Can I buy missing AOW years after arriving in the Netherlands later in life?
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First-time arrivals may be able to buy missing AOW years. Apply within ten years of first AOW insurance and before AOW age. Five insured years are usually required; SVB assesses exceptions and costs.
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1. Which years are missing?
AOW accrues during the fifty years before AOW age. First arrival to live or work within that period may leave earlier uninsured years. Check compulsory foreign pension cover too. This differs from voluntary continuation after departure; Anw cannot be bought retrospectively.
2. Which deadlines apply?
You must remain below AOW age when applying. Apply within ten years of first AOW insurance. Usually you must have lived/worked in the Netherlands for five years and thereby have five insured years. Ask SVB to establish the deadline if immigration and insurance dates differ.
3. Which foreign exceptions matter?
Compulsory old-age insurance in another EU country may count towards five years. Not every residence period is insured; ask SVB which periods count for you. Being insured in an EU country and receiving a pension from it prevents buy-in according to SVB. Supply countries, dates and pension decisions.
4. What does buy-in cost?
SVB calculates premiums for missing years from the accrual period's start until first arrival using Dutch and foreign annual income; their sum is the buy-in cost. A minimum applies even without income. From 1 July 2026 SVB lists €3,876 per adult year; years up to age 20 have youth minima, ranging from €66 at 15 to €2,777 at 20. Higher income may mean higher premiums up to a maximum. Obtain an official personal calculation before deciding.
5. Can I buy years for a child?
Children accompanying you have their own insurance dates and conditions; first arrival must fall within their fifty-year accrual period. Children aged 15–17 on departure may come under another arrangement. Contact SVB before their eighteenth birthday; your application does not automatically cover them.
6. How do I apply officially?
In Mijn SVB choose Aanvragen, Vrijwillige verzekering (nieuw in Nederland). Alternatively complete, print and sign the official buy-in form and post to its address. SVB gives about eight weeks for a paper decision; receipt date counts, not merely posting. Keep evidence and check years, premium and payment conditions in the decision.
Is buy-in the same as voluntary insurance after emigration?
No. First-arrival buy-in concerns earlier missing years and has a ten-year application window. Continuation after departure has different conditions and usually a one-year application deadline.
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SVB · Voorwaarden inkoop ↗SVB · Welke jaren ↗SVB · Kosten inkoop ↗SVB · Aanvragen inkoop ↗SVB · Aanvraagtermijn ↗Sources may be in Dutch. General information about Dutch law, not individual legal advice.