) is required by law within 7 days, and to do that, you need your passport and your rental contract: this registration will also 'enrol' you automatically into other systems like the Health Insurance system, the Tax Office, etc, automatically.

What is your budget for housing (you will not be housed in social housing due to massive waiting lists)? What kind of lifestyle are you looking for (house with garden in the suburbs vs small apartment in the city centre)? Have you accounted for the increased costs of living, and costs for new things like the compulsory Health Insurance? Do you have an escape plan if things go wrong?

Are you considering a private fee-paying school so that your son can continue to study in English. You should know that (almost-free) state schools teach the entire curriculum in Dutch only and it is very different to the UK national curriculum - this is a better thing for children if your move is (semi)permanent, but tough if you are only planning to stay for a few years.

There is a wiki: here that you can read, and websites like IamExpat have reasonable guides. But until you have that job offer in place and know which city you're heading towards, it's hard to give local advice on good and less good areas in which to live.