*Updated in January 2024 (how to get a DAFT visa)
1. Understand & Meet the Requirements
You must meet the following conditions for a DAFT Visa:
- You will operate your business between the US and the Netherlands.
- You will start a new business opportunity or a profession in which you have invested a substantial capital (€4500).
- You have a valid travel document (for example a passport).
- You are not a risk to public order and national security.
- You have sufficient and long-term means of support
- You must be able to make enough money after obtaining the Visa to stay off of Dutch welfare programs
- You have not previously stayed in the Netherlands illegally.
- You have not given false information or have withheld important information to support any previous applications.
You will need to choose a structure for your business: either a BV or ZZP / eenmansaak. The general rule (in 2024) is that if you plan on making at least €66,000 per year in profits with your business, you should set up a BV. This will give you access to the 30% ruling, along other with other benefits. You can read more about the difference between a BV vs ZZP.
2. Fill out the DAFT Application and Mail it to the IND
As long as you meet the criteria above, you can start the DAFT visa application process. Even though you don’t have all the information you need yet to complete part of the application, you can get started.
Along with the application, you need to EVENTUALLY submit the following documents:
- A filled out IND application form, which can be found here: DAFT Application form IND
- Copies of identity details of your passport and all pages containing travel stamps.
- An original certificate of the registration at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (not older than 3 months). You will get this later.
- When you are the sole entrepreneur (‘eenmanszaak’): A bank statement of the business account showing the amount invested. You will get this later.
- An opening balance sheet verified by a certified external expert. This can be a chartered accountant, an accounting consultant, an accountant or a financial advisor. You will get this later.
3. Make an Appointment with the Municipality (Gemeente)
After mailing in your DAFT application, make an appointment with the Gemeente (in the city you plan on living in) to get your BSN number. When making your appointment, make sure to mention you are a US Citizen applying for the Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa.
4. Book a Biometrics Appointment with the IND
When it’s time for your first appointment with the IND, make sure you have the following:
- A valid US passport with copies of identity details and copies of all pages containing travel stamps.
- The fee (You will have to bring this in cash unless you have a Dutch pin card). Most likely you will not be able to have a personal bank account yet, since you haven’t received your BSN, and this is required to open a bank account. Check here under Work > Work as a self-employed person for the latest fee as this does change frequently. Take note of the fee when you made your appointment. In case the fee changes between when you booked your appointment and when you actually arrived, you may be able to pay the lower fee.
Book this biometrics appointment after your appointment with the Gemeente. It will be easier to pay the fee. At the biometrics appointment, they will enter you into the system, take your fee, a picture, and images of your fingerprints. You will receive an extension to your temporary visa, usually 6 months. They will put a cool stamp inside of your passport. The IND will request from you via post any missing information that you will need to complete the application. Essentially, by meeting with the IND, you are adding time to your visa and buying time to complete the application process.
5. Meet with the Municipality to Register at the Municipality to Receive your BSN
The BSN is your Dutch Social Security Number. You will need your BSN for all the official forms you will complete in the process. If someone asks you, “did you register with the city yet?” or if someone reminds you that you have four months from your arrival date to register with the city – this is the step they are referring to. All residents of the Netherlands have to be registered with the city within four months of arrival; the requirements and process differ depending on your citizenship and residence status.
For your registration / BSN appointment, you will need to bring the following documentation:
- A valid passport or identity card.
- Proof you have applied for a resident permit (sticker on your passport from the IND).
- A rental agreement or deed of conveyance or written lodgings agreement with a copy of the proof of identity of the owner/main occupant of the house. (I wrote up my own document stating the name and address of the person I would be staying with, had them sign it, and attached a photocopy of their passport). It is important that you register with a trusted address as all of your important mail from the IND and Gemeente will be going there.
- Here is a standard agreement that you can fill out and sign with someone who agrees to let you register at their place: REGISTRATION FORM
- You can also find your own apartment using a relocation specialist
- An apostille birth certificate (Mine was just a regular non-apostille birth certificate and I was still able to register. The Gemeente told me that I needed to have it apostilled before I could get a BSN, but they gave me my BSN anyway)
- A proof of deregistration with the PIVA if you are moving to the Netherlands from Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba, Aruba, Curaçao en Sint Maarten.
You will receive your BSN within 5-10 days in the mail after this appointment. (It took 5 business days for mine to come)
Once you have a BSN number, you can use it to open a personal Dutch bank account. I recommend using ING as it is very easy to use and everything in is English.
6. Register with the KVK
You will need your BSN number in order to register your company as an ‘eenmanszaak’ (sole proprietorship) with the KVK (the Chamber of Commerce). Make an appointment online with the KVK in your area. In most cases, you will see that they don’t have any appointments available for weeks. There is a trick: if you check in the morning on the day-of, you should be able to make an appointment for that same day.
You will need to bring to the appointment:
- A completed registration form (done online, you don’t need to print it)
- A valid identification document (passport with your IND stamp)
- €65 or a Dutch PIN card (This is for registration and an official extract. Not sure if they take credit cards, but they might. be sure to check the fees as they might change)
- A short description of your company. This should be written in Dutch since they will enter the description into the system in Dutch. You should have a friend who speaks Dutch help you with this if possible. Otherwise, the KVK will help you translate it at the appointment.
After registration, you will get an extract with your KVK details. The information you provide will also register you with the tax office, effectively applying for a VAT number. At the end of the appointment, request an official extract of your registration. This should be around €15. You will submit this extract to the IND to fulfill the requirement for an official certificate of registration with the KVK.
7. Submit a Business Plan (Optional)
It is not required to have a business plan under the Dutch American Friendship Treaty, but I saw many sites and blogs claiming that they were told by the IND that they should submit one. It may be more important if you are starting a more complicated business. Mine was fairly simple and I did not submit one.
You may already have a business plan but it’s important to revise it so that:
- It matches with the company category/set of services specified when you registered with the KVK.
- It supports that you are meeting the conditions set by the IND.
- If your business is incorporated, the initial capital investment required will be greater. The business plan will help to determine with the IND what the required amount minimum will be.
8. Apply for a Dutch Business Bank Account
In most cases, you will need your BSN number and KVK number in order to apply for a Dutch Business bank account.
My favorite option for a business account is through Wise. There is a one time fee of €50 to open a business account through them. This makes it a much cheaper option than traditional banks. The transfer fees are some of the lowest in the industry, and it allows you to receive and send payments in many different currencies. This makes Wise a great option if you are doing business in multiple countries. I also recommend using Wise for transferring money from the US to the Netherlands.
You can also get an all-online business account through N26. You don’t even need a Dutch BSN or KVK number for this, only your US SSN, as the bank is based in Germany. This is the cheapest and most simple option, but lacks some of the features of other options. N26 costs €0 per month to keep an account open. The IND has recently told a DAFT applicant that holding their €4500 in this German Bank account was okay.
I opened my first business account with ING as they have a good deal for starters, offering free services for the first 6 months, and then around €10 per month afterward. However, after learning about N26, I moved all of my money there. Here is the ING deal if you are interested:
ING starter deal
9. Deposit Your Initial Capital Investment
The initial investment for a DAFT visa applicant is a minimum of €4500. If you are transferring money from the United States, I recommend using Wise (formerly TransferWise). They use real-time market rates and charge the smallest fees compared to any other method I could find. Plus the service is super fast and usually transfers your money within two days. This might vary depending on which US bank you use.
Check out my guide on the Best Way to Transfer Money Internationally.
10. Opening Balance Sheet Reviewed and Signed Off by an External Expert
You must get an opening balance sheet verified and signed off by an “External Expert”. This basically means that you must have someone who is a certified tax professional, accountant, or financial advisor verify that you have the required capital investment of €4500 in a business bank account. For this service, I recommend Hanna Helps.
11. Submit All Supporting Documentation
This can be done in person or by post. If you want to submit your documents in person, you must call the IND and make an appointment. I preferred making an appointment so that I could ask any questions I had about my application. You can also mail in your documents or drop them off in the mailbox at the IND office.
12. Wait
Probably the most frustrating part of dealing with the IND is that all official communications are done by post. You can meet in person or speak on the phone but if they require any information from you to complete the application, this will be requested by you via post. Any confirmations regarding your application are not official unless it is by post. So keep track of your mail. Should you need additional time to fulfill requirements, contact the IND and request an extension. They are usually amenable to this.
Patience is probably the most essential criteria for the whole DAFT visa application process. It can be frustrating. You may feel like you’re going around in circles sometimes but stay confident, diligent, and patient.
How Long Will it Take?
For an idea of how long it will take you to obtain a Dutch American Friendship Treaty Visa and move to the Netherlands as an American, you can check out my timeline and see how long the entire DAFT visa process took me.
I started my application on April 17th and picked up my residence permit on August 17th.
How to get a DAFT visa sources: https://daftvisa.wordpress.com/step-by-step-guide/