Proof of Official Residency
A registration certificate, officially known as an extract or uittreksel from the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP - Personal Records Database), is one of the most fundamental official documents you will need while living in the Netherlands. The BRP is the central government database that contains the personal details of everyone residing in the country. When you register with your local municipality (gemeente) for the first time, your details (name, date of birth, address, BSN) are entered into this database. The uittreksel BRP is simply an official, printed statement from the municipality confirming the details that are held about you in that database. It serves as definitive proof of your official address and residency status.
This document is frequently required for a wide range of administrative and legal procedures. You will likely need one when you are getting married or registering a partnership, enrolling in certain educational institutions, or for various legal matters. There are different types of extracts available; a standard extract will show your name, address, and BSN, while a more detailed one can include historical address data or information about your parents and children. You can request this document from your local municipality, usually for a small fee, either online using your DigiD or in person at a city office (stadsloket).
Residency Confirmation vs. Residence Permit
It is crucial not to confuse a BRP registration certificate with a residence permit (verblijfsvergunning). They are entirely different documents that serve different purposes. The residence permit is an immigration document, issued by the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service), that grants a non-EU national the legal right to live in the Netherlands. It is about your legal status as a migrant. The BRP extract, on the other hand, is a civil administration document. It simply confirms the fact that you are registered as living at a specific address. It is available to everyone who is registered, including Dutch citizens.
Think of it this way: your residence permit allows you to be in the country, while your BRP registration confirms where in the country you live. You need your residence permit (or EU passport) to be able to register in the BRP in the first place. When a landlord, bank, or other institution asks for 'proof of residency' or a 'residency confirmation,' they are almost always referring to a recent uittreksel BRP. The document has a short validity period for most official purposes, as it is a snapshot in time, so you will often be asked to provide one that is no more than one or three months old.
