Remigration - What is the Remigration Act?

Two types of benefits are paid under the Remigration Act:

• a remigration grant
• a remigration benefit

Remigration grant

The remigration grant is a one-off payment towards moving expenses. It is made up of various components. Which components you are entitled to depends on your personal situation.

You can get a contribution towards the cost of:

• the journey to the country where you are going to live;
• the transportation of your luggage;
• settling in your new country of residence;
• storage of your property in your new country;
• the transportation of aids for a disabled person;
• the transportation of business inventory and equipment.

These contributions are fixed amounts.

remigration benefit

The remigration benefit is a monthly payment to help cover your living expenses. It is only payable if you are 45 or over. If you are no longer covered under the Dutch health insurance system after you have moved abroad, you will also get a contribution towards health insurance.

If you are awarded a remigration benefit, you will also get a remigration grant. The grant will not include a contribution towards resettlement expenses because this will already be included in the remigration benefit. 

When are you eligible for these payments?

You can get these payments if you leave the Netherlands to return to:

• the country where you were born, or
• the country of which you are, or were, a national.

You can also get financial help if you are a refugee or if you have been granted asylum in the Netherlands, and you are moving to another country.

You can get help from the Netherlands Migration Institute

If you are considering returning to another country, you can get help and advice from the Netherlands Migration Institute (Nederlands Migratie Instituut, NMI). They have a special helpline for questions about remigration. You can speak to a staff member straight away, who will often be able to speak your language.

Telephone (030) 236 4245 (from outside the Netherlands: +31 30 236 4245)
Daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.