The DAFT residence permit, as the IND publishes it
The Dutch-American Friendship Treaty route to a residence permit for work as a self-employed person: the capital amount, the application fees, the decision periods, the six-month rule and renewal. Every figure on this page carries the body that publishes it and the date the source stated.
Relokato is not a law firm and does not provide legal services or legal representation. Use of this platform does not create an attorney-client relationship. The information provided is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed attorney. If you are located in Texas, please note that this platform is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney, as required by Texas Government Code §81.1011.
What the IND asks the business to hold
The treaty route is tested on capital invested in the business. The amount depends on the legal form the business takes.
What the permit covers
The permit is for work as a self-employed person. It is a regular temporary residence permit, and the IND publishes its maximum validity on the route page. Family members apply on their own purpose of stay, with their own fee.
Read the route page in full before relying on any summary: IND — Residence permit as a self-employed person.
Fees, forms and the decision period
The IND publishes a separate form for each filing location:
The deadline that runs after the permit is granted
The deadline runs from the moment the permit is granted, not from the application.
What the IND expects to be told
The IND sets reporting duties on the permit holder and, where there is one, the sponsor — changes of address, changes in the situation on which the permit was granted, and record-keeping obligations. The authority states these in one place.
Extending before the permit expires
The amount above is what the IND publishes in its required-amounts table for a residence permit as a self-employed person. The IND does not publish it as a treaty renewal test, and we do not present it as one.
We put it on this page because it is the only figure the authority itself attaches to this permit type, so we treat it as a planning reference point when you budget for the extension — our judgement, not a rule. What the extension is actually assessed on is set out on the IND route page and the extension form linked above.
Permanent residence
Fields we have not sourced yet
These belong to the route and we do not yet hold an official figure for them. Rather than reproduce a second-hand number, we name the gap and where the answer will come from.
Answered from the figures above
How much capital does the IND require for the treaty self-employed permit?
The IND publishes €4,500 of own capital invested in the business, and €11,250 where the business is an NV (public limited company).
What does the IND charge for a first application?
€423 for work as a self-employed person, including under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty. The IND states its fees are valid from 1 January to 31 December and change every 1 January.
How long does the IND have to decide?
The legal decision period for other applications for a regular temporary residence permit is 90 days. For a permanent residence permit it is 6 months.
What is the six-month rule?
The IND states that a first-time treaty applicant without an existing Dutch residence permit must register with the Chamber of Commerce and make the investment within 6 months after the permit is granted. If not, the IND may revoke the permit.
When can an extension be submitted?
IND form 7532 states an application submitted earlier than 3 months before expiry is disregarded, and that an application submitted later than 4 weeks after expiry creates a residence gap. The permit itself is granted for 2 years maximum.