Relokato / Destinations / Netherlands
🇳🇱 Netherlands
DAFT self-employment residence, BSN registration, mandatory health insurance and the 30% ruling — with deadlines and the official source for each step.
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Tasks in your Netherlands playbook
2 yr
Maximum initial permit validity
€0
To start your plan
One-time cost to move
$16,000–$20,000
Relokato planning estimate for a one-time move to the Netherlands, as of September 2026. Single person moving from the US. One-time relocation costs only — government fees, apostilles, flights, shipping, rental deposits, and any professional help you choose to use. This estimate includes any professional fees you choose to incur; it does not imply representation is required. An estimate, not a quote.
DAFT specifically: the €4,500 of own capital the IND requires to be invested in the business, accountancy fees, IND and KVK charges, flights, shipping, and a Dutch rental deposit that is often two months plus agency commission. The band is Relokato's planning estimate, not an IND figure.
Living costs are separate and depend on your lifestyle — see our cost calculator for a full breakdown.
Pick your route
Residence routes for
moving to the Netherlands.
DAFT visa
DAFT (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty)
US citizens only. Register a self-employed business, deposit €4,500, no language test, no job offer, no points system. Permit valid for a maximum of 2 years. A permanent residence permit becomes possible after 5 years of residence.
EU freedom of movement
EU/EEA Registration
EU/EEA citizens register at the gemeente — no visa, no business registration required. Bring passport, proof of address and proof of income.
Special regime · 30%-regeling
The 30% ruling could cut your
effective tax rate substantially.
If you structure as a BV and pay yourself a qualifying salary (€48,013 minimum in 2026), you may be eligible for the 30%-regeling — up to 30% of your salary received tax-free in 2026, falling to 27% from 1 January 2027. The ruling runs for a maximum of 5 years, which earlier periods of Dutch work or residence can shorten. It requires an employer-employee relationship, so ZZP sole proprietors don't qualify directly. Confirm with a Dutch tax advisor before assuming eligibility.
30% tax-free in 202627% from 20275-year maximumBV structure required€48,013 salary threshold
Basisverzekering is compulsory — and it is not part of the residence permit
Everyone living in the Netherlands must take out Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) under the Zorgverzekeringswet. The obligation arises from residency law, not from your permit — the IND never asks to see a policy, which is why it is so often missed. A US or international plan does not satisfy it.
Entrepreneurs and self-employed people are covered by the same obligation as employees.
Passenger cars registered
9.4 million
Up 1.8% on a year earlier and 11.5% on seven years earlier. 87.7% are registered to a private individual, the remainder to companies.
CBS — Hoeveel personenauto's zijn er in Nederland? · January 2026
Registered private car owners
7.2 million
Against nearly 11.9 million Dutch driving licences. Both are higher than in 2019, with the increase concentrated among people over 75.
CBS — Nieuwsbrief verkeer en mobiliteit, juli 2026 · January 2026
Electric or hybrid share
21.5 % of passenger cars that are electric or hybrid
Just over 2 million cars, up 24.8% on January 2025. Three years earlier the share was one in nine; it is now better than one in five. Petrol remains 71.3%.
CBS — Hoeveel personenauto's zijn er in Nederland? · January 2026
Population — Netherlands
18,130,208 inhabitants on 1 January 2026
CBS wording: “At the beginning of 2026, the Netherlands had 18,130,208 inhabitants.”
CBS — Population counter · 1 January 2026
Population — Amsterdam (municipality)
941,927 inhabitants — municipality of Amsterdam (GM0363)
Municipality, not the Amsterdam metropolitan region. CBS table last changed 23 June 2026.
Population — Rotterdam (municipality)
673,804 inhabitants — municipality of Rotterdam (GM0599)
Municipality, not the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan region. CBS table last changed 23 June 2026.
Population — The Hague (municipality)
569,468 inhabitants — municipality of The Hague (GM0518)
Municipality, not the wider Haaglanden region. CBS table last changed 23 June 2026.
Where you'll land
The four cities
most movers choose.
Amsterdam
Culture & career
Largest international job market, densest expat community, highest rents. Tightest rental market in the country — most listings gone within days.
Rotterdam
Value & modernity
30–40% cheaper than Amsterdam for comparable space. Modern architecture, strong creative and tech scene. Europe's largest port city.
Utrecht
Balance & connectivity
Busiest train station in the country. Compact medieval centre, strong cycling culture. Second-most expensive after Amsterdam, but calmer.
The Hague
Families & international
Largest international-school infrastructure. Beach access at Scheveningen. Calmer and more residential — roughly a quarter of residents are international.
Amsterdam — who sets the fares
Fares are set annually by Vervoerregio Amsterdam, not by GVB. For 2026 they rose by an average of 3.86%.
Two products changed on 1 January 2026: the Bus Tram Metro 1.5-hour card was withdrawn, and the Randstad Noord Zone Abonnement was replaced by Randstad Noord Vrij, an OVpay product. RNZA annual passes stopped being sold on 1 December 2025; monthly RNZA remained available until 1 March 2026.
GVB — Nieuwe OV-tarieven 2026 · January 2026
Amsterdam — 1-hour ticket validity
The 1-hour ticket covers all GVB lines in Amsterdam, Diemen, Duivendrecht, Amstelveen, Uithoorn, Schiphol and Weesp, with unlimited transfers inside the hour provided you check out and back in each time.
Not valid on GVB night buses.
GVB — GVB 1 uurkaart · August 2026
Amsterdam — intercontinental nonstop
Yes
Schiphol is one of Europe's principal hub airports; intercontinental service is extensive. A dated destination count should replace this qualitative entry.
Schiphol · August 2026
Amsterdam — addresses with no car
56.6 % of residential addresses with no carVerify
Read from autobezit_gemeente_amsterdam.xlsx, sheet 'Tabel 7' (peildatum 1 January 2025), row 8 — the 'Totaal / Totaal' municipality row. Cell K8 = 258,275 addresses with no household car; cell H8 = 487,128 residential addresses in total; cell AB8 = 31,192 addresses CBS could not link to a household in the BRP (the 'Onbekend' column). 56.6% = K8 / (H8 - AB8), i.e. the share among addresses where car ownership is actually known. Dividing by all addresses including the unlinked ones would give 53.0% instead — the less accurate of the two, since it counts addresses whose car ownership is unknown, which is why 56.6% is the figure published here. CBS counts a company car as one car at the employee's address via the Belastingdienst payroll register, so lease cars are included.
Rotterdam — intercontinental nonstop
No — Schiphol is ~45 min by train
RTM serves short-haul European routes. Intercontinental travel routes through Schiphol, which has a direct rail connection from Rotterdam Centraal.
Rotterdam The Hague Airport · August 2026
Rotterdam — addresses with no car
42.5 % of residential addresses with no carVerify
Read from autobezit_gemeente_rotterdam.xlsx, sheet 'Tabel 7' (peildatum 1 January 2025), row 8 — the 'Totaal / Totaal' municipality row. Cell K8 = 131,115 addresses with no household car; cell H8 = 328,090 residential addresses in total; cell AB8 = 19,236 addresses CBS could not link to a household in the BRP (the 'Onbekend' column). 42.5% = K8 / (H8 - AB8), i.e. the share among addresses where car ownership is actually known. Dividing by all addresses including the unlinked ones would give 40.0% instead — the less accurate of the two, since it counts addresses whose car ownership is unknown, which is why 42.5% is the figure published here. CBS counts a company car as one car at the employee's address via the Belastingdienst payroll register, so lease cars are included.
Utrecht — nearest airport
Schiphol (AMS) — direct rail from Utrecht Centraal
Utrecht has no airport of its own.
Schiphol · August 2026
Utrecht — addresses with no car
40.4 % of residential addresses with no carVerify
Read from autobezit_gemeente_utrecht.xlsx, sheet 'Tabel 7' (peildatum 1 January 2025), row 8 — the 'Totaal / Totaal' municipality row. Cell K8 = 64,921 addresses with no household car; cell H8 = 168,390 residential addresses in total; cell AB8 = 7,498 addresses CBS could not link to a household in the BRP (the 'Onbekend' column). 40.4% = K8 / (H8 - AB8), i.e. the share among addresses where car ownership is actually known. Dividing by all addresses including the unlinked ones would give 38.6% instead — the less accurate of the two, since it counts addresses whose car ownership is unknown, which is why 40.4% is the figure published here. CBS counts a company car as one car at the employee's address via the Belastingdienst payroll register, so lease cars are included.
Common questions
Things people ask
before they commit.
What is DAFT and who qualifies?
The Dutch-American Friendship Treaty gives US citizens the right to live and work self-employed in the Netherlands. You register a business, deposit €4,500, and receive a residence permit valid for a maximum of 2 years — no language test, no job offer, no points system. It's exclusively for US passport holders.
How long does the process take?
The IND publishes a legal decision period of 90 days for a regular temporary residence permit, and states it can extend that period if more time is needed. US nationals do not need an MVV, so the application can be made after arriving in the Netherlands.
Do I need Dutch health insurance?
Yes — Dutch basic health insurance is compulsory for residents. This applies regardless of any existing international policy.
Can I work as an employee on DAFT?
The permit is granted for work on a self-employed basis, but the IND states that paid employment alongside it is possible if the employer has a work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning, TWV) for you. The IND also states that family members who come to live with you may work in the Netherlands without a TWV.
What happens at renewal?
After the permit expires, the IND checks your annual accounts, tax returns, and that the €4,500 remains in your business. Low revenue isn't automatically a problem — they want to see genuine business activity. After 5 continuous years you can apply for permanent residency.
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Nederland?
Nederland?
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