British nationals in the Netherlands have been sent letters by the IND immigration service outlining what will happen next following Britain’s withdrawal from the EU.

The letters started arriving on Friday, Brexit day, and were mailed to some 45,000 people, the IND said. The letter explains that the situation does not change for British nationals during the transition period.

‘They just need a valid passport,’ the letter states.

UK nationals who already have a permanent Dutch national residence permit or another EU nationality in addition to their British nationality, will not get a letter because Brexit does not affect their rights.

#BrexitDay #UKnationalsinNL Look out for the information letter from the IND landing on your doormat. In 2020 you can continue to live, work & study in the Nl with just a valid passport. More info: https://t.co/1TSXUSAgu0 @UKinNL @hague_intcentre @StudyinHolland @businessgovnl pic.twitter.com/H8syx8jzEs

— De IND (@IND_NL) January 31, 2020

Over the coming year, British nationals will get a follow-up letter from the IND, asking them to apply for a residency permit. ‘The IND wishes to carefully consider every application,’ the organisation says. ‘For this reason, the IND will send out invitations to submit an application online, spread over the transition period.’

The British government has also set up an online guide for British nationals living in the Netherlands.

Ambassador

On Saturday, after the Brexit deadline, Britain’s ambassador to the Netherlands posted a message on social media in which he said that the importance Britain attaches to the relationship between the Netherlands will grow.

‘We are allies, partners, and friends, and Britain is not going anywhere. We look to the future with optimism,’ he said.

In addition, the ambassador told political podcast Betrouwbare Bronnen: ‘The 31st of January is definitely a historic day. But there will be no singing and dancing in the British embassy here in The Hague.’

Meanwhile, broadcaster NOS took a look at some of the things the EU will lose without the UK.

Ouch! Dutch broadcaster NOS asks what the EU loses as the UK leaves? 13 million people with obesity, reducing the percentage of severely overweight EU citizens….😼 pic.twitter.com/2Bosweev7f

— Prof Anna Watts (@drannawatts) January 31, 2020

And Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok brought out his blue Brexit monster once again in a farewell Tweet.

Dear #Northseaneighbours, how we hate to see you go. There is only little time for the important negotiations on our future relationship. It’s crunch time again before we know it. #Brexit pic.twitter.com/u3mqwpyNTE

— Stef Blok (@ministerBlok) January 31, 2020

Prime minister Mark Rutte told his weekly press conference on Friday that the Dutch position during the negotiations will be for an agreement which is ‘as broad and as deep as possible’ and which deals with trade, socio-economic issues and security.

But the issues are all extremely complicated and the time frame is limited, Rutte said. ‘So we will have to take into account the fact that we may not succeed in all areas,’ he said.