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Getting and activating your DigiD

What DigiD is, what you need to apply, how the activation letter and the DigiD app work, why ID check may not work with a foreign passport, and what to do if the code does not arrive.

Checked 7 Oct 2026
Applies to
Anyone with a citizen service number (BSN). People registered in the BRP apply with their Dutch address; people who live abroad or in the Caribbean Netherlands and have a BSN can also apply.
Effort
Low effort
Time needed
About 15 minutes to apply, then up to five working days for the letter
When
As soon as you have your BSN and registered address
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. Before you start
  3. Documents you need
  4. Step by step
  5. Login methods explained
  6. Letting someone help - DigiD Authorisation
  7. What newcomers use DigiD for
  8. If the letter does not arrive
  9. Children
  10. Watch out
  11. Common mistakes
  12. Tips
  13. Frequently asked questions
  14. Official links
  15. In your plan
  16. Sources
  17. Related guides

DigiD (Digital Identity) is the login you use to identify yourself online with Dutch government organisations, healthcare providers and insurers, educational institutions and pension funds. Newcomers typically need it for My IND, tax returns, healthcare and rent benefit, reporting a change of address online, and starting a case with the Rent Tribunal (Huurcommissie).

Your DigiD is personal and linked to your BSN. You may not apply for or use a DigiD on behalf of someone else; for that there is a separate authorisation option.

Before you start

  • A citizen service number (BSN)
  • Registration at an address with a Dutch municipality (BRP)
  • A mobile phone

Documents you need

  • Your citizen service number (BSN)

    required

Step by step

  1. Step 1: Apply online

    Fill in the DigiD application form with your BSN and personal details, and choose a username and password. Remember them: you need them to activate.

  2. Step 2: Wait for the activation letter

    DigiD sends a letter with an activation code to the address where you are registered in the BRP. DigiD says it arrives within a maximum of five working days, in a white envelope. The activation code always starts with an A. If you moved recently and were still registered at your old address when you applied, the letter goes there.

  3. Step 3: Activate within 21 days

    Activate your DigiD within 21 days of applying, otherwise you must apply again. You can activate:

    • in the DigiD app: download it from the official app store, log in with your username and password, enter the SMS code and then the activation code from the letter. This activates both your account and the app;
    • on the website: go to the activation page, log in, enter an SMS code if you set up SMS verification, then the activation code.

    Watch out for look-alike characters such as S and 5, Z and 2, B and 8, or O and 0. After three wrong attempts the application is stopped and you must apply again.

  4. Step 4: Set up the DigiD app

    The app is the easiest way to log in: you use a PIN, or fingerprint or face recognition on your phone. It runs on iOS 15 or later, Android 9 or later, and on Windows 11 or macOS computers, on up to five devices.

  5. Step 5: Add ID check if you can

    Some services, for example those showing sensitive health data, require an ID check in the app. This uses the NFC chip of a Dutch passport, Dutch identity card or Dutch driving licence. DigiD states that foreign identity documents and residence documents cannot be used. If you have no Dutch document, activate the app with an SMS code instead; most logins work without ID check.

Login methods explained

  • DigiD app: the easiest and most widely accepted method. You log in with a PIN (or fingerprint or face recognition) and confirm on your phone.
  • Username and password with SMS verification: you enter your username and password and then a six-digit code sent by SMS. DigiD notes that many organisations no longer accept a login with only a username and password, so you will usually need your phone.
  • ID check: required by some services, such as those showing sensitive health data. It reads the chip of a Dutch passport, identity card or driving licence with your phone and is not available with foreign documents or residence documents.
  • Identity document as login: some Dutch identity cards and driving licences have a login function that can be activated and used directly with DigiD.

Usernames are case-sensitive, 6 to 32 characters, and cannot be changed later; passwords need at least 8 characters with a lower-case letter, a capital, a number and a special character.

Letting someone help - DigiD Authorisation

Never give your DigiD login details to anyone else, not even a partner or tax adviser. Instead, use DigiD Authorisation (DigiD Machtigen): you give a specific person or company permission for a specific task, such as your tax return or a benefits application, for a fixed period. You request an authorisation code and give it, with your BSN, to the person who will help you. If you do not have a DigiD yourself, you can request authorisation by phone through the DigiD helpdesk; the code is then posted to your BRP address. People living abroad can use machtigen.digid.nl with a European recognised login method.

What newcomers use DigiD for

In the first months, DigiD typically gives you access to:

  • My IND, to follow residence applications;
  • the Tax Administration and the Benefits Service (Dienst Toeslagen), for example to apply for healthcare benefit;
  • your health insurer's and GP's online services;
  • reporting a change of address to the City of Amsterdam online;
  • Mijn Inburgering at DUO, if you have to complete civic integration;
  • the Rent Tribunal (Huurcommissie) if you start a rent case.

If the letter does not arrive

Wait the full five working days and check that your name is on your letterbox. You can then request a new activation code once, through the app (Apply for a new letter) or on the website after logging in. The new code also arrives by post within five working days and is valid for 21 days. If it still does not arrive, apply for a new DigiD or contact the DigiD helpdesk.

Children

Parents and guardians may help children aged 13 and under to apply for and use a DigiD; the letter is addressed to the child at the child's registered address. From age 14, children apply themselves and the DigiD is strictly personal.

Watch out

Never share your DigiD username, password, PIN or codes. Government organisations do not ask for your DigiD password by phone, post or email.

Be alert to fake emails and text messages that link to look-alike login pages. Log in only via the organisation's own website or the official app.

Common mistakes

  • Applying before your address registration is complete, so the letter goes to an old or wrong address.
  • Entering the activation code in the password field. The code from the letter is entered after you log in with your username and password.
  • Letting the 21-day activation period expire.

Tips

  • Add your phone number and email address to your DigiD after activation. It makes recovering your username or password much easier.
  • If SMS codes are hard to receive, you can ask DigiD to call you with a spoken code instead.
  • Apply for DigiD as soon as your registration is complete; many first-month tasks are much easier online.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

I live abroad but have a BSN. Can I get a DigiD?

Yes. People with a BSN who live abroad or in the Caribbean Netherlands can apply via the DigiD application form. Activation of the app then works with ID check or an SMS code.

How do I contact DigiD?

The DigiD helpdesk is on +31 (0)88 123 65 55 on working days from 9:00 to 17:00. There is also a contact form on the DigiD website.

Can I get DigiD before I have a Dutch address?

You need a BSN. If you live abroad and have a BSN, for example through the Non-residents Records Database (RNI), you can apply with the DigiD application form for people living abroad. Most newcomers apply right after registering with their municipality, because the activation letter goes to the BRP address.

My ID check fails because I have a foreign passport. What now?

That is expected: ID check only works with Dutch identity documents. Use the DigiD app with SMS activation, which is enough for most services. For a service that requires ID check, contact the organisation to ask how else you can reach it.

Can my partner log in for me?

No. DigiD is strictly personal. Use DigiD Authorisation to give your partner permission for a specific task.

In your plan

  • Apply for DigiD
  • Check whether you can get healthcare benefit

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 5 Apr 2027.

  1. DigiD (Logius)Official source
    Apply for a DigiD (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 7 Oct 2026
  2. DigiD (Logius)Official source
    Activate your DigiD (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  3. DigiD (Logius)Official source
    DigiD app (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  4. DigiD (Logius)Official source
    Contact English (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  5. I amsterdam / IN Amsterdam
    Registering in the Amsterdam Area (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 7 Oct 2026
  6. Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal)Official source
    Contact | Huurcommissie (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  7. DigiD (Logius)Official source
    Authorisation (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 7 Oct 2026
  8. DigiD (Logius)Official source
    Username and password (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 7 Oct 2026
  9. DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs)Official source
    Integration in the Netherlands (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 7 Oct 2026
  10. DigiD (Logius)Official source
    Identity document as login method (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 7 Oct 2026

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