The Dutch start-up visa is an excellent approach for entrepreneurs to reside in one of the most beautiful European countries, the Netherlands.
This one-year-long residency permit gives ambitious foreigners the opportunity to start their business in the Dutch market under certain conditions and requirements.
To apply for the start-up visa, you must meet the general residence permit conditions such as a valid passport, not posing a threat to public order or national security, and you must clear a tuberculosis test. You also need to meet a set of specific start-up conditions like having an agreement to work together with a recognised facilitator (an experienced business mentor organisation), having an innovative product or service, a solid business plan, registering the applicant’s new business with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce and finally, showing a proof of sufficient financial resources to live in the Netherlands for the minimum period of one year.
Furthermore, start-up companies providing services to the Netherlands with new technology and innovative working methodologies can sponsor non-EU foreign national employees under the new residence permit.
The foreign nationals, however, must have a local employment contract and be paid by the local company, meet the mandatory salary requirements, and also receive one per cent of stocks or shares of the company. The permit will be valid for an initial three years.
The estimated time of processing the start-up application is 7 weeks. Regarding the estimated entry cost, the applicant will have to pay up initial governmental fees such as fees of the first application, change in purpose of stay and extension of residency permit, ranging between €320 to 380 each. And as per the above-mentioned requirement, the applicant will have to prove that he/she possesses the sufficient funds to live in the Netherlands for the duration of the programme, which is the minimum amount of €13,000.
