Founder permits
Start-up Visa Application in the Netherlands
The state's English name: residence permit for foreign startups. We check your route, order your steps and assemble the file with you; the IND decides.
- Permit for up to 1 year
- IND fee EUR 423.00 in 2026
- IND aims at 90 days
- A facilitator is a legal condition
Your business plan comes first.
Who the start-up permit is for and what you file
For a founder from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland who sets up an innovative business and works in it as self-employed. The permit "may be granted" (art. 3.30(6) Aliens Decree 2000) for at most one year. Some nationalities also need an entry visa, the MVV (IND list).
US founders: see applying for the DAFT residence permit with a new Dutch business, a treaty route with conditions of its own.
Conditions, 2026. Sources: Aliens Regulation 2000, Annex 8b; the IND's Aliens Circular, B6/4.5; RVO.
| Condition | What the rule asks | Who assesses | What you file |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | From outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland | IND | Passport; an MVV (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf) where your nationality needs one |
| Facilitator (deskundige begeleider) | Reliable, in the Business Register, at least two years guiding innovative starters with at least two persons, financially stable | RVO advises | The agreement signed by both: the guidance, its terms, any interest in your business |
| Innovation | At least one of three: new for the Netherlands; new technology in production, distribution or marketing; an innovative organisation | RVO advises | The step plan (stappenplan) |
| Active role | More than a shareholder or financier | RVO advises | The step plan and a KVK registration showing your control |
| Step plan | Organisation, legal form, staff, product and planning; the first-year steps from idea to business | RVO advises | The step plan |
| KVK registration | You and the facilitator registered, your control visible | RVO checks the register | Both KVK numbers; no extract needed |
| Means | Lasting for a year, or the shorter stay; no public funds such as social assistance | IND | One of three evidence routes, checked by an independent external expert |
| No family tie | No relationship with the facilitator up to the third degree | IND | Your own declaration |
Add the IND's start-up application form; at an embassy, a valid passport and a passport photo. Hiring essential foreign experts falls under a separate scheme.
What's included in our start-up visa service
For a non-EU founder who has not yet arrived, or has just arrived.
The route check
Your position read against the published conditions, your MVV position included. A reading of the rules, never a forecast.
The order of your steps
The launch steps put in an order for your case. Where the state's own pages disagree, we tell you.
File assembly and a completeness check
The IND form, the facilitator agreement, the step plan, your declaration, the means evidence and both KVK numbers, checked together. You sign.
The means evidence
Which of the three evidence routes your funding uses, and what each statement shows. The independent expert who checks it is never us.
The filing route
The IND directly, or a Dutch embassy with its three-week clock for the file and the fee.
Year two on day one
The switch to the self-employed permit, planned before you file.
Where our service stops
The IND decides after RVO's advice; nothing is promised. We are never your facilitator. You register your own sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak); a notary incorporates a BV. No nominee, director, general power of attorney or company is supplied. A client who takes this service does not take our business address.
How the application works, step by step
The rule: you must be in the KVK register when RVO advises (Aliens Regulation, Annex 8b). The state's step plan lists that registration after the application. Steps 4 to 7 run in an order settled on your facts and confirmed with RVO or the IND.
Route check
(you, with us). Nationality, innovation, active role and MVV position, read against the published conditions.
Facilitator and agreement
(you and the facilitator, never us). An organisation that meets RVO's criteria, and an agreement you both sign. Fees are private.
Step plan
(you, with the facilitator). Organisation, legal form, staff, product and planning: the first-year steps from idea to business.
KVK registration
(the owner; a notary for a BV). It must show your control. Fee EUR 85.15 (2026). In detail: who has to register with the KVK and what it costs.
Means and bank account
(you or your funder). One of three evidence routes, checked by an independent external expert. An account usually needs the KVK number and often takes 2 to 8 weeks (business.gov.nl): our business bank account overview.
Advice and decision
(RVO, the IND). The IND aims at 90 days, extendable to at most 6 months (decision periods); an incomplete file gets 2 weeks. MVV at the embassy, card at an IND desk or expat centre.
Official timing Indication only
- Route checkYou, with usNo official time is published
- Facilitator and agreementYou and the facilitator, never usNo official time is published
- Step planYou, with the facilitatorNo official time is published
- Address, BRP or RNI, BSN and DigiDThe municipality, or an RNI desk (Breda or Venlo for non-EU nationals)No official time is published
- KVK registrationThe owner registers a sole proprietorship; a notary incorporates a BVKVK fee EUR 85.15 (2026) No official time is published
- Means and bank accountYou or your funder; one of three evidence routes, checked by an independent external expertBank account: often 2 to 8 weeks, an indication
- FilingYou; the embassy if you need an MVVIND fee EUR 423.00 (2026) Embassy route: file and fee to the IND within 3 weeks
- Advice and decisionRVO advises; the IND decidesThe IND aims at 90 days, extendable to at most 6 months An incomplete file gets 2 weeks
Steps 4 to 7: order settled on your case
Not sure in which order your steps should run?
We put your KVK registration, your address and your filing in order on your facts, before anything is signed.
Registering the business before RVO advises
Without your KVK registration RVO advises negatively, and it checks the register. The two usual vehicles side by side; which fits is a conversation.
The KVK step by vehicle, 2026. Sources: KVK, NetherlandsWorldwide, Civil Code Book 2, business.gov.nl.
| Point | Sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak) | BV (besloten vennootschap, private limited company) |
|---|---|---|
| Who registers | The owner, with their own DigiD; an intermediary may only help | A notary executes the deed of incorporation |
| How | The online form, then an appointment at a KVK office | The paper deed in Dutch; a written power of attorney if you do not appear |
| A founder abroad first needs | For a stay over four months the BRP (population register); under four months a visiting address and the RNI (non-residents register: Breda or Venlo for non-EU nationals); DigiD by codes | The paper deed: the electronic deed is for EU nationals |
| Business address | A physical address in the Netherlands | A physical address in the Netherlands |
| State cost | KVK fee EUR 85.15 (2026) | KVK fee EUR 85.15 (2026), plus the notary: EUR 500 to EUR 1,500, the KVK's indication, not a tariff |
| What RVO looks for | Your control in the registration | Your control in the registration |
In detail: an eenmanszaak for a newcomer or the first Dutch BV of a starter. The permit is for a founder who sets up an innovative business; buying an existing company is a different transaction: the detailed ready-made companies page.
State costs and the money for the stay in 2026
State fees and official indications with their year; IND fees change every 1 January. Our fee is on request.
2026 figures. Sources: IND fee table; Aliens Regulation 2000, art. 3.20b(5); KVK; business.gov.nl.
| Cost | Amount | Year and status | Who pays and when |
|---|---|---|---|
| IND, your first application | EUR 423.00 | 2026, IND fee table | You, with the application; on the embassy route within 3 weeks |
| IND, if you hold EU long-term resident status in another member state | EUR 254.00 | 2026, IND fee table | You, with the application |
| IND, the switch to self-employed after the start-up year | EUR 423.00 | 2026, IND fee table | You, with the switch application |
| IND, a partner (married or unmarried) | EUR 254.00 | 2026, IND fee table | The partner, with their application |
| IND, a child under 18 | EUR 85.00 | 2026, IND fee table | Each child, with their application |
| KVK registration | EUR 85.15, every legal form | 2026, art. 5 Financiële regeling handelsregister 2019 | One-off, on registration |
| Notary, only for a BV | EUR 500 to EUR 1,500 | The KVK's indication read in 2026, not a tariff | To the notary |
| Legalising, translating and sending documents | No amount published | Extra costs named by business.gov.nl | You, as your documents require |
| Facilitator | No amount published | Private; costs and conditions vary | You, to the facilitator |
| Money for the stay (not a fee) | Bank-account route: twelve times the monthly norm of art. 3.19(1), on a Dutch account in your name or the facilitator's, or less for a shorter stay. The norm is 70 percent of the statutory minimum wage with holiday allowance. The IND's self-employed figure: EUR 1,766.77 a month, valid 1 July to 31 December 2026; no IND row is headed start-up | Art. 3.20b(5) Aliens Regulation 2000 | You, the facilitator or a third party |
The IND assesses whether the means are sufficient and lasting; no yearly figure for a start-up is published.
After the first year: the switch to the self-employed permit
The start-up permit cannot be extended on its own ground. The next one is the points-based self-employed permit and its business plan, with requirements of its own.
The year
(you, with the facilitator). At least three months of positive guidance; your KVK registration and your means kept in place.
The declaration
(the facilitator). It counts as at least the minimum score on all three parts of the points test, where the pass mark is 30 points each.
Filing in time
(you; the IND). On time if the IND receives it by the day before your permit ends (art. 3.80 Aliens Decree 2000); a late one counts as a first application. EUR 423.00 (2026); a 90-day period.
Problems we help you solve
What founders meet first, and how we handle each, with no guarantee.
"Register first, or apply first?"
The rule wants your KVK registration in place when RVO advises; the step plan lists it later. We confirm your order with RVO or the IND.
"I am abroad, with no address, BSN or DigiD"
Two routes by length of stay, the Breda and Venlo desks for non-EU nationals, DigiD by collection and activation codes, and the business address the state requires.
"How much money, exactly?"
A formula, not a headline: twelve times the monthly norm, the IND's dated figure, a year's availability, three funding routes and an expert's check.
"Working while the IND decides"
A KVK registration is no right to work. Filing suspends removal, with two exceptions. No official source we read allows trading before the grant.
Want year two planned before you file?
Your switch file, the facilitator's declaration and, for a BV, your shareholding, planned on day one.
Why work with us
Lina Haddad, Founder permits and banking lead, Amsterdam. Eight years on residence and onboarding files of founders who move. Arabic, Dutch, English.
From our practice: the order of the KVK registration and the filing is settled first, before anything is signed; the file then goes to you to sign.
We work alongside the facilitator, notary and bank you choose. RVO advises; the IND decides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register at the KVK before I apply, or can I register afterwards?
The regulation says you must be registered with the KVK when RVO advises, and no registration means a negative advice. The state's own step plan lists the KVK registration after the permit application. No official page we read reconciles the two, so the order of your steps is settled on your facts and confirmed with RVO or the IND.
Do I really need a facilitator, and can I choose any organisation?
Yes. A reliable facilitator is a legal condition of the permit. It must meet RVO's criteria: at least two years guiding innovative starters, financial stability, no majority interest in your start-up and no family tie with you up to the third degree. RVO's list of recognised facilitators is not final, and facilitator fees are private and vary.
How much money do I have to show, and does it have to be in a Dutch bank account?
The IND assesses the means. Under the regulation they are lasting if twelve times the single-person monthly norm, 70 percent of the statutory minimum wage with holiday allowance, sits on a Dutch account in your name or the facilitator's; other evidence routes exist. The IND's self-employed figure is EUR 1,766.77 a month, valid 1 July to 31 December 2026.
Can someone else, or my facilitator, pay for my stay instead of me?
Yes. The stay may be financed by you or jointly by another person or a legal entity. The IND's Aliens Circular accepts your own bank statement, the facilitator's agreement granting you funds, or a third party's statement or declaration with its recent bank statement and a copy of the third person's passport. An independent external expert checks the financial evidence.
Can I renew the start-up permit after the first year?
No. The start-up permit lasts at most one year and cannot be extended on the start-up ground. You can apply for the self-employed permit as a change of purpose of stay, at an IND fee of EUR 423.00 in 2026. A facilitator's declaration after at least three months of positive guidance counts as at least the minimum score.
Is there an official approval rate, and can anyone promise approval?
The IND and RVO publish no approval rate. The regulation says the permit may be granted, so the decision stays with the IND after RVO's advice. Nobody outside the IND can promise approval or a date. We check your route, put your steps in order and assemble the file with you; you sign it.
Can I work or invoice clients while the IND decides?
A KVK registration does not give a non-EU founder a right to work: the state says such a founder may need a residence permit to stay and start a business. Filing an application suspends removal, with two exceptions. No official source we read says that trading before the permit is granted is allowed.
Do I need an MVV, and where do I file?
The IND's own nationality check decides. Nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea, Switzerland and EU or EEA states need no MVV. Others living abroad file at a Dutch embassy or consulate; a founder already here on a short-stay visa or visa-free is not refused for lacking an MVV.
Can I use a BV, and what if I hold less than 25 percent?
The step plan names your legal form, and a BV is incorporated by notarial deed; a non-EU founder uses the paper deed in Dutch. At the switch, the IND's Aliens Circular treats a director-shareholder as self-employed only with 25 percent or more, entrepreneurial risk and influence over their own salary. Whether the facilitator's declaration changes that test is not stated.
How does a start-up visa work?
RVO advises the IND on the facilitator, the innovative nature of the business and the step plan; the IND assesses the financial means and decides. A positive response is needed on every count. The permit lasts at most one year, after which the founder can apply for the self-employed permit, which has requirements of its own.
What are the requirements for a start-up visa in the Netherlands, and do I need a job offer?
RVO lists five conditions: a trusted, experienced facilitator, an innovative product or service, a step-by-step plan, KVK registration of founder and facilitator, and adequate financial resources. A job offer is not among them: the permit is for founding a business and working in it as self-employed, with an active role rather than only holding shares.
How much does a start-up visa for the Netherlands cost?
The IND fee is EUR 423.00 in 2026, and the same again for the switch to the self-employed permit after the year. A partner pays EUR 254.00 and a child under 18 EUR 85.00. The KVK registration costs EUR 85.15 in 2026. Document and facilitator costs come on top and are not published. Our fee is on request.
How long does the IND take to decide?
The IND aims to decide within 90 days, the legal period it lists for regular temporary residence applications. It can extend a period by several weeks, to a maximum of 6 months, and an incomplete file gets 2 weeks for documents. On the embassy route you send the file and pay the fee within 3 weeks of the embassy's date.
Can I get a 1-year visa for the Netherlands, and what is the 5-year rule?
The start-up permit is granted for at most one year. Permanent residence is a separate application after five consecutive years of lawful residence; one refusal ground is a residence right of a temporary nature on the day of filing. Whether the start-up year counts is not confirmed in any source we read, and permanent residence is not citizenship.
Is it hard for a US citizen to move to the Netherlands, and is there a different route for Americans?
We give facts, not a judgement of difficulty. US nationals are on the IND's list of nationalities that need no MVV. Americans also have a treaty route with conditions of its own, the DAFT residence permit, which our DAFT page sets out; we do not compare the two routes, and the choice is a conversation.
Ready to have your route checked?
Send your nationality, where you live now and your business idea. We reply with the route and the order of steps. Our fee is on request.