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Working in the Netherlands and living abroad


You work in the Netherlands, but live with your family abroad. Because you work in the Netherlands, you have Dutch health insurance. You need to insure your family members through the CAK. On this page, you can find out what the conditions are and how to organise this.

The conditions

  • You work and have health insurance in the Netherlands.
  • Your family members live in a treaty country.
  • Your family members have no or little income of their own.
  • The health insurer in your country of residence approves.

Insuring your family members: how it works

  1. Ask your Dutch health insurer for an S1 document.
  2. Take this document to the designated health insurer or authority in your country of residence. Who this is, is also stated on the document you receive from the health insurer. Sometimes, the Dutch health insurer sends the document directly to the authority in your country of residence.
  3. Register yourself and your family members with this health insurer.
  4. The health insurer will assess your registration, and will accept or decline to insure your family members.
  5. The health insurer informs us which family members are insured through the CAK.

Tip

Do you work and live in the Netherlands, but your family lives abroad? In that case, the process of registering your family members is slightly different. Find out what steps you need to take.

What can I expect after this?

  • Your family members will receive a health insurance card from the health insurer in your country of residence. They need this for medical care in your country of residence.
  • You will receive a letter from us stating which of your family members are insured through the CAK.
  • You do not pay a healthcare premium to the health insurer for your family members. Instead, you pay a healthcare contribution to us. We will send you an invoice for this amount. You do not pay anything for family members aged under 18. You pay a healthcare premium for yourself to your health insurer in the Netherlands.

Tip

Do you and your family live in an EU/EEA Member State, Switzerland or the United Kingdom? Then you should apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for them. They need one for medical in Europe. You will have your own EHIC from your Dutch health insurer.

Tip

Do you work in both the Netherlands and your country of residence? If so, you can find out from the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) which country you need to be insured in.