Travel to The Netherlands to backpack, study, intern, volunteer, work, or live as a digital nomad, expat or emigrant?

What are the customs in the Netherlands regarding food?

• The Netherlands is an open country where you can find almost all kinds of food from different countries in big cities. It is often said that the Dutch do not have a food culture. However, there are some special unique Dutch dishes you definitely can not miss. The Dutch kitchen is also very influenced by the Indonesian and Surinamese kitchen.

Specialities

• The original bitterballen are deep-fried pork or beef ragout in a crispy batter. More and more modern options of bitterballen are avalaible like vegetarian (mushroom) cheese - and shrimp bitterballen. You can get them in the snackbar or a specialty shop like Van Dobben.
• Broodje kaas - The Dutch often lunch with a cheese sandwich or other cold snacks. Hot lunches are less common. Pre-made sandwiches are made and put in a lunch box and that is what the Dutch have for lunch.
• Beschuit met muisjes of hagelslag - Hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) and muisjes (small anise seeds) are popular toppings for sandwiches. Round toast with muisjes is served when a baby is born in the specific colors of the baby's gender.
• Drop is a salty licorice-like candy that many Dutch people like. Many foreigners do not like the salty licorice, the sweet drop they like better.
• Frikandel - A frikandel is a deep-fried meatloaf that is a popular snack. Also available in the snackbar.
• Stroopwafels are two thin wafer cookies with caramel sauce in between. You can find them in any supermarket and even fresh and warm at open air markets.
• Stamppot is the name of the dish made of mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables. Originated out of laziness. It is made in one pan and potatoes are simply being mashed (hence the name stamp with means mashed). There are various kinds of stamppot. Boerenkoolstamppot is made with kale. Zuurkool stamppot is made with sauerkraut. Hutspot is made with onions and carrot. Andijviestamppot is made with endive.
• Poffertjes are a version of a tiny airy pan cake, served with butter and icing sugar.

For your information

• If you want a cup of coffee and a piece of very delicious Dutch apple pie, a "Coffee Shop" is not necessarily the place you want to be. Coffee Shop is a Dutch euphemism for a soft-drugs café. They can sell customers legally a certain amount of cannabis for personal use. Unless that is what you are looking for, you want to go to a café, a snackbar, or cafeteria instead.
• Koffietijd - The Dutch love coffee and often drink it with cake or pastries or one cookie (not two or three) you can take out of the cookie jar and afterward it closes.

What are notable holidays and festivals in the Netherlands?

• Kringverjaardag - It is a habit to celebrate ones birthday in a circle of chairs. One of my former collegues reminded me of this dutch habit. It goes like this, either it is a dutch party and you bring your own food and often a kring verjaardag. Th -ere is not much swapping of chairs and a lot of talking in the group, less individual talks perhaps with your neighbours sitting on the right and/or left side. 
• Happy birthday - Is wished to everyone attending the kringverjaardag, not only meant for the celebrant.
• Carnaval (february/march) is officially starting on a Sunday and ends on a Tuesday. The specific date it is celebrated is depending on Easter, three days before Ash Wednesday. It is officially especially celebrated in the South of the Netherlands in cities like Tilburg, Den Bosch, Breda and Maastricht. The Dutch Carnival is an experience you should not miss. Costumes and face paint required!
• King's Day (27th of April): In 2013 King Willem-Alexander took over the reign from his mother, now Princess Beatrix. After decades of celebrating Queen's day, the first King's Day was celebrated in 2014 on the birthday of the king. This is a holiday for everyone in the Netherlands, on which children sell toys on flea markets (de vrijmarkt) and activities are organized all throughout the Netherlands, including street games, parties and festivals. It is celebrated the night before the 27th (birthday of the King) and the day itself. The Dutch wear orange and especially in Amsterdam and bigger cities it is celebrated on the streets.
• Bevrijdingsdag/Liberation Day (5th of May): The day on which it is celebrated that the Dutch were liberated by the Allied and the end of the Second World War in the Netherlands was official. A day full of festivals throughout the Netherlands. Besides Kings Day one of the best days for street parties and festivals.
• Pride Amsterdam is celebrated the first Saturday in August: A day in Amsterdam you cannot miss. The highlight of the two days is the Canal Pride on Saturday, in which many boats parade through the canals of Amsterdam, applauded to by thousands of people. Throughout the city, there are activities and parties: a truly unforgettable day for celebrating gay rights.
• Prinsjesdag (every third Tuesday of September): the day on which the new finance plan is presented to the Dutch citizenry by the Dutch king. The official carriage ride through The Hague with the King and Queen is a true spectacle.
• Sint Maarten (11th of November): mostly a festivity for children, in which the life of Saint Marten is remembered. The children go door by door with self-made lanterns and sing songs in the hope to get candy and fruit.
• Sinterklaas (5th of December): perhaps the most Dutch holiday there is on which the birthday of Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) is celebrated. Sinterklaas and the pieten already arrive per boat from Spain around half November. All leading up to the 5th of December when all the children, who have behaved well, receive presents from the birthday Saint. To receive a gift, you put your shoe near the chimney, with a carrot for his horse and sing a song. The whole Zwarte pieten discussion is mentioned somewhere else.
• Silvester evening in the Netherlands: dinner is shared with family or friends, often at home.
• "Oliebollen" are eaten (fried dough) and champagne will be served at midnight. The last seconds of the former year will be counted out loud. On television there is a broadcast of an old year conference (often by a comedian), that is a Dutch tradition.

What are the notable habits in the Netherlands?

• The Dutch have some unique customs and habits that may seem strange to foreigners.
• How is the weather? The Netherlands has a moderate maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. It is a common assumption that it always rains in the Netherlands, but this is more so a feeling than reality. The Dutch climate is very unpredictable and therefore the Dutch are known for always talking (or complaining) about the weather. A standard typical Dutch opening sentence is: How is the weather?
• Gezelligheid - Gezelligheid is an important concept in Dutch culture. It means cosiness: being together, having fun and relaxing. Gezelligheid kent geen tijd is a famous Dutch expression. Gezellig he?
• Oranje, oranjegevoel - Orange is the color of the Dutch. The Dutch wear orange on Kingsday and when the Dutch football team is playing (high level only).
• Birthday calendar or tiles- Many Dutch people have a birthday calendar hanging on the toilet so they never forget a birthday or a tile with Delfts blauw with a wisdom like sentence for example: Oost, west, thuis, best. East, west, home is the best.
• Zuinigheid - Fruitfullness, the dutch generally don't like to spend more than necessary and will watch de kleintjes (small coins). They pay close attention to their pennies and go Dutch or send a tikkie (online share costs or pay back what someone has spent for you).
• Complaining - The Dutch love to complain, and talk negative but that doesn't mean they are unhappy. It's more of a way to connect with each other. Most popular topic is the weather to complain about, it is often too cold, rainy or too hot.
• Cycle - The Dutch cycle, in the rain, with children, doing groceries, everywhere. People sit at the back of the bicycle, with the legs on one side.
• Directness - The Dutch are generally very direct in their communication. They say what they think and like honesty.
• No small talk - The Dutch dislike unnecessary small talk and like to get directly to the point.
• Self-reliance - Dutch people are very self-reliant and like to solve problems themselves. Not to be dependent of another person.
• Dutchies - As a slang term for cannabis joints or blunts, or a few different entities related to Dutch culture and travel. I am refering to this image, one of the Dutchies! Our mascotte.

What about the Dutch language?

• Dutch is not an easy language to learn - pronouncing those throaty, guttural sounds requires a lot of practice. As in any language, grammar rules do not always apply to every situation and sentence structures can deviate from your native language. If your native language is similar to Dutch, or you have studied a parallel language, you will be one step ahead of others.
• Despite English not being an official language in the Netherlands, it is spoken by most of the Dutch natives, and it is thus possible to spend years in the Netherlands without speaking a single word of Dutch (depending on your activities, of course). However, the Dutch appreciate it if you put some effort in learning the language and if you plan on staying longer in the Netherlands, finding a job will be a lot easier if you speak at least some Dutch.
• Decide whether you would prefer to follow an established course or take private lessons. The Netherlands has a national network of language institutes that offer courses in Dutch for foreigners. These courses are usually referred to as NT2, Nederlands als tweede taal – Dutch as a second language. If you are coming to the Netherlands for studying purposes, ask your university if they offer any Dutch courses for foreign students.

What transportation to use in the Netherlands?

• The Netherlands is a small country. It is not that hard to travel all around the Netherlands. Most cities are well-connected by train or by car. When you need to go to smaller villages, and you depend on the bus system, travel is a little harder and more time-consuming.
• Rotterdam and Amsterdam have metro networks, what makes travel faster.
• In public transport in the Netherlands you can check in and check out with your bankcard, don't forget to check in and to check out.
• The bike is the preferred vehicle for short distances by locals

Whether or not travel by car in the Netherlands?

• The roads in the Netherlands are well paved and well lit. Therefore, it is not difficult to travel around here by car by yourself. The roads are safe and gasoline and charging stations are available in all medium and large cities. You can determine your own pace of travel and where and how long you stop. You don't have to take other travelers into account.
• Traffic on the roads is not too bad, but when possible, try not to travel during rush hour. In the Netherlands, almost all major roads are flat and have two or three lanes.
• Cars can be rented in major cities and at airports. When you have to go to a city, city parking can get very expensive.

Whether or not travel by bus, tram or metro in the Netherlands?

• Buses and trams operate in most cities; Amsterdam and Rotterdam also have metro networks.
• In the late evenings the public transport at most places stops operating, taxis and bikes are the best options when you want to enjoy the Dutch nightlife.

Whether or not travel by train in the Netherlands?

• Dutch trains are efficient, fast and comfortable-most of the time.
• Trains are frequent and serve domestic destinations at regular intervals, even five or six times an hour.
• At night, the airport Schiphol is connected hourly by train with the major cities in the Randstad.

Whether or not travel by bicycle in the Netherlands?

• The Netherlands is famous for it's many bicycles. Tourists often have to be careful while sightseeing, because cyclists are everywhere, and not just on cycle lanes. There are about 18 million bikes in the Netherlands (so that is over one bicycle per Dutch citizen) and almost 35,000 kilometers of cycle lanes in a country of 200 by 300 kilometers.
• You can rent bicycles at the larger train station via railway company NS or at one of the many smaller rental companies throughout the cities. At many rental companies, it is also possible to take a cycle tour with a tour guide.
• You will find it hard not to ride a bike in the Netherlands when you visit for a longer period of time for work or study in the Netherlands

Why should you live in the Netherlands as an expat, emigrant or working nomad?

• because you don't have to speak Dutch to live and work in the Netherlands. Almost everyone speaks English, it is one of the best countries in the world among non-native speakers.
• because the quality of life is high.
• because the work-life balance is good.
• because the public transportation system is good.
• because the attitude of the Dutch is: act normal, then you already act crazy enough. People are in general relaxed and efficient in the day-to-day living.
• because there is an entrepreneurial spirit, which you can experience at work and in social life. 

What should you pay attention to?

• that communication is non-formal and direct. It is common to give criticism and have discussions.
• that speaking Dutch makes it easier to adjust, but it is not necessary.
• that it is not easy to form friendships fast. It will take time since the Dutch separate work and private life and most Dutch plan everything ahead.
• that the climate and weather can be depressing, prepare for long dark winters, and a lot of rain and windy days.

When you are coming to the Netherlands for a short stay of less than 3 months, and you are not from the following countries, then you need to apply for a visa:

• Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany (Federal Republic), Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Hong Kong (holders of BNO, British National Overseas Passport), Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela

This visa is the Schengen visa, and you are thus allowed to travel in 25 other countries, besides the Netherlands. It is valid for 90 days in a period of 180 days. You need some documents at your request for the Schengen visa:

• a valid passport (which is valid 3 months longer than the end of the requested visa term)
• a filled in application form
• recent passport photos
• your fingerprints
• proof of return to your country of residence (e.g. work contract, house contract)
• proof of sufficient financial resources (with a minimum amount per day)
• a hotel reservation or something else that supports your aim of coming to the Netherlands (booking or invitation)
• return ticket
• a medical travel insurance with a minimal coverage of €30.000,-, valid during the length of your stay
• visa costs

What is a MVV?

When you wish to stay in the Netherlands temporarily for more than 3 months, you will always need to apply for an MVV (Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf) first. A MVV is a special visa on which you can travel to the Netherlands and subsequently apply for a residence permit. However, not everyone needs an MVV. Below you can find an overview of the main nationalities and situations that are exempt from the MVV requirement.

You are a national of one of the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Vatican City and South Korea.

• You are a family member of someone out of an EU, EER- country or Switzerland.
• You have a Dutch residence permit.
• You have a residence permit in another EU country
• etc

This overview is incomplete. For more information, please contact the Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Netherlands (IND).

You can either request the MVV yourself at the Dutch embassy in your home country or in the country you currently live (that is, legally longer than three months). Your employer, family member, or someone else who has an interest in your residence permit, can also request the MVV for you at the IND, the Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Netherlands. In all cases, you will need to meet a number of requirements and provide certain documents to be eligible for either an MVV or a residence permit. These requirements depend on the purpose for which you wish to stay in the Netherlands: work, study, establishing a family, visiting family members and the like.
There are a number of requirements that you must always meet.

In principle, you can get an MVV and a residence permit if you meet the following requirements:

• Whether your driver’s license is valid in Holland depends on where it was issued.
• It is useful, but not compulsory, to have an international driver’s license. Driver’s licenses issued in one of the member states of the European Union and in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway are valid in Holland. If you are not from one of these countries, you should consider getting an international driver's license. Contact the Dutch embassy in your country of residence to check the latest updates and whether you should apply for an international driver's license. We advise to apply for an international driver's license if your license is in a language other than English. You can apply for an international license at the Automobile Association in your own country. Important to know is that you must be at least 18 years old to drive a car in the Netherlands.
• A non-EU citizen may require a Work Permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning) which must be applied for via an employer at the CWI (Centrum voor Werk en Inkomen). This type of work permit is linked to the individual’s employer and function: therefore, you must have a job lined up before the employer applies for the permit. Obtaining a work permit does require some work from the employer, as the process can take 10 weeks or more. Once the work permit has been granted, it is possible to start working.
• This is a special permit for citizens from Canada, Australia and New Zealand who want to work in the Netherlands for up to one year. Conditions are that you need to be between the ages of 18 and 30, you must have a return ticket and that you have a contact address in the Netherlands. You need to apply for this special permit before going to the Netherlands, but for the citizens of the former mentioned countries, it is the easiest and quickest procedure to get a temporary work permit.

Wat is a BSN (formerly called sofinummer)?

• A BSN (Burger Service Nummer) is the equivalent of a National Insurance/Social Security number and Tax number. To obtain this number, you must visit the Tax Office (Belastingdienst). Without a BSN, an employee cannot be paid his salary.
• You need at least to take the following three forms of ID: If you are a non-EU citizen, you need to take a copy of your work and residence permit with you.

Is there a digital nomad visa for the Netherlands?

• There is not a special digital nomad visa for the Netherlands. There is no nomad labeled permit or visa for remote workers in the Netherlands.

Where can I find up-to-date information regarding visa for the Netherlands?

• Check the latest information in the link below and feel free to add comments below to update the information on visa and document for visiting the Netherlands.