Compulsory Identification

The Compulsory Identification Act obliges employers to establish the identity of their employees on commencement of employment. Employees in this respect also include holiday workers and trainees. As an employee, you are expected to cooperate by showing a valid proof of identity to an assistant in your HR Department and to allow him/her to make a copy of your proof of identity and to add it to your personnel file. The copy is stored in the payroll administration.

At work

At work, you are expected to be able to present a valid proof of identity to any person authorised to ask for it. A Dutch or European driving licence is considered a valid proof of identity in such situations.

Valid proofs of identity include:

• Valid Dutch passport or identity card;
• Valid passport or identity card issued by one of the EEA countries;
• Valid passport issued by a non-EEA country which contains a valid residence endorsement sticker;
• Diplomatic passport or service passport;
• Refugee or alien passport;
• W Document (document for asylum seekers)
• Valid residence permits for aliens, particularly:
  • Document I (fixed-term residence permit, regular);
  • Document II (permanent residence permit, regular);
  • Document III (fixed-term residence permit, asylum);
  • Document IV (permanent residence permit, asylum);
  • EU/EEA document (residence permit for aliens from EEA countries and their families).

A driving licence will not suffice as proof of identity on commencement of employment, as it does not state a person’s nationality or residence status.

More information?

• Compulsory Identification leaflet (website only in Dutch)