Opening a Dutch bank account in 2026: BSN grace periods, IBAN discrimination, debit cards and Wero

Your first weeks in the Netherlands are full of overlapping tasks: housing, registering with the municipality, paperwork for work. A bank account is hard to put off. Salary, rent, health insurance premiums and paying at the supermarket all assume you have a Dutch current account, a betaalrekening.

This guide starts from DutchReview's "The best banks in the Netherlands for internationals in 2026" (published 9 October 2026). We compared it with coverage from IamExpat, Expatica, Xpat.nl, ACCESS, The Hague International Centre, NL Times and DutchNews, and checked the details with primary sources: the Dutch central bank DNB (De Nederlandsche Bank), the government information service Rijksoverheid, the Dutch Payments Association Betaalvereniging, EU law and the banks' own pages.

It covers the current account you open on arrival. For savings, see "Savings accounts in the Netherlands in 2026"; for cards used online, see "Virtual credit cards in the Netherlands". This is not a recommendation for any bank. Fees and conditions are given with the date we checked them; confirm them on the bank's site before you apply.

Main sources for this article

• DutchReview, "The best banks in the Netherlands for internationals in 2026" (9 October 2026)
• DNB, "SEPA and IBAN discrimination" and its deposit guarantee pages
• Rijksoverheid, "Afwijzing betaalrekening consument" (the right to a basic account)
• Betaalvereniging's roadmap for the iDEAL-to-Wero migration (16 July 2026)
• Kassa (BNNVARA), comparison of current account fees (5 January 2026)

1. What is changing: higher fees, new cards, new payments

Three things are reshaping Dutch current accounts in 2026: fees keep rising, Maestro cards are being replaced by debit cards, and the online payment method iDEAL is moving to the European system Wero.

Fees up about 70% in three years

On 5 January 2026, the consumer programme Kassa reported research by comparison site Keuze.nl: the average yearly cost of a standard account with one debit card rose from €26 in 2022 to €44 in 2025, with €49 expected for 2026 (Kassa). ABN AMRO went from €23.40 in 2022 to €51.60 in 2026, and ING from €28.20 to €48.00.

Earlier, NL Times reported MoneyView figures showing fees up more than 20% on average in two years, with the cost of a second card more than doubling (NL Times, 18 July 2024). If you come from a country where a basic account is free, expect a monthly charge.

Maestro out, Wero in

On 2 March 2026, NL Times reported that "everyone in the Netherlands" is getting a new bank card: Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit instead of Maestro or V PAY (NL Times). For online payments, Betaalvereniging says all Dutch banks are to be connected to Wero by October 2026, with the move away from iDEAL completed by 31 December 2027 at the latest (Betaalvereniging). If you open an account now, you will mostly start on the new systems. Section 8 has the details.

2. The landscape: banks, app banks and things that are not banks

Guides for internationals list several providers side by side as "banks". Some of them legally are not, and that matters for protection and complaints.

Three types of provider

DutchReview and Expatica cover roughly three groups (Expatica, updated 26 March 2026): the big Dutch banks (ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank), app-based banks (bunq, Revolut, N26), and payment or e-money firms such as Wise. The table compares the IBAN each gives you with the country whose rules protect your money.

The key point: the IBAN's country and the protecting country can differ. Revolut issues Dutch IBANs to residents, but the account is held by Revolut Bank UAB, which has a Lithuanian banking licence (Revolut Help). Wise says it is not a bank: it safeguards customer funds and falls outside the Belgian deposit guarantee scheme (Wise Help). Wise's own pages are not fully consistent on whether an Estonian guarantee fund applies, so do not count on it.

Accounts sold as packages

Big Dutch banks sell a betaalpakket (payment package) that bundles the account, cards and features. For new customers in 2026, ING offers Go (€4 a month), More (€7), Extra (€15.99) and Max (€44.99); older packages are closed to new customers (ING). ABN AMRO's basic package is €4.30 a month for one account and one debit card, up from €3.70 on 1 January 2026 (ABN AMRO).

3. Opening without a BSN: 90 or 120 days

The most common bottleneck for newcomers is the BSN (Burgerservicenummer), the citizen service number you get when you register with the municipality. No BSN, no account; no account, no salary. Bank grace periods break that loop.

Grace periods by bank

DutchReview lists 90 days for ING and bunq, 120 days for ABN AMRO, and no BSN needed at N26. The banks' own pages match: ING asks you to show your BSN at an ING Service Point within 90 days (ING), bunq gives 90 days (bunq), and ABN AMRO gives 120 days after opening (ABN AMRO).

Where the guides disagree

The number of days depends on which article you read and when it was written. Here is what different sources say about ABN AMRO:

Older articles say 90 days; newer ones and the bank say 120 (IamExpat, ACCESS). ABN AMRO's page for Ukrainian refugees still mentions 90 days, so the route may matter. Xpat.nl goes further and says no BSN is needed at all, but the page is undated and conflicts with other sources (Xpat.nl). Even DutchReview contradicts itself on Revolut: its table says a BSN is required, its text says 90 days. Trust the conditions shown in the bank's sign-up flow.

A grace period is not an exemption

The grace period only buys time. IamExpat notes the account is blocked if you miss the deadline. Put the date in your calendar and register your BSN with the bank the day it arrives.

4. Documents: address, ID, permit and tax number

Requirements differ slightly by bank, but the guides agree on the core set. The Hague International Centre says you need to have completed BRP registration and to bring your BSN, a valid passport or ID card, proof of address such as a rental contract, and your residence permit if you have one (The Hague International Centre).

ACCESS mentions an employment contract or three consecutive payslips as proof of income, and recommends a Dutch phone number if you stay more than four months. DutchReview's 31 July 2026 guide says that without a Dutch ID you need your national ID plus a document showing you live, work, study or own property here, such as a BRP extract, employment contract or proof of enrolment (DutchReview).

Points that trip people up

MVV. ING says non-EEA applicants may need a valid MVV (entry visa) and that the check can take a few days. Nationals exempt from the MVV will usually be asked for their residence permit card instead; applying before you collect it from the IND can stall the process.

Tax residency. Banks ask for your tax residency and tax ID for the international exchange of account data (CRS). IamExpat noted that ABN AMRO's app asked for a foreign TIN. bunq says it cannot open accounts for people whose tax residency is outside the EEA. If you have only just moved, be ready to explain when you became, or will become, a Dutch tax resident.

Address. Hotels and short stays often cannot be used for registration. ING says you need a Dutch address or registration in the RNI (non-residents register), and to give your current address if you do not officially live here yet. Without a settled address, approval may stall even at banks with a grace period.

5. Step by step: from arrival to your first card payment

Knowing where the waiting happens helps you plan how to pay for things in your first weeks.

Branch, app or bridge

DutchReview says traditional banks let you open an account in person, with the card posted a few days later, while online banks have you upload documents in the app. ACCESS puts approval at about a week, with account details and the card PIN sent separately. IamExpat's 2023 article said ABN AMRO's app took about ten minutes and issued an IBAN immediately.

Speed and personal help pull in opposite directions. DutchReview also says ABN AMRO's app route needs an EU passport and a BSN, so non-EU newcomers without a BSN may need a branch or another bank.

The first few weeks

Your card arrives by post, so you will need a home-country credit card, a service you can set up before arrival, or cash. Expatica says Wise and Revolut can usually be opened remotely and used as a bridge. The Hague International Centre warns that some merchants, including some large supermarkets, do not accept non-Dutch cards.

6. IBAN discrimination: your right to use a non-Dutch account

If you open an app bank or Wise account first, an employer or landlord may tell you they "need a Dutch IBAN". That is where the ban on IBAN discrimination comes in.

The rule

Article 9 of the SEPA Regulation (Regulation (EU) 260/2012) says payers and payees may not specify the EU member state where the other party's euro account must be. DNB puts it plainly: payers and payees must accept euro IBANs from all EU/EEA countries, not only Dutch ones (DNB).

DNB says firms must adapt forms, apps and accounting systems, and may handle foreign IBANs manually, for example through customer service, until then, as long as staff know they must accept them.

How to report it

First complain to the company. If its response is inadequate, use DNB's online form for IBAN discrimination and attach evidence, such as emails showing your IBAN was refused. DNB tells you within three weeks whether it will consider the report, and can impose an order subject to penalty or a fine. For firms in other EU/EEA countries, complain to that country's supervisor.

Why many people still get a Dutch IBAN

Having a right is not the same as never having to explain it. Calling customer service every time a direct debit fails gets tiring. Many residents keep one Dutch-bank or NL-IBAN account for everyday debits and use an app bank or payment firm alongside it.

7. Deposit protection and how to choose

A current account is not a savings account, but balances can spike after a bonus, a deposit refund or a transfer from abroad. Check what is protected before you choose.

The Dutch deposit guarantee

DNB's deposit guarantee scheme (depositogarantiestelsel) covers from one cent to €100,000 per person, per bank (DNB). Since 1 January 2024, payouts are due within seven working days. Accounts under different brand names of the same bank are added together, and the scheme that applies is that of the country where the bank is licensed (DNB).

There is no separate, higher limit for current accounts, so keep larger sums in mind if you move savings over from abroad.

What to look at when choosing

DutchReview chose banks with English-language apps and debit cards, and picked ING first for its English app and a €100 welcome bonus. It left out Rabobank, ASN Bank, Triodos and Knab mainly for lack of English options. The table adds the points covered so far.

If you read Dutch, your choice widens considerably.

8. Cards and payments: debit cards, iDEAL and Wero

Card payments dominate in the Netherlands; "pinnen" is everyday Dutch for paying by card. Both the cards and online payments are changing.

From Maestro and V PAY to debit cards

In 2022, Betaalvereniging announced that Maestro would end in 2023, with Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit as replacements (Betaalvereniging). According to NL Times, the new cards have a 16-digit number and a CVC/CVV code and work anywhere Mastercard and Visa are accepted, including foreign online shops. ING shows the code only in its app.

IamExpat added on 2 April 2026 that debit cards allow online payments with the physical card, work outside Europe and support chargebacks (IamExpat).

Watch for outdated advice. The Hague International Centre and ACCESS still say most Dutch cards run on Maestro and lack a CVV, so they rarely work online (ACCESS). If you open an account now, you will most likely receive a debit card from the start, so that advice no longer fits.

From iDEAL to Wero

On 28 October 2025, iDEAL announced a step-by-step move to Wero from 2026 (iDEAL). The co-branded "iDEAL | Wero" logo appeared in early 2026. Betaalvereniging's 16 July 2026 roadmap says all banks are to be connected by October 2026, with the migration done by 31 December 2027 at the latest.

Consumers mostly do nothing: Betaalvereniging says you will not need to change anything with your bank. One catch, reported by NL Times on 31 July 2026: ING's card-reader "scanner" cannot approve Wero payments, so you need the ING app (NL Times). The Rabo Scanner and ABN AMRO's e.dentifier keep working. That matters if someone in your household does not use a smartphone.

Scams riding on the switch

On 25 August 2026, DutchNews reported phishing emails claiming a "refund" was due because of the iDEAL-to-Wero switch (DutchNews). The Fraudehelpdesk said it was getting about 100 queries a day about suspicious iDEAL messages. iDEAL says it never asks you by email to confirm personal details, start a verification or install software. DNB also warns about callers posing as its staff and says it will never ask for your PIN.

9. The right to a basic account (basisbetaalrekening)

Banks decide whom they accept for ordinary accounts. But Dutch law does not leave people without one: there is a basisbetaalrekening, a basic payment account.

Who qualifies and where

Rijksoverheid says that if you cannot open an ordinary account, you have the right to a basic account for personal banking at ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank or SNS (Rijksoverheid). The basis is the EU Payment Accounts Directive (Directive 2014/92/EU), which guarantees consumers legally resident in the EU access to a basic account, free or for a reasonable fee. In the Netherlands, the financial markets authority AFM supervises this area (AFM).

If you live, work or study here, you can show a genuine link (werkelijk belang), so most newcomers qualify. You sign a statement that you have no other basic account.

If you are refused

Rijksoverheid's order is: try another bank; apply for a basic account; if you do not meet the conditions, ask for an account under the Convenant Basisbankrekening, which may involve a recognised support organisation. If you disagree with a refusal, complain to the bank and then, in most cases free of charge, to the financial complaints institute Kifid (Kifid). You can also go to court.

Business accounts are separate

Freelancers (ZZP) need a business account, which is not covered by the consumer basic account. According to the Dutch Banking Association NVB, the Senate adopted the "Chartaal betalingsverkeer" bill on 19 May 2026, giving businesses, foundations and associations a legal right to a business basic account, expected from 1 January 2027 (NVB, 6 July 2026). DutchReview notes that business accounts need a KVK (Chamber of Commerce) number and possibly turnover records.

10. When KYC checks freeze an account

Dutch accounts can be restricted after opening. The usual cause is customer due diligence under the anti-money-laundering law, the Wwft.

Why banks ask questions

Rijksoverheid says banks may ask about your identity and the origin of your money because the law requires them to fight money laundering and terrorist financing. DNB's Wwft guidance says institutions may not start a relationship or carry out transactions until due diligence is complete, and must end the relationship if it cannot be completed (DNB).

Supervision is getting stricter. On 6 July 2026, DNB fined ABN AMRO €8.5 million for structural shortcomings in monitoring some high-risk customers, publishing the decision on 9 July (DNB). One finding was that the bank accepted customer explanations without checking them against objective evidence. Expect banks to be careful about incomplete files.

Common triggers

Moving savings or a deposit for a home from your previous country is common. Being able to show "salary saved from my job" or "proceeds from selling my flat" lets you answer quickly. Questionnaires (vragenlijst) usually arrive in the app or by email, and features may be limited if you miss the deadline.

If your account is restricted

Ask the bank in writing which documents are missing and why they are needed; DNB's guidance says banks must be able to explain why they need the information. Keep records of your answers and uploads. If the bank ends the relationship and no other bank will take you, go back to the basic-account right in section 9.

11. Example situations (fictional)

These three people are made up, to show how the same rules play out differently.

A single employee on a tight timeline

Priya starts a job in The Hague. Her municipal appointment is three weeks away and payroll closes before then. She opens an account at a bank with a BSN grace period, gives the IBAN to HR, and registers her BSN in the app the day it arrives.

A family with a grandparent

Marco and Ana move with two children; Ana's mother will live with them for a while and does not use a smartphone. They open a joint account and check the cost of a second card, and confirm that the bank's card reader can approve Wero payments. Before transferring the proceeds of their old flat, they save the sale contract and bank statements, which they later use to answer the bank's questionnaire.

A freelancer with a non-Dutch IBAN

Tom registers as a ZZP designer. He opens a personal account at an app bank first and a business account after KVK registration. When a Dutch client says it "can only pay Dutch IBANs", he points to the SEPA Regulation and DNB's guidance, and the client pays.

12. Common mistakes

These come up repeatedly in residents' guides and official advice.

Many rules changed in the past two years, and not every guide has been updated. Check the date on what you read, and decide based on the bank's own sign-up conditions.

13. Step by step and checklist

1. Before you leave, set up a way to pay on arrival (credit card, payment app)
2. Secure housing and keep the rental contract to hand
3. Book your municipal (BRP) registration and estimate when your BSN will arrive
4. Decide whether to use a bank's BSN grace period or wait
5. Apply and give your IBAN to your employer, landlord and insurer
6. Collect the card and PIN, set up the app and payments
7. Register your BSN with the bank as soon as it arrives

Checklist

• Passport, rental contract and residence permit (or IND appointment) in one folder
• BSN deadline in your calendar
• Grace period and fees checked in the sign-up flow
• Licence country and deposit protection checked
• DNB's IBAN-discrimination reporting steps saved
• Statements for any transfer from abroad saved
• Household members briefed on phishing

14. Summary

• The usual order is address → BRP and BSN → account. ING and bunq give 90 days, ABN AMRO 120, to hand in a BSN
• Guides disagree on the grace period; trust the bank's sign-up conditions
• Refusing a non-Dutch euro IBAN breaks EU Regulation 260/2012; you can report it to DNB
• Deposits are protected up to €100,000 per person, per bank, by the licence country; e-money balances are not covered
• Big-bank accounts cost about €4 a month (€48–52 a year), well up since 2022
• Cards are moving to debit cards and online payments from iDEAL to Wero; beware of switch-themed scams
• If refused, you have a right to a basic account; answer KYC questions on time

Sources

Starting article and residents' media

• The best banks in the Netherlands for internationals in 2026 — DutchReview: fees, BSN grace periods, documents (9 October 2026)
• How to open a bank account in the Netherlands — DutchReview: steps, card delivery, documents without a Dutch ID (31 July 2026)
• Best bank accounts for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — Expatica: fees, grace periods, MVV (updated 26 March 2026)
• Opening a bank account without a BSN — IamExpat: ABN AMRO's 90 days and foreign TIN (20 December 2023)
• Dutch banks are replacing Maestro and V Pay with debit cards — IamExpat: debit card features (2 April 2026)
• Opening a Bank Account in the Netherlands — Xpat.nl: documents and BKR (undated)
• Requirements to open a bank account — ACCESS: documents, proof of income, phone number
• Banking in the Netherlands — ACCESS: fee range and outdated Maestro advice
• Banking — The Hague International Centre: BRP, documents, foreign cards, Wero
• Current bank account fees up 20 percent in two years — NL Times: MoneyView fee research (18 July 2024)
• Everyone in the Netherlands getting a new bank card — NL Times: card replacement by bank (2 March 2026)
• ING scanner users unable to use Wero payments — NL Times: card readers and Wero (31 July 2026)
• Fraudsters using iDeal switch to Wero to snare bank customers — DutchNews: phishing (25 August 2026)
• iDeal to disappear as European payment system Wero rolls out — DutchNews: migration outlook (December 2025)
• Betaalrekening is in drie jaar tijd 70% duurder geworden — Kassa: yearly fees by bank (5 January 2026)

Dutch and EU authorities and law

• SEPA and IBAN discrimination — DNB: the ban, reporting, three-week reply
• Nederlandse Depositogarantie — DNB: €100,000, contact, scam warning
• Is het geld bij mijn bank beschermd? — DNB: brands, foreign banks
• Combating money laundering — DNB: Wwft and banks' role
• Fine for ABN AMRO for inadequate customer due diligence — DNB: €8.5 million fine (published 9 July 2026)
• Afwijzing betaalrekening consument — Rijksoverheid: basic account right, refusal grounds, complaints
• Betaalrekeningen (PAD) — AFM: supervision of the Payment Accounts Directive
• Kifid: financial services complaints institute
• Regulation (EU) No 260/2012 — EUR-Lex: SEPA Regulation, Article 9
• Directive 2014/92/EU — EUR-Lex: Payment Accounts Directive, basic accounts and fees
• Next phase of iDEAL migration to Wero — Betaalvereniging: October 2026 connection, 31 December 2027 target
• New debit cards — Betaalvereniging: end of Maestro and V PAY (28 January 2022)
• iDEAL to phase into Wero starting in 2026 — iDEAL: migration phases
• Banks prepare for the business basic account — NVB: business basic account law (6 July 2026)

Banks and providers

• Open your own bank account — ABN AMRO: 120-day grace period, address requirement
• New fees and terms 2026 — ABN AMRO: basic package at €4.30 a month
• Student account — ING: 90-day grace period, documents
• Compare packages — ING: Go, More, Extra and Max prices
• Banking for expats — bunq: 90-day grace period
• Switching to a Dutch IBAN — Revolut: NL IBANs for residents
• How Wise Europe SA safeguards customer funds — Wise: safeguarding, no deposit guarantee

All checked on 27 October 2026. Fees, grace periods and switch dates can change. Nothing here is a recommendation for a particular bank or product; check the bank's own page before you apply.

Original article

The best banks in the Netherlands for internationals in 2026 — DutchReview