Residence permit self-employed person

Last update: 31 March 2025

You want to start a business in the Netherlands. Or you want to work as a self-employed artist in the Netherlands. Find out what the requirements are and how to apply for the residence permit self-employed person.

Do you want to work in the Netherlands as an entrepreneur setting up a start-up? Then other requirements apply to you for a start-up residence permit.

Requirements

These requirements apply to you:

You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
Your work is of essential interest to the Dutch economy. Do you work want to work as a self-employed artist in the Netherlands? Your work needs to be of essential interest to the Dutch culture.
You are registered in the Trade Register of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (in Dutch: Kamer van Koophandel).
You meet the requirements to practise your profession or to start working as a self-employed person. This means that you have all the necessary permits.
You meet the income requirements. This must be evident from your business plan.
If you are a freelancer, you must have one or more commissions in the Netherlands. Working as a freelancer means that you have no boss and accept separate commissions.
Do you start working on a self-employed basis in the individual healthcare sector?And do you practise a medical profession that is listed in Article 3 and Article 36a of the Individual Healthcare Professions Act (BIG Act)? If so, you must be registered in the BIG register. Go to the BIG register website for the overview of healthcare professions subject to BIG registration.

Essential interest to the Dutch economy

Are you going to work as a self-employed person in the Netherlands? Your product or service needs to be of essential interest for the Dutch economy. The product or services you offer must be new for the Netherlands. To assess this, the IND requests advice from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The RVO gives advice on behalf of the Minister of Economic Affairs. For more information, visit www.rvo.nl/en.

The RVO assesses the essential interest of the work you want to start as a self-employed person in these 3 areas:

Personal experience;
Business plan;
Added value for the Netherlands.

Assessment according to scoring system

In its assessment, the RVO gives each area a number of points. Do you have at least 30 points for each area? Or 45 points for your personal experience and 45 points for your business plan? Then your business is of essential interest to the Netherlands. See the legislation on the scoring system and all requirements in Dutch. Or this English translated document:

Dutch scoring system business of essential interest.pdf (PDF, 116.95 KB)

When the scoring system does not apply

In the following 3 situations the scoring system does not apply when assessing the essential interest:

•   You have the Turkish nationality, or
•   You have the status of long-term EU resident in another EU country, or
•   You practise an independent profession. You are, for example, a medical specialist or artist. In this case the IND assesses the essential interest using advices from outer ministries and implementing organisations.

Essential interest to the Dutch culture

Are you going to work as a self-employed artist in the Netherlands? Your work needs to be of essential interest to the Dutch culture. To assess this, the IND requests advice from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW).

In these situations, there is an essential interest to Dutch culture:

You get paid directly from a national culture fund (in Dutch: Rijkscultuurfonds).
You are going to work for a cultural institution in the Netherlands. And this institution is of a such a high quality that its cultural importance is established according to the OCW. Also, the institution must have a genuine need for your activities.

Requirements of the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty or Dutch-Japanese Trade Treaty

Do you want to call on the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty or Dutch-Japanese Trade Treaty? These requirements apply:

You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
You have the nationality of United States of America (US) or Japan.
One of these situations applies to you.
- You trade between the Netherlands and the United States of America or Japan.
- You develop and lead the business operations of a business in the Netherlands. This means that one of these situations applies to you.
  - You represent a US or Japanese business and have a key position (very important position) at that business.
  - You practise an independent profession. This does not apply if you work for or on behalf of the government or in the healthcare sector.
  - You invest a lot of money (substantial capital) in your business. The level of this sum depends on the form of your business. For most forms, the IND requires a minimum investment of €4,500. See the rules on substantial capital investment (only available in Dutch).

How we process your application per April 2024

Are you making a first-time application based on a treaty? Register with the Chamber of Commerce within 6 months after you received your residence permit. If you do not do this, the IND may revoke your permit.

Are you applying for an extension of your residence permit based on a treaty? The IND requires annual accounts of you and a balance sheet or income statement. This is to check if the company has been active and if the invested capital remained in the business.

Process and costs

These are the steps in the application process for the residence permit:

Show details Hide details

1. Check requirements open minus

A valid provisional residence permit (MVV) is needed for this application
Make sure you meet the requirements.
1. Check requirements open minus

Make sure you meet the requirements.
2. Collect documents open minus

The application forms lists which documents you need. This form is only available in English. Collect all documents before you apply.
Have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.
2. Collect documents open minus

The application form lists which documents you need. Collect all documents before you apply.
Have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.
3. Apply open minus

You apply for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time at the Dutch representation (embassy or consulate) abroad.
Make appointment at Dutch embassy or consulate
Before you can apply for the MVV and the residence permit, you must make an appointment at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country of origin or country of residence.
The country of origin is the country of which you have the nationality. The country of residence is the country where you have been allowed to stay for more than 3 months, because you have a residence permit there or are waiting for a decision on your residence application. If there is no Dutch embassy or consulate in your country of origin or country of residence, you can make an appointment at the nearest Dutch embassy or consulate.
During appointment at Dutch embassy or consulate
Bring the completed application form, your passport photo and your valid passport with you to the appointment. In certain situations, you must bring extra documents with you. On the application form you will find out this applies to you. A staff member of the Dutch embassy or consulate will register your application and fill in the application date on the application form. The staff member also fills in the details of the Dutch embassy or consulate. Afterwards, you will get the form back. You will receive confirmation of receipt with your personal V-number.
The Dutch embassy or consulate will also take your biometric data: your fingerprints will be recorded and you will write down your signature. These data are needed for the residence permit.
Send application to IND
Has the application been filled in completely? And have you collected all required documents? Then you must send your own application including the documents to the IND in the Netherlands. You must do this within 3 weeks of the date that is stated on your application form by the embassy or consulate. You can find out on the form where you must send the application.
3. Apply open minus

You can submit the application in writing by post. You do this within 3 months after you have travelled to the Netherlands.
4. Pay for application open minus

The application costs € 405,00. Do you currently have a residence permit as a start up? Then a different amount applies. For all fees and exceptions, visit our web page Fees: application costs.
The application form explains how you can pay for the application. Pay the costs within 3 weeks of the date that the Dutch representation filled in on your application form.
4. Pay for application open minus

The application costs € 405,00. Do you currently have a residence permit as a start up? Then a different amount applies. For all fees and exceptions, visit our web page Fees: application costs.
You will receive a letter explaining how you can pay.
5. Wait for decision on application open minus

The IND must take a decision within 90 days. This is called the decision period. The IND can extend the decision period by a maximum of 6 months if we ask for advice from the RVO or the OCW.
We can also extend the decision period if it takes longer to decide. For example, because the application is not complete. In that case, the IND will send a message.
Follow the application in My IND.
5. Wait for decision on application open minus

The IND must take a decision within 90 days. This is called the decision period. The IND can extend the decision period by a maximum of 6 months if we ask for advice from the RVO, or the OCW.
We can also extend the decision period if it takes longer to decide. For example, because the application is not complete. In that case, the IND will send a message.
Follow the application in My IND.
6. Decision on application open minus
You will receive a message with the decision. The decision will be positive or negative.
- Positive decision: you will get an MVV and a residence permit.
- Negative decision: you will not receive an MVV and residence permit. You can object against this decision.
6. Decision on application open minus
You will receive the decision in a letter. The decision will be positive or negative.
- Positive decision: you will get a residence permit.
- Negative decision: you will not receive a residence permit. You can object against this decision.
7. Make appointment for MVV visa sticker and travel to the Netherlands open minus

You can travel to the Netherlands with the MVV.
Make appointment within 3 months of decision
You will have to make an appointment at the Dutch representation. This is the embassy or consulate where you submitted the application. You have to make the appointment within 3 months after the IND has taken a decision on your application.
Valid passport required
Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months when the Dutch representation places the MVV visa sticker in the passport. The MVV is valid for 90 days.
7. Collect residence permit open minus

When the residence permit is ready at an IND desk, you will receive a letter. You must make an appointment to collect it. Make an appointment to collect the residence document.
8. Collect residence permit open minus

When the residence permit is ready at an IND desk, you will receive a letter. You must make an appointment to collect it. Make an appointment to collect the residence document.

Application forms

Written application forms

Application for admission and residence ‘to work on a self employed basis’ (foreign national) 9531 (PDF, 125.72 KB)

Written application forms

Application for the purpose of residence 'to work on a self employed basis' (foreign national) 7524 (PDF, 818.99 KB)

Application for a residence permit for a 'long term third country national from outside the EU' (foreign national) 7528 (PDF, 948.12 KB)

The residence permit

Find out what else you need to know about the residence permit:

TB test

Did you indicate at the time of the application that you will take a TB (tuberculosis) test? Then make an appointment with the public health service (in Dutch: Gemeenschappelijke Gezondheidsdienst or GGD). Do this within 3 months after you have received your residence permit. Take with you to the appointment:

Appendix TB test referral form 7604(PDF, 230.36 KB)

Working with the residence permit

On the back of your residence permit, it says whether you are allowed to work for an employer. Then your residence permit says ‘work allowed on a self-employed basis, work as an employee only allowed with a work permit’ (in Dutch: arbeid als zelfstandige toegestaan, arbeid in loondienst alleen toegestaan met tewerkstellingsvergunning (TWV)). This means that, with this residence permit, you are only allowed to work if your employer has a work permit (TWV) for you.

Your family members or relatives are allowed to work in the Netherlands without a work permit (TWV). It says on their residence permit ‘work allowed on a self-employed basis, free to work, no work permit required’ (in Dutch: arbeid als zelfstandige toegestaan, arbeid vrij toegestaan, TWV niet vereist).

Working without TWV

Have you worked in the Netherlands for 5 years? Then you no longer need a work permit (TWV) to work in the Netherlands. You will be allowed to work without a TWV as soon as you have received a residence permit with the work status ‘free to work' (in Dutch: arbeid vrij toegestaan). This is how you apply for this indication of work status.

Will your residence permit remain valid for more than 4 months? Then you can replace your residence permit with a residence document with the indication of work status ‘free to work’ (in Dutch: arbeid vrij toegestaan).

Will your residence permit expire within 3 months? Then apply to extend your residence permit. Indicate on the form that you want to have the work status ‘free to work’ (in Dutch: arbeid vrij toegestaan) on your residence document.

Legal obligations

You have an obligation to provide information. This means that you must notify the IND of changes in your situation. Read more about your obligation to provide information.

The IND checks whether you meet your obligations. If you do not, you may get an administrative fine.

Validity of residence permit

Your residence permit is valid for a maximum of 2 years.

Type of residence permit

The residence permit is type I, temporary regular residence permit.

Other applications

Replacement of the residence permit

Has your residence permit been damaged, lost or stolen? Visit the web page residence permit damaged or change details or residence permit lost or stolen.

Extend the residence permit

Will your residence permit expire soon? Then you can extend your residence permit.

Permanent residence permit

Have you had a residence permit for 5 years? Then you can apply for a permanent residence permit.

Residence permit self-employed person

Requirements

Essential interest to the Dutch economy

Assessment according to scoring system

When the scoring system does not apply

Essential interest to the Dutch culture

Requirements of the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty or Dutch-Japanese Trade Treaty

How we process your application per April 2024

Process and costs

These are the steps in the application process for the residence permit:

Make appointment at Dutch embassy or consulate

During appointment at Dutch embassy or consulate

Send application to IND

Make appointment within 3 months of decision

Valid passport required

Application forms

Written application forms

Written application forms

The residence permit

Find out what else you need to know about the residence permit:

TB test

Working with the residence permit

Working without TWV

Legal obligations

Validity of residence permit

Type of residence permit

Other applications

Replacement of the residence permit

Extend the residence permit

Permanent residence permit

See also