Amsterdam has agreed to extend its free public transport scheme for schoolchildren to include children living in the city without identity papers.

Families and carers can access a free pass on Amsterdam’s buses, trams and metro until the end of the year by submitting their social security number (BSN).

Undocumented children, mostly from migrant families without residency rights, were excluded from the scheme because they are not listed on the council register and cannot obtain a BSN.

But after local broadcast AT5 raised the issue, the city council said it would create a “dummy BSN” to enable them to travel for free.

Around 17,000 children took advantage of the scheme when it was first introduced last year, accounting for 19% of all public transport journeys. This year free travel will only be available after 9am.

A spokesman for Melanie van der Horst, city alderman responsible for transport, said: “We very much want all children in Amsterdam to be able to use public transport for free.

“That’s why we have arranged with [financial education foundation] Stichting Leergeld to enable undocumented children to request a special code via their contact person.”

Gianni da Costa, who works with undocumented families in the capital, said: “The families and I are very pleased that the city council is probably going to come up with a solution.

“This means these parents have one less concern and happy children who can discover our city of Amsterdam better.”