Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) Visa in 5 steps: Guide for U.S. Entrepreneurs (2026)

DAFT visa in short:

• Work and residence permit for the Netherlands

• Available only to U.S. citizens

• Requires starting a Dutch business

• €4,500 investment deposit

• Processing time: ~8–12 weeks

• Renewable after 2 years

• Direct family members (spouse and minor children) may join

What Is the DAFT visa?

On 27 March 1956, the USA and the Netherlands signed the Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT). This treaty was signed as part of the so-called Marshall plan, and was intended to foster trade and economic relations between the Netherlands and the United States. Until this day the Dutch American Friendship Treaty offers American business owners a very accessible entry into the Netherlands.

The Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa is a work and residence permit for American immigrants to the Netherlands, which is tied to a self-owned business in the Netherlands. It is a more accessible version of the regular Dutch Self Employed visa. The latter visa works with a more elaborate “point system” to evaluate whether the entrepreneur (and their new business) are of enough “added value” to the Dutch economy. The DAFT visa does not have this requirement, because of the special friendship relationship between the United States and the Netherlands.

For American immigrants to the Netherlands with an entrepreneurial spirit, the Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa is a very attractive option to quickly and easily acquire a work and residence permit for the Netherlands. Entrepreneurs of all sizes are accepted under this visa: self-employed freelancers are just as eligible as big business owners setting up a Dutch branch of their thriving American business. There are no requirements as to the type of business, the type of customers of your business, or their origin. In this article we will explain the process in a few steps, and add some useful tips in the process.

Who Is Eligible for the DAFT Visa (and who isn't) ?

The DAFT visa is only available for American passport holders, looking to work self-employed in the Netherlands. The self owned company must be actively generating revenue from the Netherlands. It cannot be combined with regular employment.

Basic Eligibility Criteria

• U.S. citizenship

• Starting a Dutch business

• No regular employment : at least 25% ownership of the Dutch business

• Economic activity

Who Does NOT Qualify

• Passive-income relying persons, retirees

• Businesses with no economic activity

• Persons seeking regular employment

• People looking to use dormant shell structures

Position of family members

As a DAFT visa holder you can bring your partner and minor children to the Netherlands. Adult children or (grand)parents can only join under exceptional circumstances, under a so-called Article 8 procedure. For example due to medical circumstances. Family members obtain a family member residence permit at the IND. If the partner is not married to the DAFT holder, you need to prove there is a durable relationship. The partner can (of course) be of the same gender as the DAFT applicant. Both the partner and the children of the DAFT applicant are free to work in whichever capacity within the Netherlands. This is actually a broader work permit than the one granted to the DAFT holder, because the family members can enter into regular employment or start their own business. The DAFT holder is required to stay self-employed in the business with which the application was made. Another article goes into more detail about bringing your family under the Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa.

DAFT Visa Requirements (Business structure, Capital and document requirements)

The DAFT visa requires you to operate a business and participate in the Dutch economy. What does that mean in practice? It doesn’t mean you need to register a mega-corporation. Setting up a small business will also get you there. That includes working as a freelancer or cross-border 1099 worker from the Netherlands.

Business Structure Options

The DAFT process starts with deciding what kind of business you are going to set up in the Netherlands. We have a dedicated article that explains the available tax benefits under the Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa, and these will likely dictate your choice between company types.

We advise to start with answering two questions :
(1) Do you expect to earn more than EUR 69,000 (2026) from your business each year?
(2) Have you never lived or worked in the Netherlands before?

If both answers are YES, we advise you to set up a BV because you are probably eligible for the Dutch 30% ruling. The 30% ruling is the holy grail for expats coming to the Netherlands, and for good reason. This ruling in effect gives you 30% of your income tax free and only taxes the remaining 70%. This is a huge benefit to your personal income. For this you need to set up a BV, because it requires an employment relationship with your own company. An eenmanszaak (ZZP) doesn’t provide this. You need to setup this BV and enter into the employment contract with it before you migrate. Otherwise you cannot get the 30% ruling.

Additional benefits of having a BV + 30% ruling include:

• Expensing of relocation costs up to € 7,750 (2026), as business costs in your BV;

• Expensing of schooling costs for your children on an expat school in the Netherlands, as business costs in your BV;

• Swapping your foreign driver’s licence for a Dutch driver’s licence without additional requirements.

If you earn less than EUR 69,000 per year, you might want to look into setting up an Eenmanszaak/ZZP, instead of a BV + 30% ruling. But then you will be missing out on all the above benefits, too. This means no cost expensing as business costs, and obtaining a new driver’s license the regular way. Swapping to a BV + 30% ruling later is not possible. You can only make this call straight at the beginning, after which you will lose this option forever. We have a specific article that explains the difference between the ZZP/eenmanszaak and the BV+30% ruling setup.

What is the capital deposit requirement for DAFT

The DAFT visa has one big, main requirement. You must deposit €4,500 into your Dutch company. This requirement can only be met once the business is actually registered and there is a business bank account in the name of the business. There's no use in depositing the money in a private bank account. Make sure the main DAFT applicant makes the € 4,500 payment to the business bank account, and obtain proof of this payment by way of :

• an opening balance sheet from a Dutch BECON registered accountant

• Bank statement attesting to the € 4,500 deposit
  
  

What documents are needed for a DAFT application

The DAFT visa has a number of document requirements:

• Passport copies for everyone, including children.

• Children (not parents) need to provide copies of apostilled birth certificates as part of the initial visa application. The originals need to be brought with you to the Netherlands.

• Partner/spouse needs to provide in advance, a copy of either:
  (a) apostilled marriage certificate, or
  (b) for each partner individually: apostilled non-married status certificate

• The aforementioned documents are required for the initial visa application process. But later on in the process, you need to register at a Dutch municipality in order to obtain your Dutch social security number (BSN), in order to actually make use of your DAFT visa. So, while not technically part of the visa application process, you surely need to bring with you:
  all birth certificates and marriage/non-marriage certificates, in hard copy with an apostille. 

• NOT required: FBI background check.

A further note on certificates and apostilles:

• The term "apostille" may be new to many people not accustomed to immigration work. An apostille is basically a certification of a document, that makes it usable in other countries that are part to the Apostille Treaty of 1961. All European countries are part of that treaty, including the Netherlands. Without an apostille a document is only usable in a US domestic context. With an apostille it is usable in all other treaty countries.

• Apostilles on birth certificates are valid indefinitely. Apostilles on all other documents are valid for 6 months.

• An apostille is an extra piece of paper attached to a certificate, that says something like "Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961" or similar wording. If you have original documents that only need to be (re-)apostilled, you can quite easily do this at an online notary service provider via google.

• Many US passport holders are not actually born in the United States. But naturalization certificates (or similar documents) are no replacement for birth certificates. You need the actual birth certificate.

• If you bring a child from a pre-deceased or divorced ex-spouse, you need to bring proof about that situation (divorce papers or death certifiacte)

• Upon your municipality registration in the Netherlands, you will receive a grace period of 3-4 months to obtain any original documents, if necessary. 

DAFT Visa Application: The 5 Steps

Below we will give a simple 5 step guide on how to prepare your DAFT visa application.

Step 1 : Preparing your DAFT application

Your first step is outlining everything you need to obtain the Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa. A good place to start would be the FAQ on the Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa.

These are the main boxes you need to tick:

• You have a US passport.

• You don’t have a criminal record in the EU area. An FBI background check is not required for this process.

• You will migrate to the Netherlands, to live and start a business here (see also step 2).

• You are able to bring in a starting capital of EUR 4,500 into the business. Make sure you calculate your business run-up costs on top of this, because you are required to keep this amount there for the duration of your visa.

• Bring your apostilled documents.

• For family members, additional requirements apply, depending on circumstance:
  (a) If you are married you need an apostilled marriage certificate.
  (b) If you are divorced you need to bring an apostilled divorce certificate.
  (c ) If you bring a child from a deceased ex-spouse, you need to bring an apostilled death certificate.

• The official website of the Dutch immigration authorities (IND) does a lousy job at explaining the DAFT visa. You do not need a business plan and you do not need to pass the points based test.

• For your initial DAFT application you don't need to have a residential lease yet, but at some point you are going to have to register somewhere in the Netherlands. In order to register at your municipality, you should be able to provide either a residential lease or ownership title, or a declaration of consent of a home owner confirming your registration there.

Make an appointment with us to get everything started before you move. This way we can fill you in on the exact requirements in terms of documents. We will then file your application ahead of your arrival, so you can plan your IND and municipality meetings immediately after you arrive. You will then get your residence endorsement sticker in your passport and your BSN number, after which you will have all Dutch American Friendship Treaty rights straight from the beginning.

Step 2 : Choose a business type for your Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa application

Above we have explained the differences between the two main company forms ZZP and BV (which allows for the 30% ruling). In terms of preparation, the main thing to consider is this:

• The BV+30% ruling needs to be setup at the beginning of the process

• The ZZP can only be set up at the tail end of the process (once you have your BSN number)

This explains why you may read different information about how and when to setup your company : it just depends on the type you choose.

Step 3 : Migrate to the Netherlands and go to your IND appointments

If you hire counsel for your DAFT application, your application can be filed from abroad. The confirmation letter will then land at your local Dutch lawyer's or attorney's office. You can get going with your migration to the Netherlands immediately and in parallel with your DAFT application. You don't have to await the final verdict. This is because US passport holders are among a select group of countries who are so-called "MVV exempt". If you have a family member with a non-American, non-EU passport, they cannot migrate to the Netherlands just yet. First they must apply for a combined visa and temporary residence permit (MVV). Once the approval is received, they are required to make an appointment at the Dutch embassy in their home country to pick up their permit. This is a sticker in their passport. At this point their biometrics will also be taken. This process can take about 4-8 weeks, but due to capacity problems at the IND please don't be surprised if it takes 12 weeks.

Upon your arrival, please make an appointment at the IND for your residence endorsement sticker and your biometrics. Go to the IND appointment and make sure that payment of the IND invoice is done and bring your US passport. The IND will issue you your “verblijfssticker” (residence sticker). This is an official sticker in your passport which entitles you to stay and work in the Netherlands for 3 months, which effectively covers the period until the final verdict for your DAFT visa application. The sticker and biometrics appointments need to be schedulded separately, but usually can be booked back to back at your local IND office. You can go to any IND office you like, so there's always going to be one that can serve you immediately (you may just have to travel a bit further).

Step 4 : Get your BSN Number

With your IND sticker in your passport, please make an appointment at the Dutch municipality of your residence (“Gemeente”). Please take the following documents with you: your passport(s), apostilled birth certificate(s), and (if you bring a partner or spouse) your apostilled marriage certificate or certificate of unmarried status. Don't forget to bring the IND confirmation letter (see step 3) and a rental agreement or a statement of consent at your Dutch residential address. Within a few days after this appointment the Gemeente will issue you your BSN number via mail at your chosen address. Please make sure your appointment at the municipality (step 4) takes place after the appointment at the IND (step 3). You need to show your residence endorsement sticker at the Gemeente, otherwise they can't register you. Good to know: The City of Amsterdam nowadays (2026) works without appointments but with walk-ins. You can just show up for the BSN meeting without scheduling ahead.

Step 5 : Complete your Dutch American Friendship Treaty application

Make sure you finalize your DAFT visa application. For this you need:

• A fully registered company (either ZZP or BV).

• A business bank account with € 4,500 deposited in it.

• Proof of said deposity by way of a bank statement and opening balance from a Dutch BECON registered accountant or bookkeeper.

You can expect the Dutch American Friendship Treaty visa verdict to land in about 1-2 months. In the mean time you are free to live and work in the Netherlands as though you already have the DAFT visa.

During the period 2024 - 2026 the DAFT visa application process follows a so-called "expedited procedure". This means that the application can be submitted and approved without having to provide the above-mentioned documents to the IND. The IND reserves the right to perform random checks so you must have the documents the prove your €4,500 deposit in your file. Somewhere in 2026 the expedited procedure will revert back to the old ways, under which the above mentioned documents do need to be submitted as part of the initial application. This means that, from that moment onwards the DAFT application itself is delayed, and as a consequnce the final verdict also lands later.

What do DAFT applicants often get wrong?

In another article, we address some of the most commonly made mistakes by DAFT applicants.

In a nutshell:

• Be prepared to work self employed. It's different than regular employment: you need to arrange more stuff for yourself

• Check out housing in advance of your move

• Don't forget about your tax situation. You are becoming a Dutch tax resident and that's worth looking into in advance

• Don't get your information from unqualified people. Reach out to advisors with a known reputation for giving sound advice.

• Business plan or financial prognosis are not required.

• The "point system" does not apply for DAFT.

• You don't need to present an FBI back ground check.

DAFT renewal

You will notice that very little in the way of financial or commercial information pertaining to your Dutch business is required as part of your initial application. After 2 years this situation has changed. At that point you will have financial numbers about your company, and the IND will ask you for those numbers as part of your renewal application. As a rule, the IND will want to see that you earned at least € 1,700 per month from month 7 to 24. If you are looking to extend your DAFT visa after 2 years, we can help with that process as well. Please reach out if you have any questions.

2026 update : rules, regulations and politics

The Dutch climate towards American DAFT applicants is very welcoming. The Dutch consider DAFT applicants "highly skilled migrants" and actually considers the influx of Americans as an opportunity to claw back some brainpower that left the Netherlands for the USA after 1945.

As widely reported, the Dutch 30% ruling is subject to continuous scrutiny and change, including the amendment of previously effectuated changes. From 2027 onwards, 30% holders from 1-1-2024 and onwards will see their 30% tax break scaled back slightly to 27%. In this article we explain the changes to the 30% ruling.

As of 2025, a law is in the works that may extend the residency requirement for Dutch citizenship from 5 years to 10 years. This law will not get into effect before 2027 (if at all) and will not have retroactive effect. That means that only DAFT applicants from 2027 onwards may feel the effect of this change. In practice, hardly any American applies for Dutch citizenship but instead chooses for "Permanent Residency". This allows you to keep your US passport, while negating the requirement for any visa going forward (such as DAFT). Permanent residency status will remain available for anybody who resides lawfully in the Netherlands for 5 years. This will not be affected by this new law.

DAFT Costs

The IND fees for the DAFT application will be as follows in 2026: € 423 for the main applicant, € 254 for the spouse and € 85 for children. The average market rate for DAFT legal fees are €1,500 for a main applicant and € 500 for each joining family member.

DAFT vs Other Dutch Visas

The DAFT visa is by far and wide the best ticket into the Netherlands for self employed Americans. The Start Up Visa and Self Employed visa are horrendously difficult to obtain, and should be avoided if possible. The Highly Skilled Migrant and EU Blue Card visa are options for regularly employed Americans, not self employed Americans.

Need help moving under DAFT to the Netherlands? Reach out today!

It's not for nothing that hundreds of Americans have previously reached out to Cardon & Company for comprehensive support with their DAFT visa applications. We obtain DAFT visas, BV incorporations and 30% rulings for our clients through our all-inclusive packages. From start to finish, we handle every step, we protect your timelines and guarantee a correct filing of your paperwork.

Reach out to us for more information today.

Written by: Diederick Cardon