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Beds in a reception centre
Source: Roman Lily

Shelter

Last updated: 1/18/2024, 10:03 AM
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If you are living in the Netherlands without a residence permit, it is difficult to get housing. There are different kinds of reception centre you can go to. You can read about them on this page.

Renting a property

If you do not have a valid residence permit, you cannot rent a house or room from a housing association. You also will not receive a housing permit. This is a permit that is required in some municipalities to live in a cheap rental home, owner-occupied house or a certain neighbourhood.

Sometimes, however, it is possible to rent a house or room from a private landlord. Landlords may check the registration and status of a (sub)tenant in the

Click here for an additional explanation
Dutch population register (BRP)
. A landlord may then still choose not to rent the accommodation to someone who is not listed in the BRP.

Reception centres

5 major cities have 24-hour reception centres for people without residence permits. Such a reception centre is called a 'Landelijke Vreemdelingen Voorziening' (LVV) (National Foreign Nationals Facility). You can find LVVs in the following cities:

  • Amsterdam

  • Utrecht

  • Groningen

  • Rotterdam

  • Eindhoven

If you want to receive a place in an LVV, you must work with a social worker to find a solution to your situation. This may include returning to your country of origin, moving to another country or staying legally in the Netherlands.

Please note: There may be long queues at LVVs.

'Bed-bad-brood-voorzieningen'

There are also 'bed-bad-brood-voorzieningen' (bed, bath, bread provisions) in the Netherlands. These are initiatives by individuals, organisations and by municipalities for asylum seekers who have exhausted all legal remedies and cannot or do not want to leave the Netherlands.

They are very modest reception centres. You can eat, sleep and shower there. Sometimes there is some day care.

The Red Cross will help

The Red Cross helps people without residence permits get information about local services such as legal support, healthcare and shelter.

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