If you are a non-EU/EEA national and want to work as a self-employed entrepreneur in the Netherlands, you need a residence permit for self-employed persons from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). The key condition is that your business serves an essential Dutch interest, which the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) assesses with a points system. Turkish nationals and Japanese nationals follow different rules, and US citizens have a separate route under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT), without the points-based test.
Which conditions must you meet?
You must meet the general conditions for residence, register your business with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK), hold any licences your sector requires, meet the income requirement and show that your business is of essential interest to the Netherlands. If you work as a freelancer, you must also have one or more assignments in the Netherlands.
The general conditions include a valid passport, no threat to public order and, in many cases, a tuberculosis test. Depending on your nationality, you may also need a provisional residence permit (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, MVV) to enter the Netherlands. Once the IND has decided positively, you make an appointment to collect the MVV at the Dutch embassy or consulate.
The income requirement means you must be able to support yourself from your business, without relying on public funds. The IND and the RVO assess this on the basis of your business plan and financial forecasts. Check the current requirements on the IND page on the self-employed permit before you apply.
How does the points system work?
The RVO assesses three areas: your personal experience, your business plan and the added value of your business for the Netherlands. According to the IND, your business is of essential interest if you score at least 30 points in each area, or at least 45 points for personal experience and 45 points for your business plan.
The IND asks the RVO for advice and then makes the decision. In practice, the RVO’s advice carries great weight, so the quality of your documentation largely determines the outcome.
Personal experience
The RVO looks at whether you have the education, experience and track record to run this business. A relevant degree, previous experience as an entrepreneur and several years of work experience in the same field all count.
Your income in recent years also plays a role. It shows whether you have been able to earn a living in the past and makes your forecasts more credible.
Business plan
The business plan is usually the most important part of the application. The RVO looks at your market analysis, your financial forecasts and your organisation, and assesses whether the plan is realistic and well researched.
A plan that identifies a genuine gap in the Dutch market and explains how you will fill it scores better than a generic plan. A general marketing agency is unlikely to stand out; an agency that specialises in data analytics for the Dutch logistics sector has a clearer case.
Added value for the Netherlands
In this part you show what the Netherlands gains from your business. The RVO considers, among other things, innovation, job creation and investment.
Relevant questions are whether your product, service or business model is new to the Dutch market, whether you plan to hire staff in the Netherlands, how much you invest in the Dutch business yourself and whether your business fits in one of the sectors the Dutch government prioritises, such as life sciences and health, high tech systems or agri-food.
Who is exempt from the points system?
The points system does not apply to Turkish nationals, who can rely on the association agreement between the EU and Turkey. It also does not apply to holders of long-term EU resident status from another EU country, and certain independent professions, such as medical specialists and artists, are assessed differently.
US and Japanese nationals can apply under the trade treaties with their countries. Under that route the points system does not apply, but the IND requires a minimum capital investment of €4,500 in the Dutch business for most business forms.
Is the start-up permit a better route?
For innovative founders it can be. The start-up residence permit gives you one year to develop an innovative business under the guidance of an experienced facilitator recognised by the RVO. Before that year ends, you can apply for the self-employed permit.
The start-up route does not avoid the points system altogether: when you switch to the self-employed permit, your business is assessed again. However, the year with a facilitator gives you time to build a track record, test your market and strengthen your business plan. Read more in our article on the start-up visa in the Netherlands.
A direct application is realistic if you already have relevant experience, a well-researched plan and, ideally, concrete clients or assignments in the Netherlands. If your business is still at the idea stage, the start-up route is often the more sensible first step.
What does a convincing business plan contain?
A convincing business plan shows, with evidence, that there is demand for your business in the Netherlands and that you can earn a living from it. Assessors see many standard plans, so tailoring to the Dutch market is essential.
Focus on at least these parts:
- a market analysis that proves a real need for your product or service in the Netherlands;
- financial forecasts for the coming years that are realistic and detailed;
- a clear explanation of what distinguishes you from existing competitors;
- your organisation, legal structure and personal financial position.
Market analysis
Your market analysis must show a gap in the Dutch market that your business can fill, supported by concrete evidence. General statements about the size of a sector are not enough.
Take a consultant who specialises in AI for sustainable agriculture. A weak analysis says that the Netherlands has a large agricultural sector. A strong analysis names specific problems in that sector, refers to Dutch policy and industry reports, identifies a few direct competitors and explains how the consultant’s services differ.
Financial forecasts
Your forecasts must show a credible path to an income on which you can live. They should cover your expected turnover, business costs and personal income, and be based on real data.
Break down your revenue into its sources, such as project fees, retainers or training. List your costs, including software, marketing and insurance, and include a personal income that meets the income requirement. Forecasts based on concrete leads or letters of intent from Dutch clients are much more convincing than general assumptions about the number of clients you expect.
Organisation and personal finances
Explain the legal structure you choose and your role in the business. Many freelancers start with a sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak); others choose a private limited company (besloten vennootschap, BV).
Also show your personal financial position, for example with bank statements, so it is clear that you can cover your start-up costs and living expenses without relying on public funds. For tax structuring, consult a tax adviser.
How does the IND procedure work?
You submit the application to the IND with your business plan and supporting documents; the IND asks the RVO for advice and then decides. If you already live lawfully in the Netherlands, you can usually apply for a change of residence purpose from within the country.
Under Article 25 of the Aliens Act 2000 (Vreemdelingenwet 2000), the IND must decide within 90 days, a period it can extend in certain circumstances. If the IND does not decide in time, you can send a written notice of default (ingebrekestelling) and then appeal against the failure to decide. Since 15 April 2025, the IND no longer owes a penalty payment for late decisions in immigration cases.
Getting your documents in order
Start early with your personal documents. Foreign civil status documents, such as a birth or marriage certificate, usually need to be legalised or carry an apostille, depending on the country that issued them.
Arrange this in your country of origin before you leave, because doing it from the Netherlands is often difficult and a common cause of delay. Your municipality needs these documents when you register in the Personal Records Database (BRP) and receive your citizen service number (BSN). Some municipalities require documents that are not older than six months, so check the requirements in advance.
Appointments and your residence permit
After a positive decision, you make appointments with the IND, for example to have your biometrics taken and to collect your residence document. If you need an MVV, you first collect it at the Dutch embassy or consulate and travel to the Netherlands.
Check in your decision letter or with the IND whether and when you may start working. Do not start before you are sure: working without the right permit can have serious consequences for your application and your residence.
What must you arrange after approval?
After approval, your focus shifts to running the business and staying compliant. Register with the KVK if you have not already done so, and arrange your tax registration, health insurance and a separate business bank account.
When you register your business with the KVK, the Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst) generally receives your details and issues a VAT (btw) identification number. You then file VAT returns, usually each quarter, and an annual income tax return. For questions about your tax position, consult a tax adviser.
Anyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must in principle take out Dutch basic health insurance, within four months of becoming insured. Do not wait: the CAK can impose fines if you remain uninsured.
Your permit was granted on the basis of the business plan you submitted. A major change in your activities or business model can affect the extension, so seek advice before you change course.
How do you extend your permit?
The first self-employed permit is valid for a maximum of two years. When you apply for an extension, the IND assesses whether your business is still viable and whether you still meet the income requirement.
You demonstrate this with your actual figures, such as tax returns, profit and loss accounts and contracts with clients. Actual turnover is the most convincing evidence that your business works. Keep a complete record of contracts, invoices and major expenses from day one, so you can build your extension application on solid evidence.
Apply for the extension in good time, before your current permit expires. If you apply late, there may be a gap in your lawful residence, with consequences for your right to work and for any later application for permanent residence.
What can we do for you with a self-employed residence permit?
Our immigration lawyers assist entrepreneurs from the first plan to the extension:
- We assess whether the self-employed permit, the start-up permit or a treaty route (DAFT, Turkey, Japan) fits your situation.
- We review your business plan against the three RVO scoring areas before you file.
- We prepare and submit the application to the IND, including the change of residence purpose if you already live here.
- We send a notice of default (ingebrekestelling) if the IND exceeds the 90-day decision period.
- We draft the objection (bezwaar) against a refusal within the four-week deadline and challenge the RVO advice.
- We prepare the extension application with your actual figures.
Summary
- A non-EU/EEA entrepreneur needs a self-employed residence permit; the business must serve an essential Dutch interest.
- The RVO assesses personal experience, the business plan and added value; you need at least 30 points in each area, or 45 points each for experience and business plan.
- Turkish nationals and US or Japanese nationals under their trade treaties follow different rules.
- The start-up permit can be a sensible first step for innovative businesses at an early stage.
- The first permit is valid for up to two years; for an extension you must show that your business generates sufficient income.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income requirement?
You must be able to support yourself from your business on an independent and sustainable basis, without relying on public funds. The IND publishes the required amounts on its page on income requirements and adjusts them periodically, so check the current figures before you apply.
You can support your application with contracts from clients, financial statements from an existing business and realistic forecasts in your business plan.
Can I switch from another Dutch residence permit?
Yes. If you live lawfully in the Netherlands, for example as a student or as a highly skilled migrant, you can usually apply for a change of residence purpose to self-employment without leaving the country. You must meet all the conditions, including the points system. Apply well before your current permit expires, because the IND may take up to 90 days, or longer if the period is extended.
What happens if my application is rejected?
You can object (bezwaar) to the decision within four weeks of the day after the decision was sent; this deadline is strict. Rejections are often based on too few points in the RVO assessment. In the objection you can challenge that advice and submit additional evidence. Depending on your situation, the start-up permit may also be an alternative.
