STD test Amsterdam
Getting tested in the Netherlands is confusing if you are new here. The public health service only tests certain groups for free, and your GP sends the lab bill to your own deductible. With a home test you skip all of that: order online, test at home and get your result from a certified laboratory.
Most people who move to Amsterdam assume that an STD test works like it does at home: you book an appointment and you pay, or your insurance covers it. In the Netherlands it works differently, and that catches a lot of internationals out.
The municipal health service tests for free only if you belong to a group with a higher chance of an STI, for example if you are under 25, have had several partners, or your partner tested positive. Outside those groups they send you to a GP.
The consultation itself is covered, but the laboratory work is not. That part comes out of your own risk, the Dutch deductible of €385 per year. Until that amount is used up, you pay the test yourself.
To see a GP you normally have to be registered with a practice, which in Amsterdam can take a while. If you have just arrived, that is often the real blocker rather than the money.
To be fair: if you do qualify at the GGD, that is the cheapest route and you get to speak to someone in person. Check their conditions first. A home test is for everyone who falls outside them, or who simply does not want to wait.
Which route suits you depends on your age, your situation and whether you are registered with a GP.
| GGD Amsterdam | Your GP | Home test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay | Nothing, if you meet their conditions | Consultation covered, lab from your €385 deductible | Fixed price from €69 |
| Who it is for | Only higher risk groups | Anyone registered with a practice | Anyone |
| Appointment | Yes, online or walk-in hours | Yes | No |
| In Dutch or English | Mostly Dutch, English usually possible | Depends on the practice | You test at home, on your own |
| Privacy | Confidential, separate from your GP file | Recorded in your medical file | Anonymous, neutral packaging |
No conditions, no waiting room. You decide when you test.
Pick the test that fits your situation and pay securely.
Your test arrives in neutral packaging at your address in Amsterdam.
Take the sample yourself and send it back anonymously.
Your result appears online in a secure environment.
All tests are analysed by an ISO certified laboratory. If a result is positive, a BIG registered doctor arranges your treatment through a Dutch pharmacy.
Prices as listed in the shop. The webshop and the checkout are currently in Dutch.
Your test is delivered in neutral packaging and your sample goes back to the laboratory anonymously. Nothing is added to a Dutch medical file and nothing appears on an insurance statement, because you pay for the test directly.
You do not need Dutch health insurance, a GP or a referral to order. That makes it a practical option if you have just moved here, if you are here temporarily, or if you simply want to keep it to yourself.
No. You order the test like any other online purchase and pay for it yourself, so no citizen service number, insurance or registration is required.
Not for a home test. That is the main reason people who recently moved to Amsterdam choose this route, because registering with a practice can take weeks.
Only if you belong to one of their groups, for example if you are under 25 or your partner has an STI. If you do, that is genuinely free and worth checking first.
Once the laboratory has received your sample the result follows quickly and appears online in a secure environment. The time it takes to reach the lab depends on the post.
A BIG registered doctor reviews your result and arranges treatment through a Dutch pharmacy, so you do not have to find a clinic yourself.
Testing too early gives an unreliable result, whichever route you choose. Wait at least a week after the risk moment, and follow the instructions that come with your test.
No GP, no appointment and no waiting room. Order your STD test online and test at home whenever it suits you.