Financial threshold
—
no minimum listed
Stay
24
months, renewable
Application fee
$487
Tax
Worldwide
Progressive income tax up to 49.5%
Path to staying
- Residence permit24 months
- Renew60 months at a time
- Permanent residencyafter 5 years
- Citizenshipafter 5 years
- Permanent residency 5 years
- Citizenship 5 years
- Dual citizenship not allowed
- Language required for citizenship A2
Overview
- Country
- Netherlands
- Program
- Netherlands DAFT Treaty Visa
- Local name
- DAFT-verblijfsvergunning
- Type
- Freelancer
- Status
- Active
- Initial duration
- 24 months
- Renewable
- Yes (60 mo)
Self-employment residence permit for US citizens under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty. Only EUR 4,500 business capital required — one of the most accessible European residency options.
Financial requirements
- Savings required
- $5,175
- Application fee
- $487
Eligibility
- Minimum age 18+
- Criminal record check required
- Health check not required
- Health insurance required
Work rights
- Employment not allowed
- Self-employment allowed
- Own a business allowed
- Work permit included no
Family and dependents
- Dependents allowed
- Yes
- Spouse included
- Yes
- Max child age
- 18
- Parents allowed
- No
Benefits and mobility
- Schengen access
- Bank account can open
- Property purchase allowed
- Public healthcare access granted
- Must be primary residence required
Tax
- Tax regime
- Worldwide
- Regime name
- Progressive income tax up to 49.5%
- Foreign income taxed
- Yes
- Capital gains taxed
- Yes
How to apply
- Method
- both
- Processing time
- 30–60 days
- Apply from abroad
- Yes
Notes
EXCLUSIVELY for US citizens under the 1956 Dutch-American Friendship Treaty. EUR 4,500 business capital in Dutch bank account. Must register with KvK (Chamber of Commerce). Can operate as ZZP/eenmanszaak or BV. Free to work while application pending. Business equity must never drop below EUR 4,500. NL generally requires renouncing other nationality for citizenship.
Also in Netherlands
Netherlands also offers a digital nomad visa for remote workers