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.
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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 received
The deadline runs from the moment the residence permit is received, 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
- A copy of the (interim) balance sheet and the profit and loss account for the current financial year.
- A copy of the balance sheet and the profit and loss account for the previous financial year.
- Both audited by an authorised external expert, such as an accountant.
- They must show that the capital invested in the business has been maintained at the current level.
- The form states that a bank statement is not sufficient.
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 — 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
Five years of residence is one of the IND’s requirements, not the whole test. Meeting the period does not by itself make an application successful; the IND publishes the full set of conditions below.
- You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
- You have had a valid Dutch residence permit for at least 5 consecutive years. The IND publishes exceptions to the 5-year period.
- Only years from the age of 8 on count towards the 5-year period. Children can apply only if they are at least 13 and have had a valid residence permit from the age of 8.
- You had your main residence in the Netherlands during the entire 5-year period.
- You have always extended your residence permit in time.
- You have always met the requirements for your residence permit, and you still meet them.
- You now have a valid residence permit for a non-temporary purpose of residence.
- During the application for the residence permit you have now, you did not give any false information and did not withhold information.
- You meet the income requirements.
- You are registered in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen, BRP) at your local town hall.
- You have passed the civic integration exam at at least level A2, or you have been exempted from the civic integration exam.
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. The IND states it can extend a decision period if more time is needed, and will notify you.
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 you received the residence permit. If not, the IND may revoke the permit.
When can an extension be submitted?
IND form 7535 states an application submitted earlier than 3 months before expiry is disregarded. Submit before the current permit expires; if it has already expired, the form states you should submit no later than 4 weeks after expiry to prevent a residence gap. The permit itself is granted for 2 years maximum.
What evidence does the IND ask for at renewal under the treaty?
Form 7535 asks for a copy of the (interim) balance sheet and profit and loss account for the current and previous financial year, audited by an authorised external expert such as an accountant, showing that the invested capital has been maintained at the current level. The form states that a bank statement is not sufficient.