Can I continue to receive my benefit under the Work and Income (Capacity for Work) Act, Invalidity Insurance Act or Incapacity Insurance (Self-employed Persons) Act if I go abroad?
If you receive benefit under the Work and Income (Capacity for Work) Act (WIA benefit), Invalidity Insurance Act (WAO benefit) or Incapacity Insurance (Self-employed Persons) Act (WAZ benefit) and you move abroad, there are some cases in which you can continue to receive it. Whether that’s possible depends on the agreements the Netherlands has with the country you’re going to.
What is your situation?
Whether you can continue to receive WIA benefit (IVA or WGA), WAO or WAZ benefit abroad depends on the country you are moving to. The Netherlands has agreements about this with a number of countries. See the list of the countries in which you can continue to receive incapacity benefit to find out whether you can receive benefit from the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) in the country you are moving to.
Moving to a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements
Are you moving to a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements?
- Find out how you can continue to receive your benefit abroad
- See what additional obligations you have if you receive benefit from the UWV and live outside the Netherlands (information in Dutch)
Moving to a country with which the Netherlands does not have reciprocal agreements
If you are moving to a country with which the Netherlands does not have reciprocal agreements, your benefit will stop. Consult the benefits organisation in that country to find out whether there are other options available for you.
If you do development work or are a civil servant, your situation may be an exception. Contact the UWV for more information.
If you are going abroad for a maximum of one year, for example on holiday, to study or for medical treatment, you can continue to receive your WIA benefit (IVA or WGA), WAO or WAZ benefit while you are abroad. It does not matter what country you go to. However, additional obligations apply if you receive benefit from the UWV and you stay abroad for a longer period of time (information in Dutch).
Are you going on holiday abroad? If you receive incapacity benefit from the UWV, you may spend no more than 20 consecutive working days on holiday abroad each year.
Notifying the UWV of your departure
You must notify the UWV at least 2 weeks before your departure that you are going abroad. Do that by reporting a change.
On the basis of the information you provide, the UWV may decide that the trip does not qualify as a temporary stay. You are then seen as moving abroad, in which case specific rules apply.
What you also need to arrange if you’re going to move abroad
Contact
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.