Your family doesn’t come along automatically on your DAFT permit. Each family member applies for their own residence permit, with you as their sponsor, through the IND’s family routes.
Who can join you
The IND’s family and partner overview lists separate routes for:
- A partner: a spouse, a registered partner, or an unmarried partner.
- A minor child.
For an unmarried partner, IND forms describe the relationship as one that must be “lasting and exclusive”, with both partners aged at least 21, backed by a signed declaration of relationship. That wording comes from an older IND form, so check the current version before you apply.
The income test when you’re self-employed
This is the part most DAFT guides skip. As the sponsor, you need an income the IND calls independent, sustainable and sufficient. For self-employed people, the IND’s income page says:
- Your income counts as sustainable once you’ve earned it for 18 months at the time of the application.
- If you apply for your own self-employed permit and for a partner or child at the same time, the IND looks at your expected income, which must be evident from your business plan.
- For the second half of 2026, the IND lists a required average profit of €1,766.77 per month (including holiday allowance) for a self-employed sponsor. The IND updates these amounts twice a year.
The IND’s online income check asks whether you applied under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty, but the page doesn’t explain how the treaty changes the family income test. We haven’t found that spelled out anywhere official, so ask the IND or an immigration lawyer before you rely on a lower figure.
Can your partner work?
Yes. The IND’s own DAFT page states that your family members “are allowed to work in the Netherlands without a work permit (TWV)”. That’s broader than your own permit, which is tied to running your registered business.
Documents to prepare
Immigration advisers commonly list:
- An apostilled birth certificate for each family member.
- An apostilled marriage certificate, or a divorce certificate where relevant.
- For unmarried partners, the IND’s declaration of relationship and a recent proof of unmarried status from your country.
We couldn’t read the IND’s own family application form as text, so treat this list as a starting point and check the document list in the current form before you send anything.
What’s still unclear
- Whether family members can apply in the same embassy appointment as you, or only once your own permit is granted.
- Realistic processing times for family applications. Sources range from about 8 weeks to 4 months, too wide to publish as guidance.
Next steps
For the base DAFT process, see How to apply. The 18-month income rule makes your bookkeeping matter from day one: the IND checks profit per financial year, as shown on the official self-employed income declaration.