Updated 16/03/2025

Country overview

There are no restrictions for people living with HIV on entry and residence in the Netherlands. ARVs may be brought in for personal use. A medical log or letter from your doctor stating HIV status, medicines used, and latest lab test results is advisable to ensure a smooth change in place receiving treatment.

Labor migrants

Everyone with a Dutch residence is obliged to take out health insurance. A standard health insurance package is compulsory. Everyone must register with a healthcare insurance company. The basic package covers general practitioner (family doctor), hospital, psychiatrist, and pharmacy costs, including full access to HIV treatment and medicines for free. Own contribution (doesn't apply to general practitioner services which are always free) between 385 and 850 EUR applies, depending on the package chosen. Sample comparison of the health insurance offers.

Belastingdienst (tax office) offers health insurance reimbursement (zorgtoeslag) for low-income people. For more information.

Refugees

Adult asylum seekers awaiting a decision on their application, are entitled to free emergency and necessary, non-postpone-able health care (including HIV treatment and free ARVs) in the first two months after entry. After two months, they can obtain free health care, paid for by the government, like that offered by health insurance. General practitioner care for asylum seekers is delivered in most reception centres (AZC) and other services (including HIV treatment) by regular health care institutions. Medicines are obtained in regular pharmacies and paid for by the government.

Refugees from Ukraine with a registration (called "sticker") get free access to all healthcare and medicines (including HIV treatment) and is paid for by the government.

Undocumented migrants, according to the law, may get help in any healthcare institution and medicines for free. Those services are then reimbursed by the state institution (CAK). In practice, refusals are frequent. In such a cases help is provided for free by Dokters van de Wereld and Kruispost.

Access to treatment

You should go with your insurance to a clinic that provides services to people living with HIV. For registration in an HIV clinic, a referral from a general practitioner is required. Everyone has the freedom to make their own choice of hospital and doctor. The check-up in clinics usually is once every six months. ARVs are distributed by all pharmacies (they may need to be pre-ordered) only with the prescription from the HIV clinic.

There are HIV treatment centres in many cities in the Netherlands. Complete list you can find hier

In most of the cases, the ART cost is reimbursed from the health insurance (labour migrants), by the government (asylum seekers and refugees from Ukraine), and CAK (undocumented migrants). It may be paid for from your own pocket as well. The most used ARVs are permanently available in plusapotheken.

Support in case of ART-related emergencies is provided by HIV Vereniging. A small supply may be given even without a prescription for those already receiving ARTs and registered in the so-called plusapotheken