Netherlands · Startup Visa
Netherlands Start-up Residence Permit
The Dutch start-up permit gives founders one year to turn an innovative idea into a company under the guidance of an experienced mentor. RVO assesses the plan, and the IND issues the permit.
- Startup route
- Start-up residence permit
- Minimum capital
- No set capital; living funds for the full year
- Permanent residence
- 5 consecutive years on a valid residence permit
- Citizenship
- 5 years (10-year bill proposed in 2025)
Start-up residence permit
This permit lets a founder live in the Netherlands for up to one year while building an innovative business with a facilitator, an experienced mentor that appears on the RVO list. The product or service must be new to the Netherlands, use new technology or introduce a new way of working, and the founder must play an active role beyond holding shares. RVO reviews the facilitator, the innovation and a step-by-step plan, and the IND needs that positive advice before granting the permit. Funds for the whole stay must be shown, either in a Dutch bank account or through financing by the facilitator. The permit cannot be extended; after a year the founder can switch to a self-employed residence permit.
- Validity
- 1 year maximum; cannot be extended
- Government fee
- EUR 423
- Processing time
- Decision within 90 days; can be extended
- Facilitator
- Must appear on the RVO list (31 named in June 2026)
- Living funds
- Enough for the full stay, in a Dutch account or via the facilitator
- Entry visa
- MVV usually needed; collect within 3 months, valid 90 days
- Employment
- Salaried work only with a TWV work permit
- Leads to
- Self-employed residence permit after 1 year
Requirements
- A signed contract with a facilitator that has start-up mentoring experience, sound finances, a deputy and no majority stake in the company.
- A facilitator that is not a relative up to the third degree and is on the RVO list.
- An innovative product or service, new to the Dutch market or based on new technology or a new way of organizing.
- A step-by-step plan covering structure, roles, legal form, staff, goals and setup activities.
- Registration of both the founder and the facilitator in the KvK Trade Register.
- Sufficient means for the whole year, held in a Dutch account or financed by the facilitator.
How to apply
- Agree a mentoring contract with a facilitator from the RVO list and register with the KvK.
- Submit the application to the IND by form or through the facilitator's Business Portal, paying EUR 423.
- RVO assesses the plan, facilitator and innovation, and the IND decides within 90 days.
- After approval, collect the MVV entry visa within 3 months, then pick up the residence card at an IND desk.
- Book a tuberculosis test with the GGD within 3 months if it applies.
Residence permit under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT)
Status: Open only to US nationals; Japanese nationals use a parallel trade treaty
American founders have an alternative to the start-up permit through the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty, which the IND handles as a self-employed residence permit with its own conditions. For most business forms, the IND requires a minimum investment of EUR 4,500 in the company. On a first application under the treaty, the founder registers with the Chamber of Commerce and makes the investment within 6 months of the date on the decision letter. The permit is valid for up to 2 years and can be extended, provided annual accounts and a balance sheet or income statement are submitted. Japanese nationals can use the Dutch-Japanese Trade Treaty on similar terms.
- Eligibility
- US nationals (Japanese nationals under a parallel treaty)
- Investment
- EUR 4,500 minimum for most business forms
- Government fee
- EUR 423
- Validity
- Up to 2 years; extendable
- Processing time
- 90 days; up to 6 months more if advice is needed
- Leads to
- Permanent residence after 5 years
Requirements
- US nationality and a business activity that fits one of the treaty situations listed by the IND.
- A minimum investment of EUR 4,500 in the company for most legal forms.
- Registration with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK) within 6 months of the decision letter date.
- Annual accounts and a balance sheet or income statement when extending.
How to apply
- Apply to the IND for a self-employed residence permit on the basis of the treaty and pay EUR 423.
- After a positive decision, register the business with the KvK.
- Place the investment in the company within 6 months of the decision letter date.
- Apply to extend before the permit expires, enclosing the annual financial statements.
Choosing a facilitator
RVO's list of recognized facilitators, last checked in June 2026, names 31 organizations, including accelerators such as Rockstart, Antler, HighTechXL and Capital C. Some serve a narrow audience: VU StartHub, for example, only works with students and alumni of its university. The facilitator signs a contract with the founder, provides a tailored support package and later issues the declaration confirming at least 3 months of successful mentoring, which the founder needs when switching to self-employed status. Because the facilitator may not hold a majority stake, founders keep control of the company throughout.
Questions and answers
Can the start-up permit be extended beyond one year?
No. The IND grants the start-up permit for a maximum of one year and does not extend it. Founders who want to stay apply for a residence permit as a self-employed person before the year ends and include a facilitator declaration confirming at least 3 months of successful mentoring.
Is there a minimum investment for the Dutch startup visa?
No fixed business investment applies to the start-up permit itself. The founder proves sufficient means to live in the Netherlands for the full year, through a Dutch bank account, a postbus account, a third-party account held by a Dutch notary or financing from the facilitator. The DAFT route for US citizens is different and requires EUR 4,500.
Can a start-up permit holder also take a job?
Only with a work permit. Salaried employment during the start-up year needs a TWV obtained by the employer, so the permit is designed for building the founder's own company rather than taking outside work. Changes in circumstances must also be reported to the IND.
Who decides on a start-up application?
The IND makes the decision, but only after the Netherlands Enterprise Agency gives positive advice on the facilitator, the innovative character of the product or service, the step-by-step plan and the Trade Register entries. Facilitators that RVO assessed positively in the previous year do not need to prove their reliability again.
Official sources
- Start-upind.nl
- Facilitator for startupsenglish.rvo.nl
- Requirements for a residence permit for foreign startupsenglish.rvo.nl
- Residence permit self-employed personind.nl
- Fees: costs of an applicationind.nl
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Netherlands.
Startup visa
1-year start-up permit with an RVO-recognized facilitator; not extendable
02Temporary residence
Self-employed permit for up to 2 years at a time after an RVO points test
03Permanent residence
Permanent residence after 5 years; civic integration exam at A2
04Citizenship
Naturalization after 5 years; renouncing other nationality usually required