In this guide
The start-up residence permit exists for people who need a Dutch residence permit and want to start an innovative business in the Netherlands. This guide explains what the IND publishes about it: the requirements, the role of the facilitator, the application steps, the fee and what happens after the first year.
💡 Related: ZZP registration Netherlands step by step, highly-skilled migrant visa Netherlands, BSN application guide for expats.
Quick answer: The start-up residence permit is valid for at most 1 year. You need a facilitator (a mentor on the RVO list) under a signed contract, an innovative company, a step-by-step plan that the RVO assesses and proof that you meet the income requirements. The IND fee is €423 in 2026 and the IND decides within 90 days.
What the Start-up Permit Is
You apply for a residence permit as a start-up if you want to start an innovative business in the Netherlands (IND). It is not a general self-employment permit. If your plan is a standard service business, look at the self-employed permit instead.
The IND asks the RVO (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency) for advice on the facilitator, the innovativeness of your start-up, the step-by-step plan and the registration in the Trade Register. Positive advice from the RVO is needed for a residence permit.
EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not need a residence permit to start a business in the Netherlands.
The Requirements (IND)
According to the IND you must:
- meet the general requirements that apply to everyone;
- work together with a facilitator, in a signed contract between you and the facilitator;
- have an innovative company;
- play an active part in the organisation, meaning more than just being a shareholder or financier;
- have a step-by-step plan to go from idea to company, which the RVO assesses;
- be registered, together with the facilitator, in the KvK Trade Register;
- meet the income requirements.
What counts as innovative
The IND names three situations: the product or service is new to the Netherlands, the start-up uses new technology in production, distribution and/or marketing, or the start-up has a new way of working and organising. The RVO website has more on innovative entrepreneurship.
The step-by-step plan
The plan sets out the structure of the organisation, the roles and responsibilities, the legal form, the personnel, the company’s goals, a description of your innovative product or service and a description of the planning and activities involved in setting up the company.
The income requirement
You can prove it with a bank statement from a Dutch personal or business bank account showing enough money. If you cannot open a Dutch account, the IND names two alternatives: authorise a person in the Netherlands to open a postbus rekening in your name, or use a third-party account from a Dutch notary. The facilitator can also finance your stay, and the money must then be available for your entire stay (1 year at most). The IND publishes the required amounts on its required amounts page; check it before you apply.
The Facilitator
The IND keeps the facilitator requirements short: the RVO keeps a list of facilitators that meet them. A facilitator:
- has experience mentoring innovative start-ups;
- is financially healthy and has not been granted suspension of payment or been put into liquidation;
- has no negative equity capital;
- does not have a majority interest in your company;
- is not your child, parent, grandparent, uncle or aunt (family up to and including the third degree);
- has a deputy within the organisation.
The IND does not regulate what a facilitator charges or which services it offers. Compare facilitators and get the terms in writing, because your cooperation must be written down in a signed contract.
The Application Steps (IND)
- Check the requirements. A provisional residence permit (MVV) is needed for the application. If you are already in the Netherlands to set up an innovative company on a short-stay visa, or you do not need a visa, select the option “No MVV needed” and the IND will not reject the application for lack of an MVV, provided you meet the other conditions.
- Collect documents. The application form lists the documents. Official foreign documents must be legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German. Your facilitator can upload the documents in the online application.
- Apply. You apply for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time. If you are abroad, apply at the Dutch representation abroad. If you are in the Netherlands, you or your facilitator can apply there: the facilitator can submit the application online via the Business Portal, and you can apply yourself in writing by post.
- Pay. The application costs €423 (IND, 2026).
- Wait for the decision. The IND must decide within 90 days. The period can be extended, for example if the application is incomplete.
- Decision. A positive decision gives you an MVV and a residence permit (or a residence permit if no MVV is needed).
- Travel and collect. With an MVV, make an appointment at the Dutch representation within 3 months of the decision. Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months, and the MVV is valid for 90 days. Then make an appointment at an IND desk to collect the residence permit.
After Arrival
Registering your company at the KvK
The IND requires that you and the facilitator are registered in the Trade Register. The KvK registration costs €85.15 (2026). Which legal form you choose is part of your step-by-step plan. If you choose a BV, a Dutch civil-law notary drafts the deed of incorporation. For help finding an English-speaking notary, see best English-speaking notaris Netherlands.
A business bank account
The IND accepts a Dutch personal or business bank account as proof of funds, and a business account is also useful for running the company. bunq offers business accounts that you open in its app. Check on bunq.com whether you are eligible, and compare with the traditional banks.
Your BSN and registration
Registering at the municipality gives you a BSN, which banks need soon after you open an account (ABN AMRO within 120 days, ING within 90 days for non-EEA passport holders). For the full steps, see the BSN application guide.
Start-up Permit vs Self-Employed Permit
The start-up permit is for an innovative company, requires a facilitator, and is valid for at most 1 year. The self-employed permit is a separate permit with its own requirements, including an income requirement (gross profit per month with holiday allowance of EUR 1,766.77 from 1 July to 31 December 2026, IND). Read both IND pages before choosing. For the freelance route, see ZZP registration Netherlands step by step and tax filing for freelance expats Netherlands.
The Highly-Skilled Migrant Alternative
If a Dutch employer that is a recognised sponsor, including your own company once it is recognised, offers you a job at the IND salary criterion, the highly skilled migrant route may be available. In 2026 the criterion is €5,942 gross per month excluding holiday allowance for people aged 30 or over, and €4,357 for people under 30. See the highly-skilled migrant visa Netherlands guide for the full requirements. The orientation year visa Netherlands is another adjacent route for recent graduates.
After the First Year
The start-up permit cannot be extended. After 1 year you can apply for a residence permit as a self-employed person, provided you meet its requirements and include a declaration from the facilitator that you successfully completed a mentoring process of at least 3 months (IND). Keep up regular contact with your facilitator during the year, and keep your company records in order from the start: a company in the Netherlands has VAT, corporate income tax and, if you pay yourself a salary, payroll obligations. See best English-speaking accountant Netherlands.
Dutch corporate income tax for 2026 is 19% on profit up to EUR 200,000 and 25.8% above that (Belastingdienst).
Costs Published by the Authorities
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| IND application fee (2026) | €423 |
| KvK registration (2026) | €85.15 |
Facilitator fees, notary fees and living costs are not set by an authority and vary per provider; ask for quotes.
The Official Sources
- IND start-up page: the requirements, fees and application process
- IND self-employed person page
- RVO (rvo.nl): the facilitator list and the assessment of innovative start-ups
- KvK (kvk.nl): company registration
Fees and requirements change; confirm them on the IND site before you apply.
For the settlement side, see the first year in the Netherlands expat guide and the complete moving checklist Netherlands 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for the Netherlands start-up residence permit?
Anyone who needs a Dutch residence permit and wants to start an innovative business in the Netherlands. According to the IND you must meet the general requirements, work with a facilitator under a signed contract, have an innovative company, play an active part in it, have a step-by-step plan that the RVO assesses, be registered with the facilitator in the KvK Trade Register and meet the income requirements. EU/EEA citizens do not need a residence permit.
How much does the start-up residence permit cost?
The IND fee is EUR 423 in 2026 (ind.nl). The IND does not set what a facilitator charges, so agree that with the facilitator in writing. Other costs, such as a company registration at the KvK (EUR 85.15 in 2026), come on top.
What counts as innovative?
The IND says your company is innovative if the product or service is new to the Netherlands, if it uses new technology in production, distribution or marketing, or if it has a new way of working and organising. The RVO advises the IND on the innovativeness of your start-up.
What is a facilitator?
A facilitator is a reliable mentor on the RVO list who works with you under a signed contract. The IND says the facilitator must have experience mentoring innovative start-ups, be financially healthy, not hold a majority interest in your company, not be a close family member and have a deputy within the organisation.
What happens after the start-up permit year ends?
The permit is valid for at most 1 year and cannot be extended as a start-up permit. After 1 year you can apply for a residence permit as a self-employed person, if you meet its requirements and provide a declaration from the facilitator that you completed a mentoring process of at least 3 months (IND).
How long does the IND take to decide?
The IND must decide within 90 days. The period can be extended, for example if the application is incomplete. The IND asks the RVO for advice, and positive advice from the RVO is needed for the permit.