The IND application fee
The current IND application fee is €423.00, confirmed directly on ind.nl as of 17 October 2026. One immigration-firm site lists €405 instead, almost certainly an outdated figure, since IND fees are reviewed annually. Use €423.00 unless a fresh check of ind.nl says otherwise.
This is separate from:
- The €4,500 minimum capital you invest in your own business. See Opening balance sheet. That money stays in your business; it is not a government fee.
- Any fees a bookkeeper charges for preparing your opening balance sheet or renewal statement. Our partner’s pricing starts at €495 excl. VAT for a standard, 5-working-day turnaround; see their DAFT service page for current rates (their pricing, not ours, so it can change without notice to us).
How long the decision actually takes
What’s confirmed: the IND has a statutory decision period of up to 90 days, extendable by up to 6 months in specific cases, for example if it needs advice from another government body, or your file is incomplete. Confirmed directly on ind.nl.
What’s not confirmed: several immigration and tax firms advertise much shorter “in practice” timelines, anywhere from about 4 weeks to about 3 months depending on the source, tied to a lighter-review process some of them call a “pilot” that has applied since around April 2024. No source we’ve checked, including the IND itself, confirms exactly how long this faster process will last.
Don’t forget the US side
The IND fee and the €4,500 capital are the Dutch costs. Moving to the Netherlands doesn’t end your US tax obligations either. See US taxes and DAFT for what typically still applies.
Next steps
Ready to get the capital and paperwork side right from the start? See Opening balance sheet & the €4,500 capital.