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NLEntry · residence · long-term status

Legal ways to live in Netherlands.

Netherlands currently offers 10 active paths relevant to remote workers. There is no dedicated digital nomad visa, so the practical alternatives matter. Conditions below come from official immigration sources — filter by your citizenship.

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10 legalization paths · 39 sources · official immigration sources only

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10 legalization paths

01

Choose your route

A compact map of every documented option for Netherlands. Start with eligibility and duration, then open the full conditions below.

  1. 01Visa-free short stay (Schengen)Getting in · Visa-free stayWho qualifiesUS citizens, UK citizens, Ukrainian citizens, Venezuelan citizensDuration3 moNo direct PR path
  2. 02Residence permit for a self-employed person (zelfstandige) with RVO points testStaying long-term · Freelance permitWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration2 yrs +→ PR path
  3. 03Self-employed permit under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT)Staying long-term · Freelance permitWho qualifiesUS citizensDuration2 yrs +→ PR path
  4. 04Start-up residence permit (one year with a facilitator)Staying long-term · Business visaWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration1 yrNo direct PR path
  5. 05Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) residence permitStaying long-term · Temporary residenceWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration5 yrs +→ PR path
  6. 06European Blue Card residence permitStaying long-term · Temporary residenceWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration5 yrs +→ PR path
  7. 07Orientation year for highly educated persons (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden)Staying long-term · Temporary residenceWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration1 yrNo direct PR path
  8. 08EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — free movement and municipal registration (BRP)Staying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesEU citizensDuration5 yrs +→ PR path
  9. 09Temporary protection for Ukrainians (Richtlijn Tijdelijke Bescherming)Staying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesUkrainian citizensDuration17 mo +No direct PR path
  10. 10Permit for British independent professionals under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation AgreementStaying long-term · Freelance permitWho qualifiesUK citizensDuration1 yrNo direct PR path

02

Getting in

Who can enter Netherlands and on what terms — visa-free windows and entry visas.

01Getting in
Visa-free stayactive

Visa-free short stay (Schengen)

For: US citizens, UK citizens, Ukrainian citizens, Venezuelan citizens

Duration
3 months
Path to PR
No

Requirements (6)

06
  1. 01The Netherlands is in the Schengen area: a person who needs no visa may stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period, counted across all Schengen states, for tourism, business or a family visit (NetherlandsWorldwide)
  2. 02The Dutch visa pages say holders of an American, a British or a Venezuelan passport need no visa; the IND says Ukrainians with a valid biometric passport have a visa-exempt term of 90 days in 180; Russian citizens need a visa (Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annex I)
  3. 03Entry needs a valid passport issued less than 10 years ago and valid for at least 3 months after departure, no danger to public order, national security or a Schengen state's international relations, and reasons to return home (IND)
  4. 04For a holiday or family visit the IND expects at least 55 EUR per person per day or a guarantor; a business visit needs an invitation and a purpose of economic interest to the Netherlands
  5. 05Entry and exit are recorded in the EU Entry/Exit System, which from 10 April 2026 replaces passport stamps; an ETIAS authorisation is not required at this time, and the Dutch government says the EU will announce the start date several months ahead
  6. 06Not a work or residence status: the pages read do not say whether remote work for a foreign employer is allowed, and an extension of the visa-exempt term (free, exceptional cases only) is refused if the person works in a way the Foreign Nationals Employment Act forbids; staying longer needs a residence permit

03

Staying long-term

Grounds for residence — business, employment, special programs — with the conditions to qualify.

02Staying long-term
Freelance permitactive

Residence permit for a self-employed person (zelfstandige) with RVO points test

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
2 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Fee
423 EUR
Processing
90–270 days
Income requirement
1,767 EUR/month

Requirements (12)

12
  1. 01The work must be of essential interest to the Dutch economy: the product or service must be new for the Netherlands, and the IND takes advice from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on three parts, personal experience, business plan and added value for the Netherlands (IND)
  2. 02Points test (Voorschrift Vreemdelingen 2000, art. 3.20a and Annex 8a): at least 30 points in each of the three parts, or at least 45 points for personal experience and 45 for the business plan, in which case the added-value part is set at 30
  3. 03Annex 8a maximum points: personal experience 35 for education, 35 for entrepreneurial experience, 10 for work experience, 10 for income and 10 for experience with the Netherlands; business plan 25 for market potential, 25 for organisation and 50 for financing; added value 20 for innovation, 40 for job creation and 40 for investments
  4. 04A holder of the start-up permit who has a facilitator declaration after at least 3 months of successful mentoring gets 30 points in each part; the points test does not apply to Turkish nationals, long-term EU residents of another EU state, or independent professions such as medical specialists and artists (IND)
  5. 05Register in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce (KvK) and hold every permit needed to practise the profession or run the business; healthcare professions under the BIG Act must be BIG-registered (IND)
  6. 06A freelancer must have one or more commissions in the Netherlands; the IND defines a freelancer as someone with no boss who accepts separate commissions
  7. 07Income must be evident from the business plan: gross profit of at least 1,766.77 EUR a month including holiday allowance from 1 July to 31 December 2026 (IND amounts page)
  8. 08The IND rejects an application if the applicant is on the payroll but lives outside the Netherlands, or invests money in a company without doing business activities personally (Immigration Circular B6/2.5)
  9. 09IND fee 423 EUR (2026); the IND must decide within 90 days and can extend that by up to 6 months while it waits for advice from RVO or the culture ministry
  10. 10Permit valid for up to 2 years, type I (temporary regular); it allows self-employed work, work as an employee needs the employer's work permit (TWV) until the holder has worked 5 years in the Netherlands, and family members may work freely
  11. 11A provisional residence permit (MVV) is needed unless the applicant holds an exempt nationality: Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, United Kingdom, United States, South Korea, Switzerland or an EU/EEA state (IND, 6 May 2026)
  12. 12After 5 years on a residence permit the holder can apply for a permanent residence permit (fee 254 EUR, civic integration level A2, income test, 6-month decision period)
03Staying long-term
Freelance permitactive

Self-employed permit under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT)

For: US citizens

Duration
2 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Fee
423 EUR
Processing
90–90 days

Requirements (7)

07
  1. 01Nationals of the United States qualify (the Dutch-Japanese Trade Treaty gives Japanese nationals the same route); the IND grants the permit under the self-employed rules when the general conditions of Art. 16 of the Aliens Act are met except the means-of-subsistence ground (Immigration Circular B6/2.5)
  2. 02The applicant either trades between the Netherlands and the United States, or develops and directs a Dutch business in which substantial capital is invested: representing a US business in a key position, or practising an independent profession outside government and healthcare (IND)
  3. 03Minimum capital: 4,500 EUR for a sole proprietorship; for a partnership (VOF) or a BV at least 25% of the firm or paid-up capital and not less than 4,500 EUR; for an NV at least 25% of the paid-up capital, which is at least 45,000 EUR, so 11,250 EUR; borrowed money does not count
  4. 04A first-time applicant must register with the Chamber of Commerce and make the investment within 6 months of the date on the decision letter, or the IND may revoke the permit; the IND also revokes it if the capital falls below the minimum for the legal form
  5. 05An extension needs the annual accounts and a balance sheet or income statement showing the company was active and the invested capital stayed in the business (IND, procedure from April 2024)
  6. 06IND fee 423 EUR (2026) for a first application and for an extension; decision within 90 days; permit valid for up to 2 years
  7. 07US citizens need no provisional residence permit (MVV); family members may work freely; after 5 years on a residence permit the holder can apply for permanent residence
04Staying long-term
Business visaactive

Start-up residence permit (one year with a facilitator)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
1 year
Path to PR
No
Fee
423 EUR
Processing
90–90 days
Income requirement
1,767 EUR/month

Requirements (8)

08
  1. 01Work with a reliable mentor (facilitator) from the RVO's list under a signed contract; the facilitator and the start-up are both registered in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce
  2. 02The company is innovative: its product or service is new to the Netherlands, or it uses new technology in production, distribution or marketing, or it has a new way of working and organising; the founder plays an active part and is more than a shareholder or financier
  3. 03A step-by-step plan from idea to company (organisation, roles, legal form, personnel, goals, the innovative product, planning), assessed by the RVO; the IND needs positive RVO advice
  4. 04Enough money for the stay: a Dutch personal or business bank statement, or the facilitator finances the stay for at most 1 year
  5. 05The facilitator has experience mentoring innovative start-ups, is financially healthy, holds no majority interest, is not related to the founder up to the third degree, and has a deputy
  6. 06IND fee 423 EUR (2026); decision within 90 days; permit valid for at most 1 year and it cannot be extended; employed work needs the employer's work permit (TWV)
  7. 07After the year the holder can switch to the self-employed permit (fee 423 EUR) by meeting its requirements plus a facilitator declaration of at least 3 months of successful mentoring, which counts as the minimum score on all three points-test parts
  8. 08No provisional residence permit (MVV) is needed when the founder is already in the Netherlands on a short-stay visa or visa-free to set up the company (IND)
05Staying long-term
Temporary residenceactive

Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) residence permit

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
5 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Fee
423 EUR
Processing
90–90 days
Income requirement
5,942 EUR/month

Requirements (8)

08
  1. 01An employment contract with a Dutch employer or research institution that the IND has recognised as a sponsor (public register); only the employer can apply
  2. 02Gross monthly salary for 2026, holiday allowance not counted: 5,942 EUR at age 30 or over, 4,357 EUR under 30, and 3,122 EUR under the reduced criterion for a holder of an orientation-year permit, or a graduate or researcher applying within 3 years
  3. 03The IND counts fixed allowances and a thirteenth month if the contract provides them and the employer pays them monthly into the holder's bank account; it does not count holiday allowance, payments in kind, overtime or tips
  4. 04The agreed salary must be in line with the market rate, that is, what people in the same job earn on average
  5. 05IND fee 423 EUR (2026) paid by the employer; the IND must decide within 90 days
  6. 06Permit valid for the length of the contract and for at most 5 years; after a job loss the holder has 3 months to find a new sponsor, or 6 months if the job ended on or after 22 May 2026 and the permit was held for at least 2 years
  7. 07The residence document allows work as a highly skilled migrant and as a self-employed person; other employment needs a work permit (TWV) until the holder has worked 5 years in the Netherlands, and a partner may work freely
  8. 08A provisional residence permit (MVV) is needed unless the nationality is exempt, for example the United Kingdom and the United States; after 5 years on a residence permit the holder can apply for permanent residence
06Staying long-term
Temporary residenceactive

European Blue Card residence permit

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
5 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Fee
423 EUR
Processing
30–90 days
Income requirement
5,942 EUR/month

Requirements (8)

08
  1. 01Highly qualified work in the Netherlands with a higher-education diploma of at least 3 years (a foreign diploma needs a Nuffic evaluation), or at least 5 years of relevant experience at that level, or 3 years in the 7 years before the application for IT managers and IT professionals
  2. 02An employment contract valid for at least 6 months with an employer that carries out economic activity and has had no fine in the last 5 years under the Foreign Nationals Employment Act, Working Hours Act, Waadi, Working Conditions Act, State Taxes Act or Minimum Wage Act
  3. 03Gross monthly salary for 2026, holiday allowance not counted: 5,942 EUR, or 4,754 EUR for a graduate applying within 3 years of graduation (or applying for an extension within 24 months of the first Blue Card)
  4. 04The employer does not have to be an IND-recognised sponsor, unlike for a highly skilled migrant permit (IND)
  5. 05IND fee 423 EUR (2026); decision period 30 days when a recognised sponsor applies, for long-term mobility, or for family applied for at the same time, 45 days for holders of certain Dutch work permits, 90 days for all other applications
  6. 06Permit valid up to 3 months after the employment contract ends and for at most 5 years; after a job loss the holder has 3 months to find a new job, or 6 months after a permit held for at least 2 years
  7. 07The holder may also work on a self-employed basis next to the employer while still meeting the Blue Card requirements; work for another employer needs that employer's TWV; a partner may work freely
  8. 08The IND says a Blue Card holder can in some cases apply for long-term EU residency after 2 years instead of 5; a provisional residence permit (MVV) is needed unless the nationality is exempt
07Staying long-term
Temporary residenceactive

Orientation year for highly educated persons (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
1 year
Path to PR
No
Fee
254 EUR
Processing
90–90 days

Requirements (7)

07
  1. 01Within the 3 years before the application, the applicant completed a Dutch bachelor's, master's or post-master's programme (at least 10 months), scientific research in the Netherlands, an Erasmus Mundus joint master, or a master's, doctoral or post-master's programme at a designated foreign institution
  2. 02A designated foreign institution is in the top 200 of the general or subject rankings of at least 2 of Times Higher Education, QS and ShanghaiRanking on the graduation date, and the foreign diploma must be evaluated by Nuffic
  3. 03A programme at a designated foreign institution also needs an IELTS score of 6.0 or comparable, unless the programme was taught in English or Dutch
  4. 04One orientation-year permit per research project or programme; the applicant has not held one for the same programme
  5. 05IND fee 254 EUR (2026); the IND must decide within 90 days; permit valid for 1 year and it cannot be extended
  6. 06The holder may work freely, do an internship, or work as an independent entrepreneur, self-employed person or freelancer, without a work permit (TWV)
  7. 07During the year the holder can move to a highly skilled migrant, start-up or self-employed permit, and the reduced highly skilled migrant salary criterion (3,122 EUR a month in 2026) applies
08Staying long-term
Special programactive

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — free movement and municipal registration (BRP)

For: EU citizens

Duration
5 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included

Requirements (7)

07
  1. 01No residence permit and no registration with the IND: a valid passport or ID card is proof of lawful residence, and the holder is free to work in the Netherlands without a work permit (IND)
  2. 02A stay of up to 3 months needs only a valid travel document; a longer stay needs one of: work as an employee or self-employed person (or genuine job search with a real chance), enough means plus health insurance covering care in the Netherlands in full, or study (Aliens Decree, Art. 8.11 and 8.12)
  3. 03Genuine and effective work is met when income is at least 50% of the applicable social assistance benefit or the person works at least 40% of a normal full working week; lower income or hours can still count (IND)
  4. 04A person who is not working needs income at least equal to the Dutch minimum wage including holiday pay, or must show that their income is enough to live on, from any source; the IND page gives no euro figure
  5. 05A stay of more than 4 months means registering at the municipality in the Personal Records Database (BRP) within 5 days of arrival; a stay under 4 months can be recorded as a non-resident (RNI); health insurance must be taken out within 4 months
  6. 06The IND registers an EU citizen only if the IND earlier ended their residence (BRP code 41); that registration is free
  7. 07After 5 years of continuous lawful residence the citizen can apply for a permanent residence document: fee 85 EUR, decision within 90 days
09Staying long-term
Special programactive

Temporary protection for Ukrainians (Richtlijn Tijdelijke Bescherming)

For: Ukrainian citizens

Duration
17 months, renewable
Path to PR
No
Family
Included

Requirements (9)

09
  1. 01IND, 6 August 2026: 'If you are covered by the directive, you may stay in the Netherlands up to and including 4 March 2028'; IND, 31 August 2026: the extension is 'automatic; no action is required' for people who held temporary protection in the EU before 5 August 2026
  2. 02Proof of residence is a sticker in the passport or an O-document card from the IND, free of charge, collected within 4 weeks of registering in the BRP; an older printed end date stays valid together with the IND extension letter, and non-Ukrainian card holders with a card valid to 4 March 2027 get a letter in January 2027
  3. 03Dutch scope for Ukrainians: fled Ukraine after 26 November 2021, or travelled to the EU between 27 November 2021 and 23 February 2022 for work or a holiday, or can prove they were already in the Netherlands before 27 November 2021; no danger to public order or national security; no temporary protection in another EU country
  4. 04Non-Ukrainians are covered only with a permanent Ukrainian residence permit that was valid on 23 February 2022, or as a family member of a covered person; the Netherlands ended the rights of non-Ukrainians holding only a temporary Ukrainian permit on 4 September 2025
  5. 05Work in employment needs no work permit (TWV): the employer only notifies the UWV, and the exemption covers all jobs in employment, volunteering with a UWV declaration and traineeships
  6. 06Self-employment is different: the IND says a TWV is required to work as a self-employed person, and the UWV says the client who commissions a Ukrainian freelancer must apply for the TWV
  7. 07New applicants must, where relevant, show they have met their military obligations in Ukraine; people already under temporary protection in an EU state who keep it continuously are exempt (Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912, Art. 2)
  8. 08Dutch version (IND): people aged 23 to 60 who are liable for military service or registered reservists must prove exemption or service, for example with an exit stamp no older than 90 days, a Reserv+ certificate, a military booklet, an exemption or deferral decision or a demobilisation certificate (no screenshots or photos); it applies to applications on or after 5 August 2026 and not to people protected in the EU before that date or joining a family member who already has protection
  9. 09A holder can apply for a regular permit as employee, highly skilled migrant, seasonal worker or self-employed person without a provisional residence permit (MVV); the IND says the government is studying a switch to regular permits for work and a possible 3-year 'transition document' after the directive ends
10Staying long-term
Freelance permitactive

Permit for British independent professionals under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

For: UK citizens

Duration
1 year
Path to PR
No
Family
Not included
Fee
423 EUR
Processing
49–90 days

Requirements (6)

06
  1. 01The applicant is a British independent service supplier established in the UK, with no branch in the Netherlands, who is in the Netherlands temporarily to supply services in a sector listed in Annex 22 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement
  2. 02A contract for services of at most 12 months with the client in the Netherlands, supplied directly and not through a placement or staffing agency
  3. 03At least 6 years of experience in the sector named in the contract, and a university or applied-sciences degree or proof of equal knowledge, working at that level
  4. 04Income in the Netherlands at least equal to the statutory minimum wage, and the legal professional qualifications needed to supply the services
  5. 05IND fee 423 EUR (2026); the IND must decide within 90 days with a target of 7 weeks, after UWV advice on the labour-market aspect (5 weeks)
  6. 06Permit valid for the length of the contract and at most 12 months; no family reunification; work without a TWV is allowed only for the specific work

Netherlands

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