Flex subscription with foreign address and bank account - is it even possible still?

After reading a lot of posts here (including several in Dutch), I tried to get a subscription set up (I already sorted out the OV-chipkaart needed for that), first via NS chat, then via the klantenservice phone number). Both times they told me that I got rejected by EDR. That’s kind of funny because I don’t recall ever owing anyone in NL money and my credit rating in my own country is just fine, so personally I suspect that they just don’t provide data for foreign consumers in the first place (and I distinctly recall the NS service agent using the word “malfunction” when talking about the EDR result, but after speaking to a colleague they gave me the “talk to EDR and settle any outstanding bills” instead).

Of course, EDR’s info form doesn’t even let you enter a foreign address, and the person I talked to at their consumentenhelpdesk didn’t speak English and hung up on me.

I also tried going through Mijn NS using a few random Dutch addresses, but the EDR check failed there too before I could even enter a bank account.

If instead I try to go for a “Dal Vordeel op saldo” subscription on the website, it does let me proceed to the point where I can select an iDeal account, and I do have an LT Revolut account that I could try this with... but I’m worried that there will be no way for me to get the rest of my money back if I pay for the whole year and cancel early.

Is there anything else I can do to get a Flex subscription, or can I at least be confident that there’s a way to get back the excess from the “op saldo” subscription if that does go through? I know that normally an “op saldo” subscription can be converted into a Flex subscription after a month, but I suspect that this wouldn’t work due to the EDR thing, so is there another option to get the rest of the money back… and if so, how does it work?

Bladzijde 2 / 2

As Erryt NS has stated above, we're working on resolving this issue!

Ah, thanks a lot! I did not realize Erryt's reply would apply to the general situation too, I thought the EDR had a separate web form/issue.

Hoping for a solution!

it is necessary to keep your address up to date, because we do send you important information by post. We also send important information via email. This is the reason that both of these details need to be updated in your account if they have changed. Choosing an address where you do not live is therefore not recommended. Fpr example: if you forget to pay an invoice, you may receive a letter from us reminding you about this unpaid invoice.

If NS think people are willing to put up with having to contact customer service every time they want to change something in their account or change their subscription (and wait lots of time for these changes to be executed), then NS is delusional. The minimal chance that some post doesn’t arrive is much, much more attractive.

I'm still working on this case. I hope to give an update somewhere around next week.

I guess there are no news yet, but in the meantime I can confirm that switching from Dal Vordeel op saldo to Flex Basis worked just fine (of course I had to change my address to a fake Dutch address for the order to go through, but I could change it right back afterwards). Now I just need to load the new subscription on my OV-chipkaart and then I can close this chapter, for myself at least.

Fingers crossed that next time someone else is in my situation, there will be an easier way!

You managed to change the address back to your foreign address? That doesn't work for me unfortunately.

Yeah, I never had any trouble with that actually. The only thing it doesn’t let me add is a non-Dutch landline/mobile number. Changing the address works fine (by first changing the country dropdown, then the post code, then I get a message saying something like “we can’t find your address, please enter it manually”), but maybe it’s not the same for all countries...

You managed to change the address back to your foreign address? That doesn't work for me unfortunately.

That doesn't work for me. As soon as I enter the 4 digits of the post code, it starts looking for a Dutch address, and will usually find something and propose it. I can add a leading 0 so then indeed no address can be found, and I can add it manually. But after that, saving my address still doesn't work:

The form is just broken. NS know it but don't care enough to fix it.

I'm still working on this case. I hope I can give an update very soon.

Any news? The next victim has appeared:

I think this is a serious problem and NS could potentially be in legal trouble for discrimination on the basis of country of residence. I'd think NS would want to avoid that.

I don't know if there is any progress, but I will ask Erryt NS to give an update as soon as he is working again.

Unfortunately I can't give an update yet. I understood that there was some discussion behind the scenes and that something might change, but after asking for an update several times I haven't heard anything that I can share. If I have anythingI can share then I will let it know here.

Thanks for the update, although I must say NS seem to handle this quite nonchalantly and slowly, given the fact that this can get them into legal problems.

Thanks for the honest answer. I hope there will be a solution soon.

@Erryt NS Any update? IMO, "soon” has already arrived.

Unfortunately not. I am very afraid that I will not be able to give an update in the short term either.

@loesvs,

If you have a postal code that also exists in the Netherlands, I think you can safely change the address in My NS to your Belgian address.

On the 24th of April I had a (fake) Dutch address at 21:33, a Belgian address at 21:36, the (fake) Dutch address at 21:39 and my Belgian address at 21:43. I have the pictures on my cell phone.

I got errors between the changes. But after trying again, I was able to switch the address. So no more need for the customer service for changing the subscription (unless I want to switch from basis to the promotional Weekend Vrij 2 days after changing to basis. But I got the Weekend Vrij after chatting with NS (not JeNS)).

@rvdborgt,

Does your postal code (with the addition of some letters) also exist in the Netherlands? If not, that might be why you can’t register your Belgian address.

@rvdborgt,

Does your postal code (with the addition of some letters) also exist in the Netherlands? If not, that might be why you can’t register your Belgian address.

If I don't add letters to the postcode, then it finds an address in Maarssen and I can't enter my correct address.

If I add letters, then it doesn't find a Dutch address, I can enter my Belgian address, but saving it results in an error.

That form is just totally broken, and it has been like that for years.

Unfortunately I will let go of this topic. I think this is my first and last time that I cannot solve a topic and that makes me very sad. There were developments regarding this topic and I also expected that it would not take too long before this would be solved. I know that it still has our attention, but unfortunately I cannot say whether this will be solved in the short term. You can use the work around that is described here in this topic.

@rvdborgt

If I don't add letters to the postcode, then it finds an address in Maarssen and I can't enter my correct address.

@rvdborgt,

I can add an address from Maarssen and the (almost) Belgian equivalent.

I don't know if that makes my account the exception or yours because yours doesn't except your Belgian address.