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How to apply for a DigiD from abroad as an AOW pensioner

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If you live outside the Netherlands or in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and receive an AOW pension, or have received a letter about the first payment of your AOW pension, you can apply for a DigiD via the Social Insurance Bank (SVB). Find out below how this works.

Step 1: Apply for a DigiD via the SVB

Applying for DigiD via SVB.nl

After applying for a DigiD via the SVB, you will receive a letter containing your activation code. The activation code is valid for 45 days. You will need it for step 2.

Attention: If postal deliveries in the country where you live are unreliable, you can also apply for a DigiD via DigiD.nl. In that case, you will receive your activation code in a video call with NetherlandsWorldwide, or you can visit a DigiD service desk to collect it. Read how to apply for a DigiD via DigiD.nl.
Attention: If you need help applying for a DigiD, you can ask a friend or family member, for example.

 Step 2: Activate your DigiD

Activate your DigiD using the activation code that you received by post from the SVB. There are two ways to do this: via the DigiD website or the DigiD app. The advantage of using the app is that you can activate your DigiD and the DigiD app at the same time.

Find out how to activate your DigiD

Attention: If you have not received the letter with the activation code, or if the code has already expired, you can also apply for a DigiD via DigiD.nl. In that case, you will receive your activation code in a video call with NetherlandsWorldwide or you can visit a DigiD service desk to collect it. Read how to apply for a DigiD via DigiD.nl.

After activating your DigiD, you can start using it. How you log in will depend on how you activated your DigiD.

If you activated your DigiD via the DigiD website

If you activated your DigiD via the DigiD website, you will log in using your username and password and a code you receive by text message.

Find out how to log in via the DigiD website with SMS verification

Attention: After activating your DigiD via the DigiD website, you can also activate the DigiD app on your phone or tablet. The DigiD app is the easiest way to log in securely. Instead of logging in with your username and password, you use a self-selected PIN. Find out how to activate the DigiD app

If you activated your DigiD via the DigiD app

If you activated your DigiD via the DigiD app, you will log in via the DigiD app using a PIN. Depending on the type of phone you have, you may be able to log in using facial recognition or your fingerprint.

Find out how to log in via the DigiD app

Attention: After you activate your DigiD via the DigiD app, you can add the ID check to the DigiD app. You will need a valid Dutch identity document to do this. After you add the ID check to the DigiD app, you can log in to any organisation that uses DigiD login. Read how to add the ID check to the DigiD app

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