Before you apply
Make sure you meet the requirements and have decided between a ZZP or a BV. The application forms differ slightly depending on which one you choose.
The application steps
- Book an appointment at a Dutch embassy or consulate (if applying from the US) or submit through the correct channel if you are already in the Netherlands on another visa. We haven’t pinned down the exact current channel for this step yet.
- Submit your application and supporting documents to the IND. Your application must reach the IND within 3 weeks of the date on the embassy form, and the fee must be paid within that same window, confirmed directly on ind.nl.
- Pay the application fee. The current fee is €423.00, confirmed directly on ind.nl as of 17 October 2026. IND fees are reviewed yearly, so re-check this figure if you’re reading this much later.
- Wait for the IND’s decision. The IND has a statutory decision period of up to 90 days, which it can extend by up to 6 months in specific cases, for example if it needs advice from another government body, or if your file is incomplete. Confirmed directly on ind.nl. See Costs and timeline for what “90 days” means next to the much shorter estimates some immigration firms advertise.
- Register with the KVK and make your €4,500 investment. If you did not already hold a Dutch residence permit, you have 6 months from the date on your decision letter to do this, confirmed directly on ind.nl.
- Collect your residence card/sticker. We haven’t confirmed the exact process and timing against ind.nl directly; one other source mentions “within a couple of weeks of arriving,” but treat that as unconfirmed for now.
Several firms describe a lighter review process for first-time applications in place
since around April 2024, sometimes called a "pilot." We've covered this in detail on
Costs and timeline. One law firm wrote it would run until
April 1, 2026, pending an evaluation; in October 2026 ind.nl still describes it, without
an end date.
After you apply: what the IND actually checks
Beyond the capital and registration requirements above, general Dutch residence-permit conditions also apply, such as a valid passport and no public-order concerns. We haven’t pulled the exact checklist from ind.nl’s general residence-permit pages yet, so we’re not listing specifics here until that’s sourced properly.
Next steps
Once your permit is granted, read Opening balance sheet & the €4,500 capital to understand exactly what to show for the capital requirement, and Extension and renewal for what happens after roughly two years.