The Netherlands makes it possible for international entrepreneurs to acquire a residence permit on the basis of their startups.
There are, of course, several critera that you have to meet in order to be eligible for this, such as offering innovative services or products, and you must work together with an experienced mentor (also referred to as a ‘facilitator’) already established in the Netherlands. You can find the full list of criteria on the Netherlands Enterprise Agency’s website.
Currently, this residence permit is only granted for one year to allow the business to build a base here in the Netherlands. At the end of this one year, the permit needs to be assessed and you are then able to convert the startup permit into a self-employed person permit. To learn more about the self-employed person permit, you can visit the Dutch Immigration Authority’s (IND) website, which allows you to input your nationality for more information on what is required in your individual situation.
However, it was recently announced that the residence permit for foreign startups can now be extended to two years. This allows for more time for these startups to grow their business in the Netherlands, thereby making it easier for individuals to then be able to convert their startup residence permits into the self-employed person permit.
In the first half of 2023, Eric van der Burg, the State Secretary for Justice and Security of the Netherlands, will provide more information detailing the plan for changes to this startup visa and other related actions that will be taken to improve regulations for foreign startups.
