Located in Northwestern Europe, the Netherlands is known for a flat landscape of canals, tulip fields, windmills and an abundance of cycling routes. Along with a thriving entrepreneurial scene and wonderful education system, the Netherlands promotes a great work-life balance and quality social culture.
Moving to and Living in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is a beautiful country with numerous natural sites and attractions, including canals. Over the centuries, the Dutch built a series of canals, dams, dikes and pumping stations to keep the North Sea from washing away the Netherlands, for which the country is now well known for.
Before these water management systems were built, man power and horsepower were used to drain the land, later replaced by windmills. The Kinderdijk-Elshout windmill network is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and consists of 19 windmills and 3 pumping stations, with bike and walking paths making the network accessible to visitors accessing the museum.
Transport around the country mainly consists of bicycles, with nearly three times as many bicycles as there are cars.
The Dutch take a great pride in their cultural heritage and traditions, with the government heavily subsidizing the arts, which can be attributed to the significant arts industry.
Dutch cuisine includes many individual dishes such as filled pancakes, bankets (an almond paste filled treat), oliebollen (a deep friend pastry dusted with sugar) and a variety of cheeses such as Edam and Gouda.
Tourism is an important part of the economy for the Netherlands, with visitors attracted by Dutch art, architecture and flowers. Tulips are a major industry, with the nation producing billions of bulbs annually, a considerably larger amount than any other country. The historic Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Markthal shopping mall, Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery and Van Gogh Museum are some drawcards for tourists and visitors to the country.
Moving to the Netherlands from Australia with OSS
At OSS World Wide Movers, our network of FIDI / FAIM accredited partners cover the whole of the Netherlands.
Our partners in the Netherlands are well versed in all aspects of the requirements for importation of personal and household goods.
This guarantees you a seamless, tailor made move to the Netherlands, right through to your new home not only your personal effects and vehicles, but also for your much loved pets as well.
Moving your household goods to the Netherlands
Can I pack my own goods when I move to the Netherlands?
If you are sending items which have been packed by yourself “owner packed” then they will attract more stringent inspection by Customs on arrival in the Netherlands. Providing a detailed carton by carton inventory will assist Customs in inspecting your effects, and may avoid unnecessary delays. It is advisable to have your goods packed by OSS if you are looking at sending larger consignments, to ensure the clearance process can be conducted with a minimum of fuss.
Can I Move to the Netherlands with pets?
It is recommended to send your pet through a registered pet transportation agent who will be able to contact all the relevant agencies in the Netherlands.
How do I move my car to the Netherlands?
Moving motor vehicles and motor bikes to the Netherlands is possible provided Customs criteria are met. This service is usually depot to depot, meaning the motor vehicle will be collected by you from our partners depot in the Netherlands following customs clearance. Customs may require evidence that the owner of the vehicle has lived abroad for 12 months or longer, so a copy of your passport with date stamp showing arrival in the Netherlands, or copy of lease or rental agreement on in the Netherlands would be sufficient.
Can I move my boat to the Netherlands?
Moving a boat to the Netherlands has similar requirements to moving a car to the Netherlands when it comes to registration requirements and processes. Customs and Quarantine in The Netherlands will have a special interest in the boat due to its exposure to marine life, however as Australia has a fairly clean marine environment, your boat should pass customs and quarantine without any problem.
What insurance should I have when moving to the Netherlands?
OSS offers a full range of moving insurance options depending on your needs.
Although your shipment to the Netherlands will be packed to export standards (designed to withstand the longest journey), the small cost of insurance gives you complete peace of mind with regard to the exposure and rigours that are always inherent when moving from one side of the world to the other.
Ask us about MoveCover, our Marine Transit Insurance product.
How long will my move to the Netherlands take?
When moving your household goods to Denmark by sea freight, this will typically take 5-7 working days for an FCL service. For services such as LCL and shared container services (i.e. groupage), these will take longer to reach your destination as your goods will need to be consolidated with other consignments heading to the same destination. Please discuss these options & shipping times with your removal consultant, as shipping times will vary greatly for each destination when using this type of service over an FCL service.
Restricted and Prohibited items when moving to the Netherlands
When looking to relocate to the Netherlands you will need to consider the extensive list of restricted and prohibited items. The following PDF has an extensive list of prohibited and restricted items when moving to the Netherlands: Moving to the Netherlands – FIDI Guide
Tax implications when moving to the Netherlands
Electrical Goods and Compliance when moving to the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the power plugs and sockets are of type C and F. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
Visa and Immigration Information
When travelling or moving to the Netherlands, make sure your passport and visas are correct and valid. Check out these links to find out some of the latest requirements.
Dutch Consulate
Consulate / Embasy in Australia
Contact the Dutch Embasy by visiting 120 Empire Circuit, Yarralumla, Canberra 2600 Australia. Phone+612-6220-9400 Fax+612-6273-3206 Email can@minbuza.nl or follow this link to the Embasy website: https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/australia
Visa Information
General visa information can be found here: https://www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/
Passport Information
General passport information can be found here: https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/australia
Immigration Information
Follow this link for immigration information and related services: https://www.ind.nl/en/Pages/Default.aspx
Citizenship Information
A guide to citizenship: https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship
Social Media Links
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NLinAustralia/ Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/NLinAustralia