Founder immigration
Netherlands Startup Visa: Founder Permit and Essential Start-Up Hires
A one-year residence permit for non-EU founders building an innovative business with a recognised facilitator, and the permit your start-up's first foreign specialists need.
- IND fee 2026: EUR 423.00
- Recognised facilitator required
- Valid one year, then the self-employed permit
- Statutory decision period: 90 days
The start-up route for non-EU founders
The start-up permit is a residence permit for a founder from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland who starts an innovative business. It lasts at most one year (Aliens Decree, art. 3.30(6) and 3.58 Vb). You need a facilitator, not an employer. RVO advises on the facilitator, the innovation and the plan; the IND assesses your means and decides.
US citizens also have the treaty route: see our DAFT visa service. The start-up permit still suits a US founder who has a facilitator rather than the treaty's capital. A start-up that needs foreign specialists has a permit of its own, set out below.
What's included
From the first check to the switch after twelve months.
Route check
Your nationality, the innovation criterion you meet, your active role and the refusal patterns, screened before you spend.
Choosing a facilitator
Reading the RVO list with you and checking each candidate: two years' experience guiding innovative starters, financial stability, no majority interest, no family tie.
The facilitator agreement
Read against Annex 8b of the Aliens Regulation before you sign: signed by both, tailor-made, no strangling terms (wurgcontracten), no majority interest.
The step-by-step plan
The stappenplan checked for its four contents: your role, the idea, why it is innovative, and your first-year steps from idea to enterprise.
The company
KVK registration, which RVO checks itself; for a Dutch private limited company, the notaris's file. Help buying an existing BV by notarial share transfer: see the ready-made companies page.
The means file
One of the four forms of evidence the IND accepts, funded by you, your facilitator or a third party, for your independent expert to check.
The IND file
Your application and the state fee, filed together with the applications of your partner and children.
The year and the exit
A calendar for the facilitator's declaration and the change of purpose to the self-employed permit, filed before your one-year permit ends.
Where our work stops
The IND decides on RVO's advice, and nobody can promise its decision. We are not your facilitator, notaris or financial expert, never your director, and never bundle a Dutch address with other services (Wtt 2018).
Who the start-up permit is for
A founder from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland who meets RVO's five requirements: a facilitator, an innovative product or service, a step-by-step plan, KVK registration of founder and facilitator, and adequate financial resources (Aliens Regulation, art. 3.20b and Annex 8b).
- An innovative product or service
Any one of three criteria is enough: the product or service is new to the Netherlands; it uses new technology in production, distribution or marketing; or it has an innovative organisational set-up and method.
- A founder who runs it
You need control of the start-up and an active role, more than a shareholder's or financier's. An owner on the payroll who lives abroad, or a passive investor, is refused.
- Founders already in the Netherlands
A founder already here on a short stay to set up the business is not refused for lack of an MVV. MVV-exempt nationalities file directly with the IND (RVO's summary); check yours with the IND.
- A start-up hiring from abroad
Up to five foreign specialists can join under the essential start-up personnel permit, without the start-up becoming a recognised sponsor.
How the start-up visa process works
A time appears only where an official source sets one.
Official clockNo official time
- Route checkYou and usNo official time
- Facilitator and agreementYou and an RVO-recognised facilitatorNo official time
- Step-by-step planYou, with your facilitatorNo official time
- KVK registrationFor a BV, the notarial deed firstWithin one week of the deed
- Means evidenceYou, checked by your independent expertNo official time
- FilingThe IND, or the TEV at a Dutch embassyIND fee EUR 423.00 (2026), due at filing
- RVO advises, the IND decidesRVO and the IND90 days, extendable to at most 6 months
- The year and the switchYour facilitator declares; you file the change of purposeDeclaration after at least three months of guidance Permit at most one year: file before month 12
Route check
Nationality, innovation criterion, active role and refusal patterns; US nationals also see the treaty route.
Facilitator and agreement
Choose from the RVO list of recognised facilitators, check its conditions, sign a tailor-made agreement without strangling terms.
Step-by-step plan
Written with your facilitator: your role, the idea, why it is innovative, your first-year steps.
KVK registration
Into the Business Register; for a BV, the notarial deed first. KVK fee 2026: EUR 85.15. See the KVK registration guide.
Means evidence
Money for one year in one of four accepted forms, checked by your independent expert.
Filing
With the IND if MVV-exempt or already here, otherwise the TEV at a Dutch embassy; fee EUR 423.00 (2026). See also the full guide to moving to the Netherlands.
RVO advises, the IND decides
Extendable to at most 6 months; an incomplete file gets 2 weeks, which adds 2 weeks (IND decision periods).
The year and the switch
After at least three months of guidance, your facilitator signs the RVO model declaration. File the change of purpose to the Dutch entrepreneur visa inside the year (EUR 423.00).
Not sure your idea passes the innovation test?
Tell us the product and your role; we check them against the three innovation criteria and the refusal patterns before you approach a facilitator.
Documents you will need
What the IND and RVO ask for (Aliens Circular, B6/4.5).
- A valid passport
- The facilitator agreement, signed by you and the facilitator
- The step-by-step plan with its four contents
- Means for one year: own or company account statement, foreign bank declaration, facilitator financing agreement, or third-party declaration
- The independent external expert's check of that evidence
- The start-up's KVK registration (RVO checks the register itself)
- The facilitator's evidence of experience, financial health and KVK registration
- A declaration that you and the facilitator are not related to the third degree
- The IND application and fee
- Legalised and translated foreign documents, where required
The IND may ask for further standard documents.
Essential start-up personnel: hiring specialists from abroad
A different permit from yours: employment, not self-employment (art. 3.31(6) Vb; BuWav 2022, art. 2.7). The start-up hires without a TWV work permit and without the recognised-sponsor status the highly skilled migrant permit needs, until 1 June 2028.
Check the start-up
A BV, CV or NV with at most fifteen employees when assessed, shown by an anonymised payroll summary under three months old; at most five hires on this scheme.
Set the hire's terms
Salary from EUR 3,122 gross a month, holiday allowance excluded, indexed each 1 January; a stake of at least 1 percent of issued capital or EUR 65,000 in value, without performance conditions, vesting within three years.
Financing
Financing evidence, or an agreement of at least EUR 100,000 with a venture investor or Dutch bank; with a facilitator, file within 18 months of the agreement's end.
The employer files
The start-up files with the IND and pays EUR 423.00 (2026).
Validity and end date
RVO's advice stays valid three years from the first permit. The scheme lapses on 1 June 2028; people already working under it continue to 31 May 2029.
Other routes and terms for foreign hires: the EU Blue Card guide and the 30 percent ruling guide.
- Basis
- Self-employment
- Condition
- An agreement with an RVO-recognised facilitator
- Duration
- At most one year, then the self-employed permit
- Sources
- Aliens Decree art. 3.30(6) and 3.58; Aliens Regulation art. 3.20b
- Basis
- Employment; no TWV, no recognised sponsor
- Condition
- At least EUR 3,122 gross a month; a stake of at least 1 percent or EUR 65,000; at most five hires
- Duration
- Scheme until 1 June 2028
- Sources
- Aliens Decree art. 3.31(6); BuWav 2022 art. 2.7 and 8.1; Aliens Regulation art. 3.20e
Start-up visa fees, periods and thresholds in 2026
State figures only; our fee is on request. IND fees change every 1 January.
Start-up permit and essential personnel figures for 2026 from ind.nl, the Aliens Decree, the Aliens Regulation, BuWav 2022 and the KVK tariff; no fee of ours.
| Item | Figure | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IND fee, start-up permit, first application or change of purpose | EUR 423.00 | Due at filing; EUR 254.00 for a holder of EU long-term resident status in another member state | ind.nl fees, 2026 |
| IND fee, change of purpose to self-employed after the start-up year | EUR 423.00 | Filed inside the year | ind.nl fees, 2026 |
| IND fee, essential start-up personnel | EUR 423.00 | First application, change of purpose or extension; filed by the employer | ind.nl fees, 2026 |
| IND fee, partner / child under 18 | EUR 254.00 / EUR 85.00 | Filed alongside the main application | ind.nl fees, 2026 |
| Permit validity | At most 1 year, not extendable on this ground | Self-employed permit after: at most 2 years, renewals at most 5 | Aliens Decree, art. 3.58 Vb |
| IND decision period | 90 days, extendable to at most 6 months | 2 weeks to complete a file; the period is extended by 2 weeks | ind.nl decision periods |
| Essential personnel, salary floor | At least EUR 3,122 gross a month | Holiday allowance not counted; indexed every 1 January | BuWav 2022, art. 2.7 |
| Essential personnel, participation and limits | At least 1 percent of issued capital or EUR 65,000; at most 5 hires; at most 15 employees | Vesting within three years; scheme lapses 1 June 2028, run-off to 31 May 2029 | Aliens Regulation, art. 3.20e; BuWav 2022, art. 2.7 and 8.1 |
| Founder's means of support | No start-up amount published | Available for one year; may be funded by the facilitator or a third party | Aliens Regulation, art. 3.20b; Aliens Circular, B6/4.5 |
| KVK registration, any legal form | EUR 85.15 | One-off | Financiële regeling handelsregister 2019, art. 5 |
Problems we solve
- "What are my chances?"
Neither the IND nor RVO publishes an approval rate. A positive answer is needed on every count, so we screen the refusal patterns before you pay anyone.
- "How much money do I need?"
No start-up amount is published. Means must last a year; a facilitator or third party may fund them. EUR 1,766.77 a month (July to December 2026) is the IND's self-employed row, not a start-up figure.
- The twelve-month cliff
The permit cannot be extended on this ground. The exit is the self-employed permit with your facilitator's declaration; at its first extension, RVO's continuity and solvency advice replaces the income history.
- The facilitator contract
Facilitators are private and their fees and conditions vary; no state figure exists. The agreement may hold no strangling terms and give no majority interest, so we read it before you sign.
- "Can someone else run it?"
No. A passive investor, or an owner on the payroll who lives abroad, is refused. The permit is for the founder who runs the start-up.
- A BV deed in English online
The electronic deed of art. 2:175a of the Civil Code is open to EU nationals only, so a non-EU founder uses the paper deed before a notaris.
Planning to hire specialists from abroad in the first year?
Tell us the roles you plan to fill; we check the start-up's size, the salary and participation terms and the financing evidence.
Why work with us
The innovation criteria and refusal patterns first; then the RVO list and the facilitator agreement; the plan's four contents; the KVK registration or the notary's file; the means file for your expert; the IND file with your family's; the twelve-month calendar.
Priya Ramdin, founder services and immigration lead, Amsterdam: nine years on DAFT, start-up and self-employed permit files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an approval rate for the Dutch startup visa?
Neither the IND nor RVO publishes an approval rate, so we quote none. What is known is the test: RVO advises on the facilitator, the innovation and the plan, the IND assesses the means, and a positive answer is needed on every count. A passive investor, or an owner on the payroll living abroad, is refused.
Can I extend the startup visa after one year?
Not on this ground: the permit lasts at most one year. The exit is the self-employed permit, where your facilitator's declaration, after at least three months of guidance, meets the minimum score in each part of the points system (Aliens Regulation, Annex 8a). At its first extension, RVO's continuity and solvency advice replaces the income history.
How much money do I need for the Netherlands startup visa?
No start-up amount is published. Your means must be available for one year and may be funded by you, your facilitator or a third party, shown in one of four accepted forms and checked by an independent expert. The IND's EUR 1,766.77 a month (1 July to 31 December 2026) is its self-employed row.
Do I have to pay the facilitator, and how much?
A facilitator may charge for its support: facilitators are private organisations, and their costs and conditions vary. No state figure exists, so we quote none. What the rules fix is the contract: signed by both, tailor-made, no strangling terms and no majority interest for the facilitator. Our own fee is on request.
Can I invest in a Dutch startup and get the permit without running it?
No. The founder needs control of the start-up and an active role, more than a shareholder's or financier's. The Aliens Circular refuses a person who invests money but carries on no business activities, and an owner on the payroll who lives outside the Netherlands. Owning a Dutch company from abroad needs no permit at all.
What are the requirements for a Dutch startup visa?
RVO lists five: a recognised facilitator, an innovative product or service, a step-by-step plan, KVK registration of both founder and facilitator, and adequate financial resources. Innovation means any one of three criteria. The facilitator needs at least two years' experience guiding innovative starters, financial stability, no majority interest and no family tie to you.
How much does the Netherlands startup visa cost?
The state charges the IND fee of EUR 423.00 and EUR 85.15 for KVK registration (2026 figures). Applications for a partner and a child under 18 cost EUR 254.00 and EUR 85.00. Legalising, translating and sending foreign documents may add costs. Facilitator fees are private and vary. Our own fee is on request.
How long does the IND take to decide?
The statutory decision period is 90 days, and the IND can extend it to at most 6 months. An incomplete file gets 2 weeks to complete, which extends the period by 2 weeks. Choosing the facilitator, writing the plan and registering the company come first and have no official timing.
Can I get a 1-year visa for the Netherlands?
Yes, this permit is one. The start-up permit is granted for at most one year and cannot be extended on this ground. Within that year you file a change of purpose to the self-employed permit, which is granted for at most two years and then renewed for at most five years each time.
Is it hard for a US citizen to move to the Netherlands?
US founders file the start-up permit directly with the IND: RVO's summary lists them among the founders who apply there. They also have the treaty route, set out on our DAFT page. Permanent residence comes only after five years of lawful residence (art. 21 Aliens Act); we do not promise that the start-up year counts.
Can I get a Netherlands work visa without a job offer?
A founder can: the start-up permit needs a recognised facilitator, not an employer, and it covers building your own innovative business as a self-employed person. Employees recruited from abroad use other routes, such as the highly skilled migrant permit, which needs an employer that is a recognised sponsor.
Can my startup hire foreign employees, and what is the essential start-up personnel permit?
Yes, up to five. The essential start-up personnel permit lets a BV, CV or NV with at most fifteen employees hire without a work permit or recognised-sponsor status. Each hire earns at least EUR 3,122 gross a month and holds at least 1 percent of the capital or EUR 65,000. The scheme runs until 1 June 2028.
Is there a separate Amsterdam startup visa?
No. The start-up permit is national, granted under art. 3.30(6) of the Aliens Decree, and the same conditions apply wherever in the Netherlands you build the business. The RVO list names recognised facilitators across the country, so an Amsterdam base is a choice of facilitator and office, not a separate scheme.
What startup jobs are available in the Netherlands with visa sponsorship?
The RVO list is a list of recognised facilitators, not of employers. A start-up that wants to hire a foreign specialist uses the essential start-up personnel permit, with its salary and participation floors and at most five hires, or the highly skilled migrant route, which needs an employer that is a recognised sponsor.
Can my partner work in the Netherlands?
Your partner and children apply alongside you: EUR 254.00 for a partner and EUR 85.00 for a child under 18 (IND, 2026). Under art. 7.1 of BuWav 2022, family members of a self-employed person have free access to the labour market; the start-up permit is a self-employed permit, so this applies by inference.
Request a start-up visa route check
Tell us your product, your role and your nationality; we confirm the route, the facilitator questions and the documents for your situation.