Automatic recognition with direct enrolment in the BIG register
Doctors, pharmacists, dentists, midwives and nurses with certain qualifications obtained in Europe can be directly enrolled in the BIG register. This means we arrange the recognition of your foreign qualification and your application for enrolment in the BIG register in a single procedure. Always consult the Advice Wizard first in order to determine whether this applies to you and your situation. On this page you can read about the conditions and the procedure.
Last updated on the 21th of december 2021
Applying for automatic recognition with direct enrolment with BIG registration
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Applying in 7 steps
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The assessment of your application can take up to three months. If you immediately provide all required and valid documents, the assessment and handling is often faster. Therefore, prepare your application well.
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For automatic recognition with direct enrolment you must fulfil the three following conditions:
- You obtained your qualification in one of the EEA countries or Switzerland for one of these five professions: doctor, pharmacist, dentist, midwife or nurse;
- Your qualification is included in the list of approved qualifications;
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You have proof of Dutch language proficiency at the right level (required for BIG registration).
Please note!
If you obtained your qualification five or more years ago, the procedure will be slightly different and you will have to submit additional documents. You can read more in the section entitled Qualification older than five years.
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It is important that you properly prepare your application to ensure that your application is processed quickly. You should therefore start by reading the section entitled Preparing the application. There you will find, among other things, an overview of the documents which you have to submit and information about the required Dutch language proficiency.
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Have you made all the necessary preparations? You should then log in at 'Mijn BIG-register' [in Dutch] with your DigiD. If you do not have a DigiD yet, apply for an account via DigiD. Anyone who has a citizen service number (BSN) can apply for a DigiD. Don’t you have a BSN (yet), for example because you (still) live abroad? Then you can log in with a BIG login. You can apply for a BIG-login on this website. When you log in for the first time, a personal online file is also created for you.
Complete the application in full. Do you also want to have your specialism recognised and registered? If so, please indicate this on the application form.
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The costs are € 85.00. At the end of your application you can pay directly using DigiD. You can also transfer the amount later. There may be additional costs.
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You will be sent your completed form by email directly after the digital application has been completed. Submit the application form along with the required documents (evidence). You can upload certain documents using the upload tool in 'Mijn BIG-register'. You can see for which documents this is possible in the clarifying notes entitled ‘Aanleveren van documenten’ [in Dutch]. Documents which you cannot upload, must be sent by post along with the application form.
Logged in with DigiD: printing not necessary
You will then no longer have to send the completed form and can just send the requested documents (evidence) by post.
As soon as your documents have arrived and been processed, you will be able to see them in 'Mijn BIG-register' [in Dutch].
Postal address
CIBG
BIG register
P.O. Box 3173
6401 DR Heerlen
The NetherlandsYou will be notified if any documents are missing.
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Once your application, the documents and the payment have been received, we will assess your application. You will be notified of the (intended) decision on your application within three months. If we approve your application, your qualification will be recognised and you will be added to the BIG register. We will publish your name, profession and any specialism via this website and this information will be accessible to anybody who searches for it.
On this website you will also find more information about, among other things, the rights and obligations of a BIG registration and re-registration about the obligatory re-registration every five years.
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If your application is rejected and you do not agree, you will be able to object to this. You can read about how to do this in the decision and on the page entitled: Objections.
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