Netherlands DAFT Visa Explained (2026)

DAFT is not a digital nomad visa. It is the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty of 1956, used today as a route for US citizens to hold a Dutch residence permit as a self-employed person. The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) treats treaty cases as a form of the self-employed permit. IND documentary lists require proof of substantial capital in the Dutch business: a minimum of €4,500 for a sole proprietorship, VOF, CV, or BV, and at least €11,250 for an NV. You must actually run and develop that business. The permit is time-limited. Confirm the exact term on your IND decision. It does not waive Dutch tax if you live there most of the year.

This guide is for US passport holders who want to live in the Netherlands as freelancers or small-business owners, and for their family members who would join on the same file.

The problem it solves is the ordinary Dutch points-based entrepreneur test, which is hard to pass, and the Schengen 90/180 tourist cap. DAFT is a treaty shortcut, not a tourist stamp and not a remote-employee visa.

After this post you will know who qualifies, what €4,500 means in IND paperwork, how to apply, and where people fail at extension. Official starting points: the IND self-employed residence permit wizard and IND form annexes that state the capital floors.

Staywise (the visa compliance app for digital nomads) tracks Schengen days before the permit starts and 183-day tax lines after you move.

Key facts

Who DAFT applies to

You need US nationality. A US green card without US citizenship is not enough. The IND self-employed forms also mention the Dutch-Japanese Trade Treaty for Japanese nationals. That is a sibling route, not DAFT.

You must fall under a treaty situation: trade between the two countries, or developing and directing an enterprise in which you have invested, or are investing, substantial capital. In practice, most nomad-adjacent files use the capital-and-business limb.

Family members (spouse or partner and minor children) can often be included. They do not each need US citizenship if the main applicant has it. They must still meet general admission rules. IND fees currently list €254 for a first family application with a partner and €85 for a child under 18. Those amounts change on 1 January. Pay the live figure, not a screenshot from last year.

EU citizens do not use DAFT. They use free movement.

DAFT is the wrong tool if you only want to be a salaried remote employee of a US company with no Dutch business. The IND is assessing a self-employed person who invests in and runs a Dutch enterprise. Parking €4,500 in a personal savings account is not the test.

How the €4,500 capital rule works

IND supporting-document lists for treaty self-employment state:

• For a sole proprietorship, general partnership (VOF), limited partnership (CV), or private limited company (BV), a minimum capital of €4,500 applies.
• For a public limited company (NV), a capital investment of at least €11,250 applies.

The money must be invested in the company, shown on a business bank statement in the company's name, and supported by an opening balance. IND forms ask for documents checked by an authorized independent expert (accountant or similar).

That capital is a continuing condition, not a one-day deposit. Extension files typically need annual accounts and a balance sheet or income statement so IND can see that the company was active and that the invested capital remained in the business.

There is no IND-published "nomad salary" floor like Portugal's 4 times minimum wage. You still must not rely on Dutch social assistance. At renewal, officers look for actual activity and remaining capital, not a points table.

How long the permit lasts

The IND issues a residence permit as a self-employed person. Public IND materials and treaty practice describe a first permit that is commonly valid for a maximum of two years. Extensions are possible if you still meet treaty and general conditions. Some later cards are issued for longer terms. Do not treat blog rumors of an automatic five-year second card as a statute. Read your decision letter and the IND product page for the current term.

The permit is Dutch residence. It takes you off the Schengen tourist 90/180 clock for living in the Netherlands. Short trips to other Schengen countries follow the rules for residence-permit holders. See the Schengen 90/180 rule explained for the tourist math you leave behind.

You must register with the municipality where you live to receive a BSN. Dutch health insurance becomes mandatory once you are a resident. Bookkeeping is not optional: extension files want accounts, not a vibe. If IND later finds the company inactive or the capital gone, it can revoke or refuse renewal.

How to apply

US citizens can often start from inside the Netherlands if they are still in lawful short stay, or from a Dutch mission abroad. The IND wizard asks whether you already have a Dutch permit. Follow the path that matches your situation.

Step 1. Confirm US citizenship and a genuine plan to run a Dutch business (sole proprietorship / ZZP or BV are the usual forms).

Step 2. Register the business with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK) when the procedure requires it. IND has described cases where first-time treaty applicants must complete KVK registration and the investment within a set period after the permit, or the permit can be revoked. Do not skip this.

Step 3. Open a Dutch business bank account. Place at least €4,500 (or the NV figure) as business capital. Keep the statement and opening balance. Have an authorized expert review the figures if IND asks.

Step 4. File the IND self-employed application. As of the current IND fee list, work as a self-employed person including DAFT costs €423 for a first application or change of purpose, and €423 for an extension. Fees are indexed on 1 January. Give biometrics when IND instructs.

Step 5. Register with the municipality to obtain a BSN, take out Dutch health insurance when required, and keep bookkeeping. At extension, show activity and that capital remained in the business.

Processing times vary. Do not assume you can overstay a Schengen stamp while IND thinks. If your 90 days will expire, leave or hold another lawful status.

Example: Priya's DAFT year, 2026

Priya, a US citizen UX consultant, entered the Netherlands on 8 January 2026 on visa-free Schengen days. She registered an eenmanszaak with KVK in February, deposited €4,500 in a business account, and filed the IND treaty self-employed application with a passport copy, KVK extract, bank statement, and opening balance reviewed by a BECON-registered bookkeeper. IND issued a two-year self-employed card in April 2026. She invoiced US and Dutch clients through the Dutch business. In early 2028 she will need accounts showing the firm was active and that capital was still in the company. A weekend in Belgium does not reset anything. She lives in the Netherlands on the permit.

Tax, 30 percent ruling, and what DAFT is not

Living in the Netherlands most of the year usually makes you Dutch tax resident. DAFT does not grant a special nomad tax rate. The 30 percent ruling is a separate tax instrument with its own conditions, often discussed for BV salary structures. It is not part of the treaty and is not guaranteed. Get a Dutch tax adviser before you choose ZZP versus BV.

DAFT is not:

• A tourist visa run
• An EU Blue Card
• A startup permit (that is a different IND product)
• A licence to work as an employee of a Dutch company without the right contract type
• A substitute for civic and tax registration

If your goal is Germany freelance catalogue work instead, see Germany freelance visa explained. If you only need to live in France without working, see France visiteur visa explained.

Common mistakes on DAFT files

• Personal savings labeled as business capital. IND wants the company's account and an opening balance, not a holiday fund.
• No real business. A dormant BV with €4,500 and no clients is a revocation risk at check or extension.
• Using DAFT as a remote-employee visa. The category is self-employed. Structure the work that way.
• Missing the post-approval KVK and investment window. If IND gave you months to finish registration and capital, calendar it.
• Letting capital drop below the minimum. Extensions look at whether the investment remained.
• Ignoring the 183-day tax clock. Lawful stay is not a tax holiday. See the 183-day rule explained.

How Staywise helps on DAFT

Staywise tracks days in the Netherlands versus other countries, 183-day tax lines, and Schengen short-stay budgets before the permit starts. Passport details stay on your device. Only travel dates sync. Available on iOS.

Download Staywise on the App Store

How to track days without a spreadsheet

Once you split time between Amsterdam, client trips, and a US tax year, a notes app fails. Staywise counts days across countries automatically and sends overstay alerts before a limit hits. Passport details stay on your device; only travel dates sync for the math. Available on iOS.

For tool comparisons, see Best Visa Tracker Apps for Digital Nomads (2026) and How to Track Your Days in Multiple Countries.

Download Staywise on the App Store

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Netherlands DAFT visa?

DAFT is the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty route to a Dutch residence permit as a self-employed person. It is for US citizens who invest substantial capital in a Dutch business they develop and direct. IND document lists set €4,500 as the usual minimum for most legal forms. It is not a tourist visa and not a branded digital nomad visa. Confirm current steps on the IND self-employed pages.

How much money do I need for DAFT?

IND forms state a minimum investment of €4,500 for a sole proprietorship, VOF, CV, or BV, and €11,250 for an NV. That capital must sit in the business, not only in a personal account. You also need enough means so you do not claim social assistance. There is no single published monthly salary floor on the treaty itself. Extensions look at activity and remaining capital.

How long is a DAFT residence permit valid?

IND issues a self-employed residence permit. First grants are commonly two years. Extensions are possible if you still meet treaty conditions, including maintained capital and an active business. Longer subsequent terms appear in practice, but the decision letter is the source of truth. Check IND for the term that applies to your application date. Do not treat an expired card as a tourist stamp. File the extension before the permit ends.

Can non-US family members join a DAFT holder?

Often yes. The main applicant must be a US citizen using the treaty. A spouse, registered partner, and minor children can usually be included even if they are not US citizens, subject to IND family rules, documents, and fees. Each person still needs a valid passport and the supporting civil documents IND lists. Confirm the current family annex on ind.nl.

Is DAFT better than a Dutch digital nomad visa?

The Netherlands does not run a separate mass-market digital nomad visa comparable to Portugal D8. For US self-employed people, DAFT is the practical long-stay tool. If you are not a US (or Japanese treaty) national, you use the ordinary self-employed points test, highly skilled migrant employment, or another IND product. DAFT is a treaty privilege, not a global nomad brand.

Related guides

• What is a digital nomad visa?
• Germany freelance visa explained
• The 183-day rule explained
• Visa run alternatives: long-term options

About Staywise

Staywise is the visa compliance app for digital nomads. Built by nomads for nomads, it tracks your days across every country automatically, alerts you before overstays, and keeps passport details on your device for privacy. The in-app AI assistant answers visa questions in plain English. Available on iOS.

Download Staywise on the App Store →

Important: This content is informational and does not constitute legal, tax, or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax regulations, and entry requirements change frequently and vary by individual circumstances. Always verify current requirements with official government sources or a qualified professional before making travel decisions. Staywise tracks your days and surfaces compliance information, but final responsibility for compliance rests with the traveler.