Delays and red tape
Caribbean students are still having to wait to get BSN number
Willemstad, in Curaçao. Photo: Wikipedia
The National Ombudsman, Reinier van Zutphen, has sounded the alarm once more: despite the promises, students coming from the Caribbean are still having problems with their application for a BSN number. He said so during interparliamentary talks between delegations from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands.
In November, the Dutch Minister of Education, Robbert Dijkgraaf, announced that people from the Dutch territories in the Caribbean who come to study here would be able to get a BSN number through the Education Executive Agency (DUO) before their departure. That means that they would be registered in advance in the Dutch basic administration.
New target
But, so far, Caribbean students have only been able to apply for a BSN number after they arrive in the Netherlands, which causes delays and red tape when arranging their student financing and public transport card. Additionally, they cannot open a bank account or take out insurance.
The new target for getting things sorted is April 2024. The ombudsman exhorted the MPs to ensure that this deadline is met. The situation in the Netherlands is, in his view, dreadful. The ombudsman remarked sarcastically that it is easier for Caribbean students to go study in Belgium because, there, they are at least treated as EU citizens.