If you have just arrived in the Netherlands, or you're here as a tourist, you might assume that navigating sexual health care requires insurance paperwork, a BSN number, or being registered with a GP. For the GGD Soa Poli — the most important venue for gay and bisexual men's sexual health — none of that is true.
🛡️ The GGD Exemption: No ID, No Insurance, No BSN
The GGD Soa Poli provides free, anonymous STI testing and care. Anonymous means exactly that — you do not need to show a BSN (citizen service number), a Dutch insurance card, or any ID. You book online via your city's GGD website and attend.
You can use the GGD Soa Poli from day one in the Netherlands — as a tourist, a new arrival, or a long-term resident — with no registration, no insurance, and no bureaucracy. This is the right starting point for almost all sexual health needs.
Gay and bisexual men are an explicitly recognised priority group. The triage questionnaire favours you.
🇪🇺 Tourists: Your EHIC at Dutch Hospitals
If you need to go to a hospital SEH (emergency department) — for example, for PEP outside GGD hours — and you are visiting from the EU or EEA, your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) entitles you to state-provided care at the same cost as a Dutch resident.
Bring your EHIC to the hospital SEH. Present it at registration. PEP is classified as urgent medical care and is covered. If you don't have your EHIC with you, the hospital must still treat you in an emergency — sort the EHIC paperwork afterwards.
Non-EU visitors do not have EHIC coverage. Hospital emergency care will be billed. PEP medication costs approximately €700–900 retail — travel insurance that covers emergency medical care should cover this.
📋 New Residents: The Zorgverzekering Requirement
Once you officially reside and/or work in the Netherlands, Dutch law requires you to take out zorgverzekering (mandatory basic health insurance) within four months of registering at your gemeente (municipality). The minimum premium is approximately €130–165/month. Failure to register results in a government fine and backdated premium charges.
What basisverzekering covers (once your eigen risico is met): GP consultations with labs, hospital care, specialist referrals, prescription medication, HIV treatment.
What it does not cover for free: Most dental, most physiotherapy, and private psychology beyond a limited annual allowance. Sexual health care at the GGD is free regardless, outside your insurance.
Zorgtoeslag: If your income is below a certain threshold, you are entitled to a government subsidy (zorgtoeslag) that significantly reduces the monthly premium. Apply via de Belastingdienst (belastingdienst.nl).
🪪 Getting a BSN
Your BSN (Burgerservicenummer) is the citizen service number required for insurance, your huisarts, and most prescriptions. You get it automatically when you register at your local gemeente (town hall). Bring your passport and proof of address (rental contract or a letter from your landlord).
Processing times vary. In Amsterdam, the registration appointment queue can be several weeks long — book online as soon as you arrive. Some municipalities offer same-day registration for EU citizens.
🩺 Registering with a Huisarts
Once you have a BSN, register with a local GP (huisarts). Find one accepting new patients at huisartsen.nl or ask your municipality's social services.
The problem in cities: In Amsterdam and Utrecht, many GP practices have a patiëntenstop — a full patient list. You may need to contact several before you find one with availability. Keep the GGD as your primary sexual health resource while you are getting established — you do not need a GP for STI testing, PrEP, or vaccines.
You do not need a huisarts referral to use the GGD Soa Poli. The GGD is a direct-access service.
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