The moment you report a Dutch residence card lost or stolen, that card is dead.
It does not come back to life if you find it in a coat pocket a week later, so the replacement process starts immediately and runs on its own timetable.
Three things have to happen in order: a police report, an application to the IND, and collection of the new card in person.
What To Do First
Report the loss to the police.
Walk into any station or call the non-emergency line on 0900-8844, or +31 343 578 844 if you are calling from outside the Netherlands.
Ask for a certified copy of your statement carrying a date, a stamp and the officer’s signature.
An uncertified printout will not clear the IND’s check, and the report has to say in as many words that a residence card was lost or stolen.
Then start the replacement with the IND.
Do not wait, because your old card stopped being valid identification and valid proof of legal residence the moment the report was filed.
Keep the certified police report on you until the new card arrives.
Carry a copy of your passport alongside it, since the report identifies the missing document rather than you.
Applying For The Replacement
The application goes in online with DigiD, paid by iDEAL or Wero.
If you have no DigiD yet, download the paper form from the IND site and post it instead.
The police report must be enclosed.
An application without it is not processed, and the clock does not start until the file is complete.
On the current schedule the IND charges 171 euros to replace a regular temporary or permanent residence document, and 85 euros for a child’s document under a family permit.
Fees are revised each January, so check the figure on the IND site before you pay.
The IND has eight weeks to decide, extendable if it asks for more information.
There is one shortcut worth knowing: if the lost permit was due to expire within three months anyway, you can skip the replacement and apply for the extension or change instead, which saves you a separate fee.
You still bring the police report when you collect the new card.
If It Happened Outside The Netherlands
Report it to the police in the country where it happened, first.
The IND accepts reports written in Dutch, English, French or German, and anything else needs a sworn translation before it will be looked at.
Getting home is the harder part.
Without the card your right to re-enter is not visible at the border, and depending on your nationality you may need an entry visa issued by a Dutch embassy or consulate in the country you are stuck in.
Once you are back, file a second report at a Dutch police station confirming the loss.
Submit the replacement application to the IND with both reports attached.
Collection, And What To Do If The Card Turns Up
The IND writes to you when the replacement is ready and it must be collected in person at an IND desk.
Bring your passport, the certified police report and the IND’s own correspondence about the application.
If the original card reappears, do not use it.
It has been deregistered, and presenting a document recorded as lost or stolen is treated as a document offence rather than an administrative slip.
Hand the found card in at an IND desk, or post it to IND Bureau Documenten, Postbus 49, 9560 AA Ter Apel.
Carry on with the replacement application either way, because the found card cannot be reinstated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do immediately after losing my residence permit in Amsterdam?
Go to any police station or call 0900-8844 and file a report, asking for a certified copy with date, stamp and signature.
Then open the replacement application with the IND, since the eight-week decision window only starts once your file is complete.
Do I have to report it to the police?
Yes, and the certified report is the document the IND requires with the application.
Make sure the officer records that a residence card specifically was lost or stolen, because a generic lost-property report will be rejected.
How do I apply for the replacement?
Apply online with DigiD and pay by iDEAL or Wero, or download the paper form and post it with the police report attached.
Budget 171 euros for most permit types at the current schedule, or 85 euros for a child’s document.
Can I fly within Europe without my residence card?
It is risky, because airline staff and border officers check the card rather than your word about it, and some will refuse boarding.
Carry your passport and the police report, and if the card went missing abroad, expect to need an entry visa to get back into the Netherlands.
What proves my legal stay while I wait?
The certified police report together with a valid passport is what you show, backed by any IND letters or emails about the pending application.
None of that is a residence document, so it will not substitute for the card at a border.
What if I find the card after reporting it?
It is already invalid and cannot be revived, so return it to the IND at a desk or by post to IND Bureau Documenten, Postbus 49, 9560 AA Ter Apel.
Keep the replacement application running, and do not use the old card in the meantime.
