Who is actually eligible for the DAFT visa?

Only US citizens, under a 1956 friendship treaty between the United States and the Netherlands that gives American nationals a simplified path to Dutch self-employed residence. It is not open to citizens of other countries, and advisers differ on whether US green-card holders without citizenship qualify — if that's your situation, confirm directly with the IND before planning around this route.

Do I need to score points like the regular self-employed permit?

No. The standard Dutch self-employed residence permit is assessed on a points system covering personal experience, business plan, and added value to the Dutch economy. DAFT applicants skip that points test entirely and are assessed instead on whether they've made the required capital investment in a genuine Dutch business.

How much capital do I need to invest?

Multiple immigration advisers cite a minimum of roughly €4,500 held in a Dutch business bank account, with one firm reporting a higher figure for certain company structures (such as an NV). Sources differ on exactly how long that capital must remain in the account, so confirm the current figure and the holding-period rule on ind.nl or with a Dutch immigration adviser before you commit funds.

Netherlands DAFT Visa 2026: Dutch-American Friendship Treaty Guide

If you’re a US citizen who wants to live and work for yourself in the Netherlands, the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) is usually the fastest route in — it exists specifically because of a 1956 bilateral treaty, and it skips the points-based assessment every other nationality faces under the regular self-employed permit. Here’s how it actually works in 2026.

Why DAFT is different from the regular self-employed permit

The Netherlands’ standard self-employed residence permit scores applicants on a points system: your personal experience, your business plan, and the plan’s added value to the Dutch economy. It’s subjective and can take months to assess.

DAFT applicants are American citizens, specifically because the treaty’s terms are limited to US nationals and don’t extend automatically to other nationalities. Skip that points test. Instead, the IND looks at a narrower, more mechanical question: have you set up a genuine Dutch business and put the required capital into it? That’s a meaningfully lower bar to clear on paper, which is why DAFT has become the go-to route for American freelancers, consultants and small-business founders moving to the Netherlands.

Core requirements

Nationality: US citizenship. Advisers are not unanimous on whether green-card holders (without citizenship) or dual nationals qualify — treat this as unsettled and confirm your specific case with the IND or a Dutch immigration lawyer.
A real Dutch business: you must register a business with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK) — a sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak) or a Dutch entity you control.
Capital investment: advisers commonly cite a minimum of around €4,500 held in the business’s Dutch bank account, with at least one firm citing a higher figure for an NV-structured company. This is working/starting capital tied to the business, not a government fee.
Ownership: you generally need to hold a substantial, controlling stake in the business (commonly cited around 25% or more) to count as genuinely self-employed under the scheme.
Health insurance: Dutch health insurance is required once you’re registered as a resident.

Process and timing

Register your business with the KVK and open a Dutch business bank account.
Deposit the required capital into that account.
Apply for the residence permit either at a Dutch consulate (if applying from the US) or directly with the IND if you’re already legally in the Netherlands on another basis.
Decision: advisers report a range of processing estimates — some citing roughly 8–12 weeks, others a faster 4–6 weeks to a final decision — while the IND’s statutory maximum decision period for this permit type runs up to 90 days. Build your plans around the statutory maximum, not the faster estimates, so you’re not caught short.

Sources also disagree on the permit’s exact initial validity (reported as either two years with a longer renewal, or renewable every two years) — confirm the validity period that applies to your specific application in your IND decision letter.

What happens at renewal

This is where DAFT applicants most often get caught out. The IND’s pilot approach grants the first permit relatively quickly on the strength of your initial registration and capital deposit — but at renewal, it checks whether your business actually did what you said it would. Expect the IND to want:

Accountant-reviewed financial statements for your Dutch business.
Evidence of genuine economic activity in the Netherlands — invoices, client contracts, or comparable proof you were actually trading, not just holding a dormant shell company.

A business that exists on paper but shows little real activity by the renewal date is the single biggest risk to this route — treat the first permit period as the period in which you need to actually build a functioning business, not just clear the entry bar.

Bringing family

A spouse or registered partner and minor children can generally join as dependants on a DAFT-holder’s permit, subject to the usual Dutch income and documentation requirements for dependant residence.

Sources

This guide is preparation information, not legal or tax advice — sources currently disagree on exact capital figures, holding periods and permit validity, so confirm the current rules directly with the IND or a Dutch immigration adviser before investing capital or filing. While you set up your Dutch business, join the VisaMet waitlist for AI-assisted document screening as you prepare your DAFT application.