Entrepreneur visa routes in Kingdom of the Netherlands
Thinking about Kingdom of the Netherlands as a place to work? Below are the 2 Kingdom of the Netherlands visa routes that most commonly fit entrepreneurs, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: startup founder, business owner, company director.
What this means for entrepreneurs
Of the 2 Kingdom of the Netherlands routes that commonly fit entrepreneurs, 0 need a sponsoring employer and 2 do not, 2 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Entrepreneurs are not usually a licensed profession, so your main gates are securing a qualifying job offer where a route needs a sponsor, and meeting any salary or points threshold, rather than re-credentialing.
The most-used skilled route into Kingdom of the Netherlands overall is the Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant); it is not specific to entrepreneurs but is worth understanding as the benchmark route.
Typical figures — Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Government cost
€508.15
US citizen, arrival + IND + KvK (ignoring the €4,500 maintained equity)
Verified 1 June 2026 · IND — Residence permit for self-employed persons (incl. DAFT)
How long it takes
4 weeks – 3 months
DAFT (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty) applications commonly resolve in 4–12 weeks; the IND legal decision period is 90 days.
Verified 22 June 2026 · IND — Self-employed residence (DAFT)
Time to permanent residence
Arrival → PR and citizenship eligibility parallel at 5 years.
Leads to Permanent Residence Permit (Verblijfsvergunning regulier onbepaalde tijd), then Dutch citizenship.
Occupation salary-floor answer
Entrepreneur salary floor in Kingdom of the Netherlands
Verified 1 July 2026
Salary floor
No route-specific floor mapped
Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur eligibility
No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Entrepreneur: visa vs licensing timeline in Kingdom of the Netherlands
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur is the representative route for this profession page. It does not require an employer sponsor and is mapped as leading to settlement.
Source: IND — Self-employed person (DAFT / Dutch-Japanese friendship treaty) - 8 July 2026
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
Current source-backed figures on this page include processing 4 weeks – 3 months, government cost €508.15.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
Most DAFT applicants set up as eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship) or BV.
Source: IND — Self-employed person (DAFT / Dutch-Japanese friendship treaty) - 8 July 2026
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
No separate licence line modelled
After route fit is clear
This profession category is usually driven by offer, salary, qualification and route fit rather than a separate professional-registration clock. Still confirm the official route source before filing.
Source: IND — Self-employed person (DAFT / Dutch-Japanese friendship treaty) - 8 July 2026
Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses Kingdom of the Netherlands's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)
Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) - verified
- IND — Self-employed person (DAFT / Dutch-Japanese friendship treaty)
Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) - verified
- IND — Residence permit for startups
Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) - verified
Routes that fit entrepreneurs
Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur
Treaty-based self-employment residence for US nationals starting a business in the Netherlands.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Initial 2 years, renewable for 5; leads to permanent residence.
Startup Visa (Netherlands)
1-year residence permit for founders working with a recognised Dutch startup facilitator.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · 1 year, non-renewable as Startup Visa; transitions to self-employment route.
Figures by route
Verified salary floor and processing window per matched route, each primary-sourced. Indicative, not legal advice.
| Route | Salary floor | Processing | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur | — | 4 weeks – 3 months | Yes |
| Startup Visa (Netherlands) | — | 4 weeks – 3 months | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit entrepreneurs moving to Kingdom of the Netherlands?+
Kingdom of the Netherlands has 2 routes that commonly fit entrepreneurs: Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur, Startup Visa (Netherlands). The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do entrepreneurs need a job offer to move to Kingdom of the Netherlands?+
Not always. 2 of the 2 matched Kingdom of the Netherlands routes can be pursued without an employer sponsoring you (such as the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur), while 0 need a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. If you do not yet have an offer, start with the no-sponsor routes.
Can entrepreneurs settle permanently in Kingdom of the Netherlands?+
Yes. 2 of the 2 matched routes lead toward settlement or permanent residence. Permanent-residence timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
What salary do entrepreneurs need in Kingdom of the Netherlands?+
Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur does not have one fixed numeric floor in the mapped salary-threshold record. No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test. Source: IND — Self-employed person (DAFT / Dutch-Japanese friendship treaty), verified 1 July 2026.
How much does the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur cost in government fees?+
For the worked example (US citizen, arrival + IND + KvK (ignoring the €4,500 maintained equity)), government fees total about €508.15 (IND — Residence permit for self-employed persons (incl. DAFT), verified 1 June 2026). Treat as indicative and confirm the current schedule on the official source.
How long does the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur take to process?+
The typical published decision window is 4 weeks – 3 months (IND — Self-employed residence (DAFT), verified 22 June 2026).