Without passport or BSN, also entitled to COVID-19 vaccination

Published: 07 July 2021 by Redactie

What do you do if you want to get vaccinated but you don't have a passport, BSN, postal address or valid residence papers for the Netherlands, or you know someone in this situation? A few tips on how to get vaccinated.

(Prefer this in Dutch? Click here. Een voorkeur voor Nederlands? Klik dan hier).

Update as of July 21, 2021
Undocumented migrants can receive a corona vaccination at an increasing number of locations in the Netherlands. The Red Cross has an overview of vaccination locations in the Netherlands available on their multilingual website, which is kept up-to-date.

Leaflets in several languages are available for undocumented migrants explaining in understandable language the importance of vaccination and that it is safe to get the shot. People can get vaccinated anonymously, the police do not check vaccination locations and there is no contact with the IND. You find an overview of the Leaflets here. Download the Leaflets in the different languages: pdf German (195 KB) | pdf English (189 KB) | pdf French (194 KB) | pdf Dutch (193 KB) | pdf Polish (195 KB) | pdf Portuguese (195 KB) | pdf Romanian (195 KB) | pdf Russian (199 KB) | pdf Spanish (195 KB) | pdf Turkish (194 KB) .

Registered or known at a family doctor’s practice

If you are staying in the Netherlands for longer than one month, you may qualify for the free COVID-19 vaccination. If you are registered with the BRP: Basisregistratie Personen (Personal Records Database), or if you have a BSN: BurgerServiceNummer (Social Security Number) and a DigiD, you will be offered an appointment by the GGD GHOR (Municipal Health Centre/Medical Assistance in Accidents and Disasters). Click here for more information (in Dutch).

People with HIV who are not registered but are known at a family doctor’s practice, may be offered a vaccination by their family doctor because they are on the flu vaccine list.

Not registered

There can be several reasons for staying in the Netherlands without being registered with a municipality, not registering at the BRP and not having a BSN: people who work or study here, perhaps temporarily; friends or family who are unable to travel to their own country due to corona restrictions; people who have remained here after an initial short stay. These people cannot be contacted for a vaccination appointment.

Information in plain language and/or native language

Information on COVID-19, about vaccinations and how to get vaccinated, even without a passport or BSN, is available in plain language. In your native language as well, with photos and videos, spoken text or animation. Vaccination protects your own health, but also prevents transmission of the coronavirus to others.

People still may have doubts: they underestimate the importance of vaccination, they have (religious) convictions, they don't trust information given by the authorities. People may also be afraid that their personal information will be shared with the police, the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) or other authorities.

Clear information is listed below. Having a vaccination is voluntary and privacy of personal data is protected. Your details won’t get shared with other organisations, so making an appointment is nothing to worry about.

You will probably find the information useful, but you can also share it with others who might want it. Regular updates will keep up with current rapid developments.

In the Netherlands for over a month, without a passport or BSN

Have you been in the Netherlands for over a month, without a passport or BSN?
If you were born in 1955 or before, please report to your country’s embassy in the Netherlands. The embassy will inform you on how to register for a vaccination.

One to four months in the Netherlands, without a passport or BSN

Have you been in the Netherlands without a passport or BSN for between one and four months, and you want a vaccination appointment?
You can register at the Registratie van Niet-ingezetenen (Registry for Non-Residents). And then fill in a consent form, which allows the authorities to send you emails with information about corona and the options of making a vaccination appointment. Read more here.

In the Netherlands for over four months, without a passport or BSN

In the Netherlands for over a month, but you do have a BSN and a DigiD

If you’ve been in the Netherlands for over a month, you have a BSN and DigiD and you want to get vaccinated, you are eligible for the corona vaccination. Call your family doctor to ask how you can be offered one. The family doctor can arrange one for you. If you are over 60, you are prioritised based on your age. If you are between 18 and 60, you are prioritised based on your HIV status. Click here for more information.

No BSN, don’t speak Dutch and have questions about vaccination

You don't have a BSN, you don't speak Dutch and you want to know how to make a vaccination appointment.
The Red Cross has a central information desk, a multilingual WhatsApp helpline, and multilingual information films are available. Read more at rodekruis.nl/english.

Send a voice message to the Red Cross on WhatsApp: 06 - 481 580 57. A Red Cross volunteer will contact you and answer your questions.

Watch the three online English-language animated videos (available in five other languages):

Information about COVID-19 in 14 languages

Questions about corona, vaccinations and HIV

Lampion as watchdog

The Hiv Vereniging has a seat in the Stuurgroep Lampion, the National Information and Advice centre for undocumented migrants. Currently, this advisory committee is critically monitoring the progress of the vaccination programme for people who are difficult to reach, so that they too can receive a vaccination in the coming weeks if they want one.