Is it mandatory to have travel insurance to apply for the Netherlands Working Holiday Visa?

Volare Editorial | March 12, 2026

One of the most frequent questions when planning your Working Holiday in Holland (the Netherlands) is related to medical coverage and travel insurance. In this Volare Global article, we explain everything you need to know to prepare your application without errors.

The Immigration and Naturalisation Service of the Netherlands (IND) requires a valid medical insurance to approve your visa. At the time of application and your initial entry into the country, presenting an international travel insurance policy (generally with a coverage of EUR 30,000) is perfectly accepted and sufficient. However, the rules change drastically once you settle in.

Details to consider:

• Mandatory local insurance (Basisverzekering): Dutch legislation (Zorgverzekeringswet) establishes that the exact moment you start working and receiving a salary, or when 4 months have passed since your municipal registration, you acquire the unavoidable obligation to purchase basic local health insurance.

  
  

• Legal penalties: Maintaining only your international travel insurance while working formally in the Netherlands is considered illegal. Ignoring this regulation and not transitioning to local insurance leads to automatic and severe fines from the competent authorities (CAK).

  
  

Understanding the transition between your international insurance and local coverage is the most important step to ensure the success of your experience and avoid legal problems. If you have doubts about these or other requirements, at Volare Global we are ready to accompany you on your journey.