Netherlands · Business / Startup
Netherlands Startup permit
First stay: 1 yr
Residence permit for start-up (start-up facilitator)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Startup permit is a business / startup route for Netherlands. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €423 ≈ $470
- Processing
- Up to 90 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €423 ≈ $470; decision: up to 90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€423 ≈ $470
- EUR 423 (≈ $470)IND application fee for the first application for the start-up permit.
RenewalRenewable, 1 year max
The permit lasts 1 year; afterwards you can move to a self-employed permit, with a simpler transition if your facilitator completes a declaration.
ProcessingUp to 90 days
The IND aims to decide within 90 days.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply at a Dutch embassy or consulate in your country of residence, or in the Netherlands if you already hold a Dutch residence permit.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route is capped at 1 year in total
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- The applicant is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national.
- The applicant works with an approved facilitator recognised by RVO.
- An innovative product or service.
- A plan to turn the idea into a viable business.
What you must show2
- Sufficient money to live in the Netherlands.
- The application fee is EUR423 (≈ $470).
Steps2
- A self-employed permit can be applied for after the one-year start-up permit.
- A decision is aimed within 90 days.
When you become tax resident
How Netherlands decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year in total
- Tax residence
Residence determined by durable ties to the Netherlands rather than a fixed day count.
- Income tax
Work and home income for people under retirement age: 35.75% up to EUR38,883, (≈ $43,400) 37.56% to EUR78,426 (≈ $87,600) and 49.5% above.
All tax rules for Netherlands Tax records checked
Full official text
One-year permit for an innovative startup with the support of an RVO-recognised facilitator, after which a self-employed permit can be applied for; decision aimed within 90 days. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 423 (≈ $470) · IND application fee for the first application for the start-up permit. 3
Requirements
- The applicant is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national. 1 2
- The applicant works with an approved facilitator recognised by RVO. 1
- An innovative product or service. 1
- A plan to turn the idea into a viable business. 1
- Sufficient money to live in the Netherlands. 1
- The application fee is EUR423 (≈ $470). 3
- A self-employed permit can be applied for after the one-year start-up permit. 1 2
- A decision is aimed within 90 days. 1 2
Stay
- Valid for a maximum of one year.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Not renewable according to our source.
Nationality
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Work on the startup.
Official sources
- Residence permit for foreign startups · Business.gov.nl (IND, RVO) · checked 2026-10-10
- Required amounts: income requirements (valid 2026) · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-10
- Immigration and Naturalisation Service: fees for residence permit applications · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11
- Residence permit for foreign startups (decision period and transition) · Business.gov.nl (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) · checked 2026-10-11
Startup permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup permit | – | 1 yr | – |
| DAFT self-employed | Needs an investment of €4,500+ ≈ $5,030 | 2 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Self-employed permit | Needs income of €1,767+ a month ≈ $1,970 | 2 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Entrepreneur visa Spain | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Startup permit?
A fee of EUR 423 (≈ $470). IND application fee for the first application for the start-up permit.
How long can I stay on the Startup permit?
Valid for a maximum of one year.
How long does the Startup permit take to process?
The IND aims to decide within 90 days.
Can I work on the Startup permit?
Work on the startup.
Who can apply for the Startup permit?
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
How are Startup permit holders taxed in Netherlands?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Startup permit. The standard rules apply: Work and home income for people under retirement age: 35.75% up to EUR38,883, (≈ $43,400) 37.56% to EUR78,426 (≈ $87,600) and 49.5% above.
More in Netherlands
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Residence permit for foreign startups · Business.gov.nl (IND, RVO) · checked 2026-10-10
- Required amounts: income requirements (valid 2026) · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-10
- Immigration and Naturalisation Service: fees for residence permit applications · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11
- Residence permit for foreign startups (decision period and transition) · Business.gov.nl (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.