• Information: European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA)
• Information residence permit
  • How to open a bank account
  • How to arrange health insurance
  • How to register at City Hall
  • Arranging a return visa
  • Working alongside your studies
  • How to change your address
  • Extending the residence permit
  • The alternative residence permit for exchange students from Canada, Australia or New Zealand
  • The tuberculosis (TBC) test
• Information entry visa
• Information for students of Maastricht University

How to register at City Hall

Every person registering at Maastricht University is required to register in the municipal personal records database (the official name of the Dutch population register; abbreviated to GBA). The Dutch Government cannot function efficiently without having correct, up-to-date information on its citizens.

City Hall will join the group meetings for the completion of the residence permit to enable a smooth and quick registration. Your GBA-registration can only be finalized when City Hall has received proof that your residence permit application was received by Dutch Immigration. Once your residence permit application has been submitted by the Visa Office, the confirmation letter of receipt of Dutch Immigration will automatically be forwarded to City Hall.

What do you need?

Please bring your valid passport and your full address in Maastricht (but you will need that for the completion of the residence permit application form anyway)
In case of an anticipated stay of more than one year (students starting a bachelor program or a preparatory year program), you will also need more specific identifying documents, e.g. an original, legalised or apostilled birth certificate (in the information set on the visa and/or residence permit procedure you were already informed to contact the Dutch embassy in your home country to find out which documents are needed).

Not able to attend the group meetings?

Some students will not be able to attend the scheduled group meetings due to early or late arrival. They will have to make an individual appointment for the residence permit application as well as for the registration at City Hall after that.

Once the residence permit application has been submitted, the Visa Office will receive a confirmation of receipt from Dutch Immigration. You will then receive an email to pick up this confirmation after which you can call City Hall at 14043 (Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.) to make an appointment for your registration in het municipal database. after the voice-response and the beep, please clearly speak the word MAASTRICHT. Then wait for the operator. Please clearly indicate that the appointment is for registration in the municipal database only and that you already have legal residence.

You need to bring the following documents to the appointment:

1. A letter of Dutch Immigration, confirming the receipt of your residence permit application. This letter can be collected at the Visa office.
2. A legalized birth certificate (only required for bachelor or preparatory year students). Please contact the Dutch embassy in your home country to find out exactly what is applicable. You can find that embassy on the website of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.nl/en).
3. Your valid passport.
4. A completed registration form that you can find here.

A map of the location of City Hall can be found here.