Can I get child benefit if I live outside the Netherlands?
If you don't live in the Netherlands, you can only receive Dutch child benefit if you are insured under the Dutch social security scheme. This depends on whether you are living or working outside the Netherlands. Your child must also live in an EU member state or a country with which the Netherlands has a reciprocal social security agreement.
Who is insured under the Dutch social security scheme?
Being ‘insured’ means being entitled to social insurance benefits. In the Netherlands this includes Anw survivor benefit, general old age pension (AOW) and child benefit. There is no need to take out an insurance policy for this like for car insurance or health insurance. If you live or work in the Netherlands, you are usually automatically insured for Dutch social insurance benefits. This is not usually the case if you live or work outside the Netherlands.
What is your situation?
If you work in the Netherlands but live in an EU or EEA country or in Switzerland, you are insured for Dutch social insurance benefits and may qualify for child benefit. This is also the case if you live in a country with which the Netherlands has a reciprocal social security agreement.
If you work in the Netherlands and do not live in a EU or EEA country, Switzerland or a country with which the Netherlands has a reciprocal social security agreement, you do not usually qualify for social insurance benefits like child benefit. There are some exceptions. For example, if you:
- work outside the Netherlands and hold a Dutch certificate of coverage
- are studying abroad temporarily and not working there
- are a Dutch national who works for a Dutch diplomatic mission or another Dutch government organisation abroad.
See the full list of situations in which you may qualify for child benefit (SVB)
If you do not work in the Netherlands, you are not usually insured for Dutch social insurance benefits like child benefit. In many cases you will receive child benefit from the country where you work.
Dutch child benefit
In some cases you can still get Dutch child benefit. For example, if you:
- work outside the Netherlands and hold a Dutch certificate of coverage
- are studying abroad temporarily and not working there
- are a Dutch national who works for a Dutch diplomatic mission or another Dutch government organisation abroad.
See the full list of situations in which you may qualify for child benefit (SVB)
If you live outside the Netherlands and do not work, you are usually not insured for child benefit. You cannot receive child benefit if you are not insured for it.
Temporary stay abroad
If you are living abroad temporarily without working, for instance to study or to do an unpaid internship, you are usually insured for child benefit. You can receive child benefit if you are insured for it.
Check if you are entitled to child benefit outside the Netherlands (SVB)
If none of these situations matches yours, you can contact the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) to ask if you qualify for child benefit. If you live in Spain, Türkiye, Morocco, Suriname or South Africa, you can contact the SVB office at the Dutch embassy.
Whether you qualify for child benefit depends on several factors. For example, which country you live in, which country you work in and whether you work for an employer or are self-employed. If you have a partner, their situation is also taken into account. The SVB will study your situation and determine whether you qualify for child benefit.
Child’s country of residence
To determine whether you qualify for child benefit, the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) first checks whether you are insured under the Dutch social security scheme. If you are, the SVB looks at your child’s country of residence.
Check if you can get child benefit in your child’s country of residence (SVB)
Supplementary child benefit
If you get Dutch child benefit, you may also qualify for supplementary child benefit. Supplementary child benefit is additional financial assistance towards the costs of raising a child under the age of 18.
Check the conditions for receiving supplementary child benefit outside the Netherlands.
My spouse and I are getting a divorce
After your divorce, the parent with whom the child lives will receive child benefit.
If you are co-parenting, you must reach agreement on how you want the child benefit to be divided between you. Lay this down in writing. If you have not laid down any agreement in writing about the division of child benefit, each parent will get half.
A divorce usually also has consequences for the amount of supplementary child benefit you can get. If you do not currently receive supplementary child benefit, you may qualify for it after your divorce.
If you are moving abroad
Contact
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.