Netherlands · Temporary Residence
Self-Employed Residence After the Start-up Year
Founders who want to stay after the start-up year move to a residence permit as a self-employed person. RVO scores the business on experience, plan and value to the Dutch economy before the IND decides.
- 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)
Residence permit self-employed person
The self-employed permit is for people whose business serves an essential Dutch interest. RVO scores three areas, namely personal experience, the business plan and added value for the Netherlands, and the threshold is at least 30 points in each area or 45 points each for experience and the business plan. The founder must be registered in the KvK Trade Register, hold any licenses the profession needs and show from the business plan that the income requirement will be met. Freelancers also need one or more commissions in the Netherlands. The permit is valid for up to 2 years and can be extended, and the founder becomes eligible for permanent residence after 5 years on a residence permit.
- Validity
- Up to 2 years; extendable before expiry
- Government fee
- EUR 423 for a first application or extension
- Processing time
- 90 days; up to 6 months more if RVO advice is needed
- Points threshold
- 30 per area, or 45 each for experience and business plan
- Family
- Partners and children may join; partner permit EUR 254
- Family work rights
- Family members can work without a TWV
- Leads to
- Permanent residence after 5 years
Requirements
- Business activity of essential interest to the Dutch economy, confirmed by the RVO points assessment.
- Registration in the KvK Trade Register and any permits needed to practice the profession.
- A business plan showing that the income requirement will be met.
- For freelancers, one or more commissions from clients in the Netherlands.
- For start-up permit holders, a facilitator declaration confirming at least 3 months of successful mentoring.
- BIG register entry for regulated healthcare professions.
How to apply
- Prepare a business plan with financial forecasts and evidence of experience.
- Apply to the IND before the start-up permit ends, paying the fee shown in the IND fee table.
- RVO scores the application, and the IND decides within 90 days or the extended period.
- Extend the permit before it expires, keeping the business plan and income evidence up to date.
Family members and work status
A self-employed permit holder can sponsor a partner, and the partner is then free to work, including as a self-employed person. The IND fee for a partner's residence permit is EUR 254, and a minor child's permit costs EUR 85. The founder is a different case: salaried employment still requires a TWV work permit, although after 5 years of work in the Netherlands the founder can apply for the work status free to work. The scoring system does not apply to Turkish nationals, long-term EU residents from another member state or people in independent professions, whose cases follow separate assessments.
Questions and answers
What happens if the business does not reach enough points?
Without a score of 30 points in each of the three areas, or 45 each for personal experience and the business plan, the IND treats the business as not being of essential interest to the Dutch economy and refuses the self-employed permit. The founder then needs another residence basis before the start-up permit ends.
Is there a residence-by-investment program in the Netherlands?
The IND's current list of work and residence permits contains no investor or golden visa category. Capital-based options are limited to the DAFT and Dutch-Japanese treaty routes, which tie residence to running a business, and to the self-employed permit with its points assessment.
How long does the IND take to decide?
The legal decision period for a self-employed permit is 90 days. The IND can extend it by up to 6 months when it asks RVO or the culture ministry for advice, or when the application is incomplete, so founders apply well before their start-up year ends.
Official sources
- Residence permit self-employed personind.nl
- Residence permit for partnerind.nl
- Fees: costs of an applicationind.nl
- Workind.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