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Preparing PDF Documents for DigiD-Linked Services
It's worth clearing up what DigiD actually is before preparing anything for it: DigiD is the Netherlands' digital login system, used to sign in to government, municipal, tax, and healthcare websites. It isn't itself a place you upload documents — it's how you get authenticated into the specific service that might ask you for one.
By GaryLast updated 3 min read
What DigiD does and doesn't do
You apply for DigiD using your BSN, then log in with a PIN through the app, or by scanning a QR code, sometimes with fingerprint or face recognition depending on your device. Once logged in, DigiD hands you off to the actual service — the Belastingdienst (tax authority), your municipality, DUO for student finance, UWV, and others. Any document upload happens on that destination site, under its own rules, not inside DigiD itself.
So what should you actually prepare?
Since the upload step (if there is one) belongs to whichever service you're logging into, the specific format and size rules vary by service. What stays constant is the groundwork.
- Scan or photograph documents clearly before you start, so you're not scrambling mid-session
- Save as PDF rather than a loose set of image files, unless the destination service specifically asks for images
- Keep individual files reasonably sized — compress a scan if it's unexpectedly large
- Check the specific service's own help page for its exact format and size requirements once you're logged in, since these differ across the Belastingdienst, your municipality, and other DigiD-linked sites
Where uploads actually come up
Most of what you do after a DigiD login involves no upload at all: you check a pre-filled tax return, read a message in the Berichtenbox or confirm some details. Uploads appear when a service needs evidence it does not already have. Typical cases are a rental contract for a housing benefit question, a diploma or enrolment proof for student finance, an employment contract or payslips for a benefit claim, and supporting papers for an objection.
The upload page for each of these tells you the accepted file types and the maximum size. Those numbers belong to that service, so read them there instead of assuming last month's limit from a different organisation still applies.
Your session will not wait for you
For security, a DigiD login ends after a period without activity. If you log in first and then start hunting for a scanner, you may be signed out half-way through the form. Prepare every file before you log in: scanned, combined, named and sitting in one folder.
- Read the letter or message to see exactly which documents are requested.
- Scan or photograph each one. Scan to PDF turns phone photos into PDF pages.
- Keep each document as its own PDF, with all its pages together, joined with Merge PDF if needed.
- Give the files plain names such as huurcontract-2025.pdf, without accents or special characters.
- Check each file's size, then log in and upload.
A copy of your ID: share less
The Dutch government advises against handing out a full copy of your passport or identity card when a partial one will do, because a complete copy with your BSN and photo can be misused. Its advice is to cross out the BSN, including where it appears in the line of characters at the bottom, and to write on the copy who it is for and the date.
You can do the same to a PDF scan. Redact PDF draws a black box over the BSN and permanently removes what is underneath on that page. Watermark PDF adds a line of text across the page, such as “Copy for housing application, 12 March”. Government bodies, and employers for payroll, are allowed to ask for your BSN, so when one of them requires an unmarked copy, provide what they ask for through their own secure upload.
Dutch documents that scan badly
- Rental contracts: long, and often initialled on every page. Scan all pages, including annexes, in order.
- Payslips: small print in pale grey. Photograph in daylight and check the figures at full zoom.
- Diplomas: larger than A4, sometimes with an embossed seal. Step back to fit the whole sheet in the frame.
- Letters with a reference number (kenmerk): make sure the number at the top is inside the scan.
If a file is too large
Compress PDF reduces a scanned document by redrawing its pages as smaller images. Use Balanced first, and Strong only if the file is still over the limit, checking the small print each time. A PDF you downloaded from a bank or employer is already compact and should be uploaded as it is.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upload documents directly through DigiD?
No. DigiD is a login system — it authenticates you into other government and public-service websites, and any document upload happens on that destination site, not inside DigiD.
Do all DigiD-linked services have the same upload rules?
No. Each service (tax, municipality, student finance, and so on) sets its own file format and size rules, so check the specific site once you're logged in.
Is my document uploaded to a server when I prepare it here?
No. Scanning, converting, and compressing all run entirely in your browser, so your file never leaves your device before you upload it yourself.
Do I need DigiD to use PDFAreUs?
No. PDFAreUs is not connected to DigiD or to any government service. You prepare your files here in your browser, then log in to the service yourself and upload them there.
Can I black out my BSN on every copy I send?
Not always. Organisations that are legally allowed to use your BSN, such as government bodies and your employer, may need it. For others, the government's advice is to cross it out.