Arrive · Leeuwarden
Your first month
Three things the Dutch sites bury in long forms. Register first. Then DigiD. Then the bins.
Get a BSN
Stay longer than four months? Book a gemeente appointment within five days of arriving. You register in the BRP and leave with a Burgerservicenummer. NHL Stenden often emails students a booking link. No walk-in. Town hall is Oldehoofsterkerkhof 2. Bring a passport and proof of your Leeuwarden address. Call 14058. Staying under four months is RNI, not BRP. That can still be Leeuwarden, but from 2026 a non-EU passport has to go to Breda or Venlo.
Get DigiD
DigiD is the login for tax, healthcare, DUO and most government sites. You need the BSN first. Apply at digid.nl. The activation letter goes to your registered address, so wait until the gemeente has your street.
When the bins go out
Leeuwarden waste is Omrin, not Afvalwijzer. Put your postcode in their calendar. The Omrin app reminds you. In the centre, restafval is often underground; you need a milieupas after you are registered at the address. The gemeente page lists GFT, paper and PMD.
HelloLWD is a student news desk, not the gemeente. Rules change. If a page here disagrees with Leeuwarden.nl or Omrin, trust them.
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