Tax return after leaving the Netherlands

Left the Netherlands? You can often still claim a refund, even years later.

If you have left the Netherlands, you can still file Dutch tax returns, and it is often worth it. For the year you left, the M-form applies and usually produces a refund because wage tax was withheld as if you worked the full year. For earlier years in which you were a full-year resident, the Belastingdienst lets you file voluntarily up to five years back to claim refunds; Taxmo files the most recent completed of those, and older years go through Mijn Belastingdienst. You keep your BSN for life, so filing from abroad is possible.

The year you left: M-form

The departure year is a migration year, so the M-form (M-aangifte) applies. Your employer withheld wage tax on annual tables while you only earned Dutch salary part of the year, which typically means a refund. The M-aangifte can be completed online in Mijn Belastingdienst with your DigiD.

Earlier years: up to five years back

Were you a full-year resident in earlier years and never filed? If you were not required to file, you may file voluntarily up to five years back. Deductions like mortgage interest, medical costs, donations, or a job change often mean the Belastingdienst owes you money for those years. Taxmo files these full-year returns directly from €49 for the most recent completed tax years; older years go through Mijn Belastingdienst.

Practicalities from abroad

Your BSN stays valid for life. Keep your DigiD active if you can (renewing it from abroad is harder), register a foreign bank account with the Belastingdienst for payouts, and keep your jaaropgaven. Refunds are paid out to foreign IBAN accounts as well.

Frequently asked questions

I left the Netherlands two years ago. Can I still get a refund?

Yes. For full-resident years the Belastingdienst allows a voluntary return up to five years back; Taxmo files the most recent completed of those, and older years go through Mijn Belastingdienst. For the departure year itself the M-form applies, which also commonly produces a refund.

Do I still have a BSN after leaving?

Yes, your BSN is yours for life. You use it for any Dutch tax filing, also from abroad.

How is a refund paid if I have no Dutch bank account?

Register your foreign bank account with the Belastingdienst; refunds can be paid to a foreign IBAN.

Which years can Taxmo file for me?

Full-year resident returns, filed directly to the Belastingdienst from €49. The migration (departure) year itself goes via the M-form in Mijn Belastingdienst.