Start up visa
For many international founders, the Netherlands is an attractive place to build an innovative company. It offers a strong digital infrastructure, an internationally oriented business climate, a highly educated workforce, and direct access to the European market. Yet for non-EU entrepreneurs, a good business idea alone is not enough. To live in the Netherlands for more than 90 days and actively build a company here, the immigration route must also be correct.
The Dutch start-up visa is designed exactly for that early stage. It is a residence permit for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss entrepreneurs who want to launch an innovative business in the Netherlands under the guidance of an experienced facilitator. The permit is valid for a maximum of one year. During that year, the founder is expected to move from concept to business reality. The scheme is therefore not meant for passive investors or for ordinary small business activity without an innovative component. It is a targeted route for founders who want to build something new and scalable, and who need a legally recognised landing period in the Netherlands to do so.
In practice, the start-up visa often sits between two phases. First, there is the idea stage: product validation, market testing, incorporation planning, finding a team, and arranging Dutch market entry. Second, there is the more mature phase: operating a real business that may qualify for the Dutch self-employment residence permit. The start-up route can therefore be a valuable bridge. It gives the entrepreneur time to build substance, and it gives the Dutch authorities a framework to assess whether the founder, the concept, and the support structure are serious enough to justify residence. At the same time, it is important not to romanticise the scheme. It is useful, but it is strict, time-limited, and not suitable for every entrepreneur.
What is the start up visa?
Strictly speaking, the Dutch “start-up visa” is not a short-stay travel visa in the ordinary sense. It is a non-temporary regular residence permit for a founder who wants to work on an innovative company in the Netherlands. The IND describes it as a type I temporary regular residence permit. The core idea is simple: the Netherlands allows an early-stage entrepreneur to spend up to one year in the country to launch an innovative business, but only if that entrepreneur works together with a reliable mentor, called a facilitator.
The facilitator is not a symbolic figure. The role is central to the scheme. According to RVO, the cooperation between the entrepreneur and the facilitator must be laid down in a signed agreement, and the facilitator must provide a tailor-made support package that fits the needs of the business. That support may include operational guidance, help with marketing, research, and investor acquisition. In other words, the start-up permit is built on the assumption that innovation alone is not enough: the founder also needs serious guidance and a credible support network in the Netherlands.
This also explains why the start-up visa is different from the ordinary Dutch self-employment route. A self-employed application is aimed at entrepreneurs whose business case is mature enough to be assessed directly on its economic merit and sustainability. By contrast, the start-up route is specifically intended for the earlier phase, where the business may still be developing, testing, and building structure. For the self-employment scheme, a facilitator is not required, but the entrepreneur must submit extensive supporting material such as a thorough business plan and proof relating to income and qualifications. The start-up route is therefore often most useful where the founder has a promising innovative concept, but still needs one year of structured development before moving into the next immigration category.
Who can apply?
In broad terms, the route is intended for non-EU entrepreneurs who want to establish an innovative business in the Netherlands. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not need this residence permit and can usually proceed directly to the business-registration and practical set-up steps. The start-up visa is therefore most relevant for founders from countries outside Europe who need Dutch residence rights in order to build and run the company from within the Netherlands.
The route is especially attractive for founders in technology, digital platforms, AI, health tech, clean tech, agri-food innovation, logistics, security, life sciences, and other sectors where a product or service can genuinely be described as new, technology-driven, or organised in a novel way. That said, the label “start-up” is not enough by itself. What matters is whether the business is innovative within the meaning used by the Dutch authorities. A normal trading company, restaurant concept, consultancy practice, or ordinary service business will not automatically qualify merely because it is new to the founder. The innovation must be real and supportable.
Application requirements
The legal framework is best understood as a combination of general immigration conditions and start-up specific conditions.
First, the founder must meet the general requirements that apply to Dutch residence permits. In addition, the founder must work together with a reliable facilitator, and that cooperation must be recorded in a signed contract. The company must be innovative, the founder must play an active role in the business, there must be a credible step-by-step plan from idea to company, and both the entrepreneur and the facilitator must be registered in the Dutch Chamber of Commerce Trade Register (KvK). The founder must also show that there are sufficient means to live in the Netherlands during the start-up year.
The IND gives three clear examples of what can count as “innovative.” The product or service may be new to the Netherlands. The business may use new technology in production, distribution, or marketing. Or it may have a new way of working and organising. This is an important point. Many founders use the word innovation in a very broad commercial sense, but immigration assessment is more concrete. The application should therefore explain the innovation in a way that can be verified: what exactly is new, why is it different from what already exists, how is it scalable, and why is the Dutch market a logical place for development?
The founder must also be more than a passive investor. The law expressly states that the applicant must play an active part in the organisation and be more than just a shareholder or financier. This matters in practice. A person who mainly provides capital while others build the business is not a good fit for this route. The permit is intended for the founder who is actually developing, steering, and operationalising the venture.
Another key document is the step-by-step plan. This is not a superficial pitch deck. The authorities expect a structured plan showing how the idea will become a functioning company. The plan must set out the organisational structure, roles and responsibilities, legal form, personnel, company goals, description of the innovative product or service, and the planning and activities involved in setting up the company. RVO advises the IND on this point, and positive RVO advice is required for a successful outcome. For many applicants, the strength of the step-by-step plan is one of the most decisive parts of the case. For that, our professional lawyers’ team at Amice Advocaten can give useful advice on how to write a persuasive yet reliable business plan to present to the facilitator and the Dutch authorities for the start-up visa application.
The facilitator is subject to its own requirements. RVO states that the facilitator must have experience in guiding innovative start-ups, must be financially stable, must not be bankrupt or in receivership, must not have negative equity, may not hold a majority interest in the start-up company, and may not be a family member up to the third degree. Also, the facilitator must have a deputy within the organisation, and RVO keeps a public list of facilitators that meet the official requirements. This list is an important starting point, but it should never replace proper due diligence by the founder.
The applicant must also show sufficient means of support. The IND states that this can be proven in two different ways. The founder can show a bank statement demonstrating sufficient funds in a Dutch personal or business bank account. Where opening such an account is not yet possible, alternatives such as authorising a person in the Netherlands to open a “postbus rekening” in the founder’s name or using a Dutch notary’s third-party account could be possible. Alternatively, the facilitator may finance the founder’s stay, provided that the amount is available for the entire permitted period. This is a very practical issue, and it often becomes one of the first real-world obstacles in a start-up case.
How the application works
The application can be submitted either by the founder or by the facilitator. If the entrepreneur is abroad and requires an MVV, the MVV and residence permit are generally applied for at the same time through the Dutch representation abroad. If the entrepreneur is already in the Netherlands to set up the innovative company and has a short-stay visa or is visa-exempt, the application can proceed under the “no MVV needed” route, and the application will not be rejected solely because the applicant does not hold an MVV, provided the other conditions are met. Official foreign documents generally need to be legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French, or German.
As to timing, the decision period is 90 days, and it may be extended, for example where the application is incomplete. This is another reason why filing a weak or rushed application is usually counterproductive. A start-up founder often focuses on product development and fundraising, but immigration timing has its own discipline. Incomplete documents, unclear explanations, and weak facilitator agreements can all slow the file down.
Why apply for the start up visa
One clear advantage of having the start-up visa in the Netherlands is that it is specifically designed for the early stage of a newly established business. A founder is not burdened to show that the business is already fully mature. The scheme recognises that some ventures need a development period in the Netherlands before they are ready for the ordinary self-employment route. That makes the start-up visa particularly useful where there is already a serious idea, a credible founder, and a real growth plan, but not yet the full body of evidence that a mature trading business could provide.
A second benefit is the facilitator structure itself. For the right founder, a good facilitator is not just an immigration necessity but a practical accelerator. It describes the support as tailored and potentially covering operations, marketing, research, and investor acquisition. That can be highly valuable during the first year, when the founder must often deal with product-market fit, corporate set-up, Dutch registrations, local introductions, and investor conversations all at once. A serious facilitator can make the first year faster, better organised, and more credible.
A third advantage is that the route can create a smoother transition to the self-employment permit. This should be addressed carefully. The transition is not automatic, and the entrepreneur must still meet the legal requirements for the self-employed residence permit. Those include, among other things, registration in the Trade Register, meeting the income requirements, and showing that the activity is of essential interest to the Dutch economy. However, after the start-up year the entrepreneur may apply for the self-employed permit, and the IND specifically requires a declaration from the facilitator showing that a mentoring process of at least three months has been successfully completed. In practice, a properly chosen facilitator can therefore help the founder build the very evidence that later makes the self-employment application stronger: structure, market validation, customer traction, clearer governance, and a more developed business plan. That is why many founders see the start-up route not as an end in itself, but as a staged immigration strategy.
Another benefit is strategic credibility. A start-up application that is coherent, well documented, and backed by a reliable facilitator sends a message: the founder has done more than merely form an abstract idea. There is a real business concept, a real support ecosystem, and a real commitment to building in the Netherlands. That credibility can matter not only for immigration but also when dealing with landlords, service providers, banks, investors, or future commercial partners.
Shortcomings and risks
The most obvious shortcoming is the time limit. The start-up residence permit is valid for a maximum of one year and cannot be extended. That is not a technical detail; it is the central weakness of the route. One year is often enough to build momentum, but not always enough to build a stable company. Product development may take longer than expected. Regulation may delay launch. Fundraising may not close on time. Customers may take longer to sign contracts etc.
Founders sometimes assume they can simply renew the permit for another year if the business needs more time, but the law is clear: extension as a start-up is not possible.
The second major risk is that the start-up year does not guarantee the next permit. After one year, the founder may apply for the self-employed residence permit, but must then meet that permit’s own criteria. The self-employed route is not based merely on effort. It is based on meeting the legal test. So while the start-up visa can make the later transition easier, it does not eliminate the need for real commercial and legal substance. This is precisely why the first year should be treated as evidence-building time, not as a relaxed trial period.
A third point that applicants often overlook is work authorisation. The residence card will say that work as an employee is only allowed with a TWV. In other words, the start-up permit is not the same as free access to the Dutch labour market. The holder is in the Netherlands to work on the start-up. Separate employment is not freely permitted merely because the holder has residence as a start-up founder. For some entrepreneurs this is a decisive practical issue, especially where personal income needs are high.
A fourth risk lies in the quality of the facilitator. Not every facilitator who appears acceptable on paper is equally useful in practice. Some are highly engaged and sector-specific; others may be more generic. Some have deep operational experience and investor networks; others mainly offer branding and light-touch coaching. Since the facilitator relationship is built into both the start-up year and the later switch to self-employment, choosing the wrong facilitator can weaken not only the company but also the immigration pathway.
Recommendations when contacting a facilitator
When approaching a facilitator, applicants should resist the temptation to ask only one question: “Will you support my visa?” That is far too narrow. The better question is: what exactly will this relationship look like in practice?
Firstly, ask whether the facilitator has real experience in your sector. A software founder, med-tech founder, food-tech founder, and marketplace founder may each need very different forms of guidance.
Secondly, ask what is actually included in the support package. Does the facilitator offer strategic sessions, introductions, office support, investor access, compliance guidance, and/or operational mentoring? How often will meetings take place? Who within the organisation will be your direct contact? Who is the deputy if that person is unavailable?
Thirdly, discuss the economics in detail. Is the facilitator paid through a fixed fee, monthly fee, equity arrangement, or hybrid model? Does the agreement give the facilitator any rights over intellectual property, board influence, commercial exclusivity, or future fundraising? Since RVO requires that the facilitator may not hold a majority interest, the structure must remain balanced, but minority rights can still be commercially significant.
Moreover, ask the facilitator how they support the transition to the self-employment permit. Do they understand what evidence is useful by the sixth month, ninth month, and the last valid month of the start-up visa? Will they help build the narrative and documents needed for the later application? Are they prepared to issue the required declaration confirming successful mentoring of at least three months, assuming that has genuinely been achieved? These questions should be discussed early, not at the end of the year when time is short.
Finally, insist on a carefully drafted written agreement. Since the cooperation must be recorded in a signed contract, the document should not be treated as a mere formality. The agreement should clearly describe the support, duration, responsibilities, fees, confidentiality, termination rights, data use, and what happens if the relationship breaks down. A vague agreement may not help the immigration file and may also expose the founder to avoidable commercial risk. For contractual legal matters, Amice Advocaten also offers professional legal assistance in drafting and reviewing contracts.
Things you should pay attention to when applying for the start-up visa
Applicants should begin preparing earlier than they think necessary. A start-up case usually requires immigration documents, corporate planning, proof of funds, facilitator negotiations, KvK registration planning, translations, and sometimes document legalisation. Those pieces rarely come together overnight.
They should also document the business properly from the start. Keep records of product development, pilot clients, market research, revenue discussions, contracts, cap table decisions, branding, budgets, and founder activity. By the time the self-employment application approaches, it is much easier to build a convincing dossier if the evidence has been collected month by month.
Applicants should be realistic about Dutch banking and logistics. Even where the immigration route is clear, opening bank accounts, arranging an address, or completing registrations can take time. There are other practical steps to do in the Netherlands, such as KvK registration and financial transactions, proper banking arrangements matter. That practical layer is often underestimated by founders who focus only on the permit itself.
Most importantly, the founder should always remember what the start-up visa is and what it is not. It is a structured opportunity, not a guarantee. It rewards preparation, innovation, and credible Dutch embedding. But it is unforgiving where the case is weak, passive, or poorly timed.
How Amice Advocaten can assist
At Amice Advocaten, our lawyers assist entrepreneurs who want to build a lawful and workable route into the Netherlands. In start-up cases, immigration law and business reality are closely connected. A strong application is not merely about filling in forms. It requires the right legal strategy, the right documents, the right facilitator relationship, and the right preparation for what comes after the first year.
Our lawyers team can assist with an eligibility assessment at the start of the process. That includes reviewing whether the proposed activity is likely to fit the Dutch concept of innovation, whether the founder’s role is sufficiently active, and whether the start-up route is genuinely more suitable than another residence option.
We can also assist with the facilitator side of the file. That may include reviewing the facilitator arrangement, identifying legal and practical risks in the contract, and checking whether the support package is aligned with the immigration purpose of the scheme. A facilitator should not only look acceptable on paper; the relationship should also be commercially sensible for the founder.
In addition, our team helps prepare and review the application dossier itself, including the explanation of the business concept, the structure of the step-by-step plan, documentary completeness, and the presentation of the founder’s role and resources. Where foreign documents are involved, we can help identify what should be legalised or translated before filing.
Our assistance does not stop once the first permit is granted. Because the start-up permit is temporary and non-renewable, planning the next step is essential from an early stage. We can advise on the later switch to the self-employment residence permit, help assess whether the business development during the first year is sufficient, and support the preparation of the follow-up application in time.
Where necessary, we also assist with objections and procedural follow-up if the IND raises questions or issues a negative decision.
A start-up founder usually has enough to do already: building a product, finding customers, and creating momentum. Our role is to help ensure that the immigration framework supports that journey instead of disrupting it.
If you are considering a Dutch start-up visa, or if you want to prepare early for the switch to self-employment after the first year, contact Amice Advocaten to help you structure the case with both immigration and business continuity in mind.