How do I apply for sickness benefit outside the Netherlands?
If you live outside the Netherlands and have developed a long-term illness, you might want to apply for sickness benefit. Exactly how you should do this depends on which country you have to apply for benefit from.
If you don’t know whether you are entitled to sickness benefit from the Netherlands or another country, first check where you must apply for sickness benefit.
Applying for sickness benefit
If you have to apply for sickness benefit from the UWV, you can do so by reporting that you are ill on the second day that you are sick. Depending on your situation, you should report sick to the UWV or to your employer.
Reporting sick to your employer
If you have an employer, follow their rules for reporting sick. The employer will continue to pay your wages for up to 2 years. If you are still sick after 2 years, your employer will report this to the UWV.
Reporting sick to the UWV
If you do not have an employer but are possibly entitled to sickness benefit from the UWV, phone the UWV to report sick. Use the phone number shown under ‘phone numbers for individuals’ on its contact page. Have your citizen service number (BSN) at hand when you phone.
Phone the UWV no later than the second day you are sick.
Answering questions about your situation
After you report sick, you will need to fill in the UWV's online form. Wait until you receive a letter and a message in the Mijn UWV portal saying that the form is ready for you to fill in. The questions on the form are about your situation. To fill in the form, you will need your DigiD or an eID from another European country.
If you work in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland and you have to apply for sickness benefit from the benefits organisation in that country, find out from that organisation how to do so. You can find the relevant benefits organisation on Europa.eu.
Calculating how long you’ve been insured
Sometimes you receive sickness benefit in the country where you work only after you’ve been insured there for a certain amount of time. Check with the benefits organisation in the country where you work to find out how long you must be insured.
If you have not been insured in the country where you work long enough but have previously worked in the Netherlands, another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you can count the time you were insured in those countries too. You can ask the benefits organisation of your country of employment to request this information in the countries where you have previously worked. You can find the benefits organisation on Europa.eu.
If you work in a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements, find out from the benefits organisation in that country how to apply for sickness benefit.
Calculating how long you’ve been insured
Sometimes you receive sickness benefit in the country where you work only after you’ve been insured there for a certain amount of time. Check with the benefits organisation in the country where you work to find out how long you must be insured.
If you have not been insured in the country where you work long enough but you have previously worked in the Netherlands, another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you can count the time you were insured in those countries too. You can ask the benefits organisation of your country of employment to request this information in the countries where you have previously worked. You can find the benefits organisation on Europa.eu.
If you work in a country other than an EU/EEA country, Switzerland, or a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements, find out from the benefits organisation in that country how to apply for sickness benefit.