Living in the Netherlands

The municipality of Arnhem helps you to find a house. Below you can read what the rules are and how Bureau Newcomers helps you.

Right to a house

When you receive a residence permit, the COA (Central Organ for Asylum-seekers intake) tells you in which municipality you will live. This municipality will then look for a house for you. You pay rent for that house. 

You cannot choose your house yourself. Once the municipality has found a house, you must go and live there. If you do not want that, you have to find something else. You are not allowed to stay in the AZC. 

Searching for a house yourself

Maybe you want to live in another municipality. Or maybe you are not satisfied with the house the municipality has for you. You may then look for accommodation yourself. You will not receive any assistance from the municipality or the COA. . 

Living in Arnhem

Welcome to our beautiful municipality! If you come to live here, you will receive 8 months of assistance. We call this social guidance. 

We want you to live comfortably in Arnhem. That is why the social guidance service helps you. These are people from the Dutch Refugee Council. They help you, for example, to get acquainted with your neighbours. You will also learn Dutch customs about living and getting on with your neighbours. The service will also help you with all kinds of practical matters. Like paying your rent and applying for allowances.

You can read more about this on the Dealing with money page.