Find visa optionsFind visas
Menu

Kingdom of the Netherlands · entrepreneur · Leads to settlement

Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur

By · Last reviewed:

Treaty-based self-employment residence for US nationals starting a business in the Netherlands.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyInitial 2 years, renewable for 5; leads to permanent residence.
Processing time
2–4 weeks after complete submission.
Government fees
Around €1,500.
Typical duration
Initial 2 years, renewable for 5; leads to permanent residence.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) ↗

In short

As of 8 July 2026, the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur for Kingdom of the Netherlands has a typical government cost of about €508.15. Sources: official Kingdom of the Netherlands government pages, reviewed 10 September 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/netherlands/daft#answer

What is the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur in Kingdom of the Netherlands?

Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur is an unsponsored Netherlands route. Indicative government fees are Around €1,500; indicative processing time is 2–4 weeks after complete submission; typical duration is Initial 2 years, renewable for 5; leads to permanent residence. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) on 22 June 2026.

Europe digital-nomad money stack

Europe digital-nomad cost, income and settlement methodology

The route guide answers eligibility. This method layer ties that answer to source-backed cost data and warns where comparator routes are not dedicated nomad visas.

No generic best-country claim

Portugal, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands answer different eligibility questions. Rank them only after stating the criterion: income floor, paid-away cost, family scaling, renewal path, settlement or tax exposure.

Income evidence is not an application fee

Remote-work income, retained business capital and accommodation cash-flow are evidence or liquidity gates. They must not be merged with consular fees, residence-card fees, insurance, translations or apostilles.

Tax residence is separate from visa eligibility

Visa approval does not settle income-tax, social-security, Beckham-regime, Portuguese ordinary-residence or Dutch/German business-tax treatment. Those are separate jurisdiction-specific checks.

RouteIncome or funds gateApplicant paid-away baselineFamily and renewal caveatSettlement and tax caveatSource date
Portuguese Republic - D8 visa (digital nomad / remote work)Dedicated EU digital-nomad residence route with a remote-work income floor.€44,160/year; Remote-work income evidence (last 3 months at D8 floor): €11,040€420-€1,040Mandatory refundable/show-only line: €11,040.Residence-track D8 budgeting should keep accompanying-family national visa and AIMA card lines separate from the principal applicant. Tracked lines: Accompanying family-member national visa (€110); Accompanying family-member AIMA residence card (€170-€230).Counts toward Portugal long-term residence or citizenship planning, but Portuguese tax residence must be modelled separately from D8 eligibility.1 July 2026VistosMNE - D8 digital-nomad requirements
Kingdom of Spain - Digital Nomad Visa (Spain)Dedicated international-teleworker route tied to Spain SMI and non-Spanish-client income.€34,188/year; Remote-work income evidence (200% of 2026 SMI): €34,188€647.02-€1,677.02Mandatory refundable/show-only line: €34,188.Family analysis must keep UGE/TIE/consular fees and SMI-linked dependant income uplifts visible as separate lines. Tracked lines: Family-member UGE/TIE/consular fees (€26.08-€116.08); First dependant income uplift (€12,820.50).Counts toward Spanish permanent residence, but Beckham-regime and tax-residence treatment are separate advice questions.1 July 2026UGE-CE teleworker documentation and BOE - Real Decreto 126/2026
Federal Republic of Germany - Freelance / Self-employment residence permit (§21 AufenthG)Comparator self-employment route, not a dedicated digital-nomad visa; the binding evidence is viability, clients and financing.Comparator self-employment route, not a dedicated digital-nomad visa; the binding evidence is viability, clients and financing.No dedicated cost-to-complete model tracked yet; use the route guide source before publishing a cost answer.Do not publish a generic Germany nomad cost claim without local authority, health-insurance and family-residence evidence.Can be settlement-track for successful self-employment, but German tax and social-security exposure start from the resident fact pattern.22 June 2026Make it in Germany — Self-employment
Kingdom of the Netherlands - Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneurComparator treaty route, not a global digital-nomad route; eligibility is nationality-gated and built around business capital.Comparator treaty route, not a global digital-nomad route; eligibility is nationality-gated and built around business capital.No dedicated cost-to-complete model tracked yet; use the route guide source before publishing a cost answer.Do not treat DAFT as a generally available Netherlands digital-nomad visa because US/Japanese treaty access is the gate.Can count toward long-term Dutch residence, but retained business capital and Dutch tax residence are different checks.22 June 2026IND — Self-employed person (DAFT / Dutch-Japanese friendship treaty)

Key cost distinction

Visa Atlas separates Europe digital-nomad application costs from income evidence: Portugal D8 and Spain Digital Nomad Visa show remote-work income as evidence, not a fee, while Germany freelancer and Netherlands DAFT remain comparator self-employment routes unless a route-specific cost model is present.

Where a route-specific cost model is unavailable, check the official route guidance for the missing amount. Latest source record in this cluster: 1 July 2026. Use the comparison as planning guidance and confirm the current requirements before applying.

Overview

DAFT is a bilateral treaty allowing US nationals to live in the Netherlands as self-employed business owners with a relatively low capital investment (€4,500 held in the business). The route also extends under equivalent treaties to Japanese nationals (the Dutch-Japanese friendship treaty).

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Register Dutch company

    Most DAFT applicants set up as eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship) or BV.

  2. Deposit €4,500 in business account

    Capital must be retained during the permit.

  3. Apply with IND

    DAFT route is self-sponsored.

  4. Live and trade

    Renew at year 2; permanent residence option after 5 years.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to NetherlandsFirst steps after arrivingDestination moving checklist

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Netherlands. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Apply as self-employed ↗

    DAFT applicants use this IND self-employed route page to prepare and file the residence application.

    Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · verified

Fees and processing time

A typical Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur application runs about €508.15 in government fees (uS citizen, arrival + IND + KvK (ignoring the €4,500 maintained equity)). The issuing authority does not publish a central processing time for this route, so plan against comparable cases. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

Matches these professions

EntrepreneurInvestorDigital nomadPhotographer

Also explored by

American

Compare Kingdom of the Netherlands with

Related routes

Frequently asked questions

Is DAFT only for US citizens?+

DAFT itself is for US nationals. Japanese nationals access an equivalent self-employment route under the Dutch-Japanese friendship treaty. Other nationalities fall under the general Dutch self-employment points system, which is more demanding.

How much capital do I need and what does it cost to apply under DAFT?+

DAFT requires 4,500 euros held in a Dutch business bank account, and the government fee is around 1,500 euros. The route is for US nationals, with an equivalent treaty route for Japanese nationals. Confirm current figures on the official IND page.

Does the DAFT entrepreneur route lead to permanent residence?+

Yes — DAFT starts as an initial 2-year permit, renewable for 5 years, and leads to permanent residence after 5 years. Confirm the permanent-residence requirements on the official IND page.

What kind of company do I register for DAFT — a sole proprietorship or a BV?+

Most DAFT applicants register either as an eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship) or a BV with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK), and the company must be registered when you apply. Lacking a Dutch company registration at application time is a common blocker. Confirm requirements on the official IND page.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Netherlands

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)

Last checked: 22 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

CompareFind visa options