The self-employed residence permit is the equivalent of the Netherlands digital nomad visa and it is available for those who are able to remain in the country as independent entrepreneurs.
A digital nomad is a professional who is able to work in various locations, as per his or her own choice. This high level of flexibility, and the fact that the type of work one is engaged in is not dependent on a fixed business location, allows the individual to move from one city to another.
Amsterdam is a popular choice for digital nomads, given its openness towards foreign nationals, lifestyle and quality of life, and, equally important, its proximity to other European capital cities.
When applying for a digital nomad visa in Netherlands, foreign nationals need to comply with a set of requirements and different rules apply to EU/EEA nationals.
Read below to find out the answers to some of the most common questions about this type of residence permit, presented by our Netherlands immigration specialists.
What are the general conditions for the Netherlands digital nomad visa?
Obtaining a self-employed residence permit, which allows foreign professionals to remain in the country as digital nomads, is different according to the applicant’s nationality. For example, EU/EEA or Swiss nationals and their family members can live in the country for less than 3 months only need a valid passport.
The general conditions that apply to those who remain in the Netherlands irrespective of their nationality are the following:
- have a valid passport or travel document; children can be included on their parent’s passport;
- sign a certificate concerning antecedents – this offers information on the applicant’s criminal record (the applicant cannot have committed any crimes);
- take a tuberculosis test (only applicable to foreign nationals from selected countries).
What is the scoring system?
The self-employed residence permit, which can be used as a Netherlands digital nomad visa is based on a scoring system that has three parts:
- personal experience: this can include education, previous work experience, other entrepreneurship activities;
- business plan: a presentation of the product or service, the price, financing and others;
- the added value to the Netherlands: innovation, creating new jobs, making investments.
The scoring system is the following:
- the three parts each amount to a total of 300 points;
- the applicant needs to obtain at least 90 points;
- for each of the three parts, the applicant needs a minimum of 30 points.
The scoring system does not apply to Turkish nationals or those who are long-term residents in another EU country.
The Dutch American Friendship Treaty and Dutch Japanese Trade Treaty make it possible for these foreign nationals who do business with the Netherlands or develop a company in the country to be subject to different conditions for this residence permit. You can reach out to our team for information on the Netherlands digital nomad visa if you are an American or Japanese national.
The DAFT Treatysigned between the United States of America and the Netherlands can be a solution for digital nomads who wish to relocate to Amsterdam. Under this treaty, an applicant who practices an independent profession can obtain a visa for two years (however, there are some limitations, for example, it does not apply to the healthcare sector). Our team can give you more details.
We invite you to watch a video about the visa for digital nomads:
Conditions for freelancers in the Netherlands
Living in the Netherlands as a freelancer can be a suitable option for many digital nomads. In addition to obtaining the right type of residence permit presented above, a permit that can be seen as a Netherlands digital nomad visa, foreign nationals will need to comply with the following:
- have one or more jobs or commissions that they will perform in the Netherlands as a freelancer; this means that one will need to provide sufficient proof of relevant opportunities for work;
- register with the Chamber of Commerce;
- meet the requirements to practice the profession (present any relevant licenses).
What are the estimated costs for the digital nomad visa in Netherlands?
Applicants should keep the following costs in mind:
- 1.444 € for the application;
- 386 € if the applicant has a residence permit start-up;
- the costs for investing a significant capital in a company, for those applying under the treaties applicable with the United States or Japan;
- other costs for the translation and legalization of the documents into Dutch, English, French, or German.
Please keep in mind that these costs for the Netherlands digital nomad visa are estimated and can be subject to change by the authorities.
If you want to work as a digital nomad, Amsterdam can be an excellent city to set up your operations.
The digital nomad visa is only suitable for some categories of foreign nationals. If you have questions about the other available residence permits in Netherlands, those for employees in the Netherlands or for highly qualified professionals, such as researchers, our team can help you. We can assess your case prior to your submission with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Digital nomads will enjoy Amsterdam’s vibrancy and lifestyle. While it is true that many digital nomads enjoy their independence and wish to ensure that they continue to work in this manner, others may find that they wish to remain in the Netherlands. If this is your case, our team can give you more details about the long-term residence and even Dutch citizenship, if you are interested.
Contact our Dutch immigration specialists to find out more about the self-employed residence permit and to receive personalized assistance during the application process.