Using a US-bought iPhone in the Netherlands

Simple question, with a somewhat complicated answer.

The phone will work in the Netherlands, but you will need to make sure that you purchase an unlocked phone. If the phone is locked to a U.S. carrier, you may be locked into service for 1-2 years with that carrier before you can switch to a carrier in the Netherlands.

The U.S. version of the iPhone 17 that you are considering is eSIM only, compared to the European version with is eSIM and SIM. The U.S. version has a larger battery than the Euro version.

It will be an open question whether a service shop in the Netherlands would have access to the correct replacement battery for the U.S. version, and it will also be an open question whether the warranty would be honored in the Netherlands.

The only way that you might know would be to contact an Apple service shop in the Netherlands and ask them if they will handle any service required on your phone under the warranty.

The standard advice has always been to buy a phone in the country in which it will be used most of the time. That advice remains the same.

In addition to the limitations posted by others already, you will have to find a carrier that supports eSim activation to use the iPhone on. As mentioned the US iPhone's do not support physical SIM cards.

Find wireless carriers and worldwide service providers that offer eSIM service on iPhone - Apple Support

While basic functionality may work, each region's iPhone supports different bandwidths. By using an iPhone from a different region, it may not be able to support all bandwidths in the area and as a result cellular connection may be slowed or incomplete.

Warranty also is not international and typically only applies to your region of purchase. So if a repair was ever needed, there's a chance you'll have to return to the US for the repair.

Also, it appears you'll need to pay a VAT tax when you bring the iPhone in. So if you were hoping to save some money by buying in the US, it may not turn out that way.