Help for Ukraine

I am a refugee from Ukraine. How can I find a place to stay?

You can report to the municipality of Leiden (Bargelaan 190) or send an email to meldpunt.oekraine@leiden.nl.

How long may I stay in the Netherlands?

The Temporary Protection Directive entitles you to reception, medical care and education (for minors) in the Netherlands. If you are covered by the directive, you may stay in the Netherlands until 4 March 2026. 

More information about the directive can be found on the website of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).

Temporary Protection Directive Ukraine | Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)

People with Ukrainian nationality who are temporarily residing in Leiden can register with the municipal authority. You can only do this if you have a valid passport or identity document, which you must show when you come to register. You should also bring your children to the appointment: even if they don’t have a valid identity document, your children will also be registered. This is not the normal registration procedure and it only applies for people from Ukraine in the current circumstances. When you register, you will provide the address in Leiden where you and your family members are temporarily residing. The municipal authority staff who will handle your registration can speak English. If you are not confident that your English is good enough to understand and answer our questions, please bring someone with you who can act as an interpreter.

You will need an appointment in order to register. Please call 14071 to make an appointment.

Why do I need to register with the municipality?

Registering with the Municipality gives you access to certain services such as housing, living expenses, medical care and education. Your personal data will be recorded in the personal records database (BRP).

What is the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP)?

The Basisregistratie Personen is a database containing the personal data of individuals who live or have lived in the Netherlands. It may contain the following data: name, gender, date of birth, place of birth and address.

More information is available on the Dutch government website.

What is a Burgerservicenummer (BSN)?

The Burgerservicenummer (citizen service number) is the personal number you use in your dealings with the Dutch authorities. It can be used for healthcare or taxes, for example. You receive a BSN when you register in the personal records database (BRP). More information is available on the Dutch government website.

Why do I need to register in the BRP?

Registering in the BRP gives you access to certain services such as housing, living expenses, medical care and education.

I am registered in Leiden, but I am going to move house. What should I do?

If you are moving within Leiden, you have to inform the municipality of your change of address. If you are moving to another municipality, you will need to register in your new municipality to change your address in the database. Your registration in the BRP remains unchanged.

If you are moving abroad, you will need to deregister with the municipality of Leiden. You can do this by filling in an emigration form. This is available on the municipality of Leiden website (link). After submission of this form, you will no longer be registered in the BRP.

If you have a citizen service number (BSN) and a valid passport, you can open a bank account yourself at a bank of your choice.

At some banks, you can open an account by installing a special application; others require you to go to the bank in person. Most banks require the following documents from you:

• Valid Ukrainian passport
• Citizen service number (BSN)
• Residential address in Leiden

Please get in touch with us if you need more information about opening a bank account meldpunt.oekraine@leiden.nl.

Are you staying at a reception address in the municipality of Leiden? And you don’t have enough money to cover your living expenses, because you’re not working? Then we will assist you with a financial payment. We call this payment a ‘living allowance’. A national scheme will soon be introduced for this. In Leiden, as a temporary solution, you can come to collect the living allowance in cash. If you already have a bank account, we can pay you the allowance by bank transfer.

What is the living allowance for?

It is for food, clothing and other personal expenses. If you are staying at a private reception address, for example with a host family, you will receive an extra amount. You could perhaps use this to contribute to the household expenses. You should make arrangements with your host family about this yourself. And you can also use it to pay for the cost of public transport or activities.

Who can receive a living allowance?

You can receive a living allowance if you are staying at a reception address in Leiden, and if you meet all of the following conditions:

• You are staying in Leiden, in a municipal or private reception facility
• You have no income
• You come from Ukraine

When you are 18 years or older and start working, the living allowance of the whole family is stopped. This also happens if your partner is 18 years or older. Any source of income is taken into account, even if this originates from Ukraine. The same applies when you are 18 years or older and receive a benefit from the Dutch government, for example unemployment benefit or disability benefit.

When you rent an apartment or any other form of residency, you do not have a right to a living allowance.

Amount of living allowance

See the website of the Governement of the Netherlands for how much allowanc you can get. Here it is called ‘subsistence’ allowance. 

You can use this form to apply for the living allowance.

What happens next?

When you have filled in the form, send it by email to leefgeld.oekraine@leiden.nl to make an appointment.

In the email, you should state your name and the composition of your family. We will then send you an email with a date and time when you are expected at Stadskantoor Leiden (municipal office). This email will also list the documents you have to bring with you (including the completed application form).

Changes in your situation

Changes in your situation may have consequences for your living allowance. This could be a house move, a change in the family composition or your child reaches the age of 18. You should inform us of any changes straight away via meldpunt.oekraine@leiden.nl

Are you starting to work?

If you have found a job and you no longer need the living allowance, you should inform us of this straight away  via meldpunt.oekraine@leiden.nl.

What will happen when the national scheme comes into effect?

We will review your situation at that time. For example, whether you are still entitled to a living allowance, and the amount of this allowance. We will contact you then, to explain what will happen.

Are you staying at a reception address in a different municipality?

In that case, you should contact the municipal authority there.

Do you have any questions?

Please send an email to our helpdesk: meldpunt.oekraine@leiden.nl.

You are permitted to work for an employer from 1 April 2022. Are you looking for work? You may be eligible for help finding a job. The Meldpunt Ukraine can inform you about this.

Will I lose my financial allowance if I start working?

Payment of the living allowance stops when you find a job. If you find a job, you must inform the municipality of Leiden of this immediately by sending an email to meldpunt.oekraine@leiden.nl.

Ukrainian children from the age of 4 who have fled to the Netherlands have the right to education. If they live in Leiden or the Leiden region, they can apply for education in the following ways:

• Children between the ages of 4 and 6 attend a kindergarten class at a regular Dutch primary school. You can register your child at a primary school from his or her third birthday. Please note, this does not yet mean that your child is immediately admitted.  
• Children between 6 and 12, who do not yet speak Dutch, can be registered for a year of switching education in an international language class. Here they learn the Dutch language after which they can enter the school of their choice.

Aanmelden voor de ITK – Nieuwkomersonderwijs regio Leiden

• Pupils aged between 12 and 18 can be enrolled at Da Vinci ISK Leiden. At this school, they are taught the Dutch language and other subjects for two years, so that they can then move on to a secondary school or intermediate vocational education (mbo)  

Aanmelden | SG Leonardo Da Vinci (davinci-leiden.nl)

What should I do if I need medical care?

Refugees are entitled to essential medical care during their stay in the Netherlands. Since many refugees do not have health insurance, these care costs are reimbursed. This applies to, for example, visits to general practitioners (GPs), hospitals, pharmacies and obstetricians.

The care institution declares the costs

The care institution is responsible for declaring the costs incurred. This means that you do not pay anything to the care institution directly.

Health care in the Netherlands | Publication | National Health Care Institute (zorginstituutnederland.nl)

Where can I get emergency medical assistance?

In emergencies, call 112. You may be referred to the on-call doctors’ clinic or to the hospital’s ambulance station. In serious cases, they will call the specialists on call at the hospital to arrange an appointment, or they will only provide advice over the phone. Ambulances are only dispatched in exceptional cases.

Where can I collect my medication?

Medicines such as antibiotics are only available on prescription from the GP. You can make an appointment for this with your host family’s GP. You can also attend the open consultation hours at the GGD (municipal health service) at Schipholweg 68.

Obstetrics and pregnancy

Obstetrics and pregnancy care is provided by an obstetrician, a GP or a gynaecologist. This includes care provided before, during and after childbirth. Obstetric care is covered by the basic health insurance package.

Obstetric care before childbirth includes a number of tests. For some of these tests, such as chorionic villus sampling, a medical indication is required. If there is no medical indication, you will have to pay a personal contribution for the test. Further information is available on the website of the Dutch National Health Care Institute.

How can I make an appointment at the dentist?

Are you 18 or older?

Then most treatments, including check-ups, are not reimbursed. Only surgical dental procedures and removable dentures are reimbursed.

Are you younger than 18?

Then most treatments will be reimbursed, including regular check-ups, fillings and surgical dental procedures.

Special oral care (for example, in the case of serious disorders or abnormalities) is always reimbursed. Orthodontics and implants never qualify as special oral care.

Everyone arriving from Ukraine is entitled to receive healthcare in the Netherlands. There are several different regulations in place, depending on your residence status in the Netherlands.

You will find all the necessary information and details about the basic health insurance package on the website of the Dutch National Health Care Institute.

Temporary departure to Ukraine

Refugees from Ukraine can travel from the Netherlands to Ukraine or countries in the EU with a valid travel document. They can temporarily leave the Netherlands, for example for important family visits.

A refugee may leave the reception for 14 days while retaining the shelter and 28 days while retaining living allowance. The refugee must always report his or her departure to a facility coordinator . If the refugee does not report the departure, he or she can immediately lose the shelter and the municipality can immediately stop the living allowance.

Are you going to Ukraine temporarily with the intention of returning to the Netherlands under the Temporary Protection Ukraine Directive? Please let the coordinator of your municipal shelter know or send an e-mail to meldpunt.oekraine@leiden.nl.

Returning to Ukraine on a permanent basis

If you want to return to Ukraine permanently, please complete the following steps.

1. Report the date on which you intend to travel to Ukraine by sending an e-mail to meldpunt.oekraine@leiden.nl or notifying your shelter’s coordinator.
2. Complete the relocation form (pdf, 2,50 mb).
3. Send your completed and signed form and a copy of your passport to meldpunt.oekraïne@leiden.nl.
4. Are you staying in an emergency shelter? Please return your key to the building manager at the time agreed with the coordinator.

The website Refugeehelp.com is the online starting point for Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands and everyone who wants to help.

Do you have a complaint? For example about the municipality itself, or about a decision made by municipality? You may submit your complaint online. To do so you will need your DigiD.

submit your complaint about the municipality

Submit your complaint in writing

Send your letter to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Your written complaint should contain:

• the date of the letter
• your name, address, and if you wish, your telephone number and email address
• the date of the event the complaint relates to
• a description of the event you are complaining about
• what you think the municipality should do about your complain
• your signature

Send your letter to Postbus 9100, 2300 PC Leiden, Or deliver it personally to Bargelaan 190, 2333 CW Leiden.

How long does it take?

The municipality will take your complaint under consideration. You will receive a response to your complaint within six weeks.

Complaints procedure

View the complaints procedure on overheid.nl (in Dutch).

Preference is given to offering housing in the form of shelters where refugees can live more or less independently, and in any case have access to their own sanitary facilities. Of course, any help and support is welcome, but there are also many nuances to consider when offering space in one’s house to refugees. Takecarebnb has an extensive experience in placing refugees with host families. The website has more information about receiving refugees as a host family.

At the moment, Incluzio Leiden, which coordinates voluntary work, has enough volunteers to do all the projects. Should specific talents be required or support be needed in the near future, these vacancies will be posted on the Inclusio website.

Donations

Most of the equipment has already been provided for. If there are any special items needed, a separate call will be placed for these.

Yes, you can. Ukrainians in the Netherlands are free to stay with friends, family or acquaintances.

There are many factors to consider when offering accommodation for refugees, and it is important that host families should realise what may be involved. For example, we don’t know how long the war will go on, and how long people will need accommodation. The Takecarebnb organisation has extensive experience in accommodating refugees with host families. Their website has more information on receiving refugees as a host family. 

You can find more information on the website of the Dutch Council for Refugees (VluchtelingenWerk): www.vluchtelingenwerk.nl.

Ukrainian refugees are permitted to work in the Netherlands from 1 April 2022. Employers who hire a foreign worker must report this to the UWV, in accordance with the exemption for displaced persons from Ukraine.

If you have any questions about work for refugees from Ukraine or would like to give notification of job openings and opportunities, please send an email to: info@wsphollandrijnland.nl. They will then contact you by telephone. In your email, please state your details: first name, last name, organisation, telephone number and email address.

Website of the Dutch Council for Refugees for (Ukrainian) refugees: https://www.refugeehelp.nl/get-help/

This site is available in 4 languages.

Many Dutch people want to take action to help refugees from Ukraine. For example, with voluntary work, donating goods or offering accommodation. A list of possibilities is given on the website of the Dutch Council for Refugees (VluchtelingenWerk), together with the organisations you should contact and the latest information.

The Red Cross has launched an appeal to provide direct humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine. You can donate money to Giro 5125 (Dutch) or via the national appeal to Giro 555.

You will find information and answers to many questions on this website (in Dutch) of the Dutch Government.

You can look on the websites of, for example, the Dutch Council for Refugees (VluchtelingenWerk, Dutch), the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) or the Red Cross (Dutch).

The Dutch government has information on its website about this, which is constantly updated.