Immigration Services
The Netherlands
The self-employed application is a promising application procedure for ambitious self-employed entrepreneurs who want to establish their business in the Netherlands. A residence permit as a self-employed person ensures that the entrepreneur can set up or establish his/her company in the Netherlands without any legal problems.
The entrepreneur must meet a number of criteria. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) is the official body that assesses whether or not the criteria are met by the entrepreneur. RVO does this by issuing an advice to the IND. The IND always accepts this advice.
Are you an entrepreneur with the Turkish nationality? Please refer to our Turkish self-employment page.
Are you an entrepreneur with a US or Japanese nationality? Please refer to our DAFT application page and our Dutch Japanese Trade Treaty page.
The advice from RVO is based on a scoring system, in which RVO takes the following criteria into consideration;
- Personal experience. RVO assesses the education level of the self-employed person, the entrepreneurial experience, the overall work experience, the income of the past and the experience in the Netherlands;
- Business plan. RVO assesses the market potential in the Netherlands, the organization of the company and the financing of the company, whereby the solvency of the entrepreneur is central;
- Added value for the economy of the Netherlands. RVO assesses the innovativeness of the product or service offered by the entrepreneur, job creation within the company and investments in the company.
The self-employed person can obtain a maximum of 300 points. A minimum of 90 points is required for obtaining a positive advice from RVO.
If you are active in the arts as a self-employed person, then the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is responsible for issuing an advice to the IND. The IND always accepts this advice. This will be the procedure when it involves professions such as a musician, painter, comedian, working in the theatre, etc.
Given our experience at the self-employment department within the IND, INLS would be more than happy to manage your self-employment application.
Please refer to the FAQ list below for more information about the self-employment application.
Frequently asked questions
The self-employment application can take up to 2-6 months. If you’re in the Netherlands legally you’ll get a sticker from the IND. While the procedure is going, you can proceed with the self-employment activities in the Netherlands.
The IND fees for the self-employment application procedure are €350,- Citizens from Israel and San Marino are exempted from paying the IND fees.
The self-employment residence permit is valid for 2 years.
You’ll need a TWV/ work permit to work for an employer.
Yes, it is possible. INLS manages the application for the spouse or partner and children as well. Please visit our partner of a Dutch residence permit holder page and family of a Dutch residence permit holder page.
Legal disclaimer
The information contained in this site is for general guidance on matters of interest only. The application and impact of laws can vary widely based on the specific facts involved. Given the changing nature of laws, rules and regulations, and the inherent hazards of electronic communication, there may be delays, omissions or inaccuracies in information contained in this site. Accordingly, the information on this site is provided with the understanding that INLS is not liable for the above content. As such, it should not be used as a substitute for consultation with our professionals before making any decision or taking any action.
