What is the Dutch start-up visa?

The Dutch start-up visa is a residence permit for people not a part of the European Union (EU). These overseas persons are looking to start an innovative business. This visa shall be valid for a maximum time of 1 year. Within this year, you get the visa; you shall be expected to produce or introduce an innovative new product or service under the expert directions of an experienced facilitator.

The Dutch start-up visa scheme permits ambitious entrepreneurs from outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland to apply for a temporary residence permit for the Netherlands. This shall give the entrepreneur a year to showcase their talent and innovative talent. It is mandatory to do business under an experienced facilitator who can help you launch a start-up into a fully expanded business. It is suitable for both the Dutch economy and the immigrant entrepreneur.

How to apply for the Dutch start-up visa

1. Using a suitable application form on their website, you can ask your facilitator to submit your application for a Netherlands visa to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst.
2. It means that you are giving all your information, your business plan, and your proposed method of operation.
3. Those entrepreneurs who are still living abroad can submit their application for a residence permit to the Dutch embassy or consulate in the country of their residence. It shall or shall not involve applying for a provisional residence permit (MVV in Dutch).
4. Overseas nationals who want a valid residence permit and wish to alter their residence permit to a residence permit for start-up entrepreneurs can even use this application form.

Eligibility requirements or conditions for the start-up visa

For successful evaluation, the IND takes consultation with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland, RVO). It is a sub-division of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy; for this to happen, you should be able to fulfill five requirements or conditions:

Condition 1: You should be working along with a reliable expert facilitator. This alliance should be established via a signed agreement between the start-up entrepreneur and the facilitator. This facilitator should have had a good experience guiding start-ups and being financially stable.

Condition 2: The product or service must be unique and innovative as The Netherlands Enterprise Agency will be reviewing whether your product or service is ‘innovative’ or not.

Condition 3: The start-up entrepreneur should expand the idea and implement it in their business. It must be in the form of a business plan details like the organization’s structure, the roles and tasks, legal documents, the personnel, and the purpose of the enterprise, among many others.

Condition 4: The facilitator and the start-up entrepreneur should be entered in the Commercial Register of the Chamber of Commerce. This entry states that the entrepreneur has a voice in the start-up.

Condition 5: The start-up entrepreneur should have ample funds to live and stay in the Netherlands, as they shall not rely on public funds.

Application fees for the Dutch startup visa

This application fee should be paid at the time of submission. However, the residence permit can be collected from the IND office or one of the Expat Centers in the Netherlands.

Processing time for the Dutch start-up visa

After its submission, the start-up visa application can take up to a maximum of three months for the entire processing to take place.