What is Netherlands's Highly Skilled Migrant (kennismigrant)?

The main route into the Netherlands: a job with an employer that IND has approved as a recognised sponsor. No labour-market test and no quota. It lasts up to 5 years or the contract length, renewable. Permanent residence after 5 years of continuous legal residence, conditional on passing the civic integration exam (A2 Dutch and knowledge of Dutch society). Citizenship also becomes possible at 5 years.

What is Netherlands's DAFT — Dutch-American Friendship Treaty?

US citizens starting a business or working freelance in the Netherlands. A treaty privilege with no equivalent for most other nationalities. It lasts 2 years initially, then renewable in 5-year blocks. Counts toward the 5-year clock for permanent residence and naturalisation, on the same integration terms.

What is Netherlands's Orientation year (zoekjaar) for graduates?

Recent graduates of Dutch institutions, and graduates of designated top-ranked universities abroad, who want a year of unrestricted access to the Dutch labour market. It lasts 12 months, non-renewable. Not directly, but it is the standard bridge: during the year you can be hired at the reduced graduate salary threshold rather than the full highly-skilled-migrant one.

What is Netherlands's Startup visa?

Founders with an innovative product working alongside an approved Dutch facilitator. It lasts 1 year, after which you must switch to the self-employed permit. Only via conversion to self-employed or highly skilled migrant status, which then carries the 5-year clock.

GlobeQuest

Moving from United States to Netherlands

What your passport gets you at the border — and what it takes to actually stay.

United States

NetherlandsShort stay

Visa-free · 90 days

United States passport holders can enter Netherlands without a visa and stay up to 90 days.

This is short-stay visitor policy only. It does not let you work, study or settle in Netherlands — that needs a residence permit.

Passport Index · updated 17 February 2026Netherlands's official immigration service

Long stay

How you actually move to Netherlands

Work / sponsoredHigh confidenceVerified July 2026

Highly Skilled Migrant (kennismigrant)

The main route into the Netherlands: a job with an employer that IND has approved as a recognised sponsor. No labour-market test and no quota.

What you need

Employment contract with an IND recognised sponsor
Gross monthly salary excluding holiday allowance of at least €5,942 if you are 30 or over, or €4,357 if under 30 — 2026 figures
€3,122 for recent graduates of a Dutch institution or a designated top-ranked university abroad
Tuberculosis test for some nationalities
No diploma requirement — the salary threshold does that job instead

How long it lasts: Up to 5 years or the contract length, renewable.
Path to permanent residence: Permanent residence after 5 years of continuous legal residence, conditional on passing the civic integration exam (A2 Dutch and knowledge of Dutch society). Citizenship also becomes possible at 5 years.
Cost: Around €380 in IND fees; the recognised sponsor bears its own registration costs.
Processing time: IND's legal maximum is 90 days, but recognised sponsors routinely see decisions in 2 weeks.

Worth knowing

There is no diploma test, which makes this unusually accessible for self-taught engineers — but the salary bar is high and re-indexed annually, and you must keep meeting it.
Only recognised sponsors can hire on this route; a Dutch startup that hasn't registered cannot employ you no matter what it pays.
The 30% ruling tax facility has been scaled back to 27% for new arrivals with a capped base — factor that into any offer that assumed the old regime.
The Netherlands has no digital nomad visa; remote work for a foreign employer is not a basis for residence.

Sources:IND — Highly skilled migrant IND — Immigration and Naturalisation Service

Freelance / self-employedMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

DAFT — Dutch-American Friendship Treaty

US citizens starting a business or working freelance in the Netherlands. A treaty privilege with no equivalent for most other nationalities.

What you need

US citizenship (a parallel treaty, the DJTT, covers Japanese nationals)
€4,500 of your own capital invested in and held in the business's Dutch bank account
Registration of the business with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK)
A business plan, though it is not assessed on innovation the way startup routes are
Dutch health insurance

How long it lasts: 2 years initially, then renewable in 5-year blocks.
Path to permanent residence: Counts toward the 5-year clock for permanent residence and naturalisation, on the same integration terms.
Cost: IND fee of a few hundred euros plus the €4,500 that must remain as business equity.
Processing time: Often a few weeks — considerably faster than comparable self-employment routes.

Worth knowing

This is the cheapest genuine self-employment route into Western Europe, and it exists purely because of the treaty. The usual Dutch self-employed route applies a points test that DAFT applicants skip entirely.
The €4,500 must stay in the business as equity — it is not a fee you pay and recover.
Your spouse can work freely as a dependant, which materially improves the household maths.

Sources:IND — Self-employed person

StudentMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Orientation year (zoekjaar) for graduates

Recent graduates of Dutch institutions, and graduates of designated top-ranked universities abroad, who want a year of unrestricted access to the Dutch labour market.

What you need

A Dutch degree completed within the last 3 years, or a master's/PhD from a designated top-200 university abroad within the last 3 years
No job offer needed

How long it lasts: 12 months, non-renewable.
Path to permanent residence: Not directly, but it is the standard bridge: during the year you can be hired at the reduced graduate salary threshold rather than the full highly-skilled-migrant one.
Cost: A few hundred euros in IND fees.
Processing time: Usually a few weeks.

Worth knowing

During the orientation year you can work for any employer without a work permit, including non-sponsors — a freedom you lose the moment you switch to the highly skilled migrant permit.
The reduced €3,122 threshold applies for as long as you are hired out of the zoekjaar, which is why using the year is worth far more than the year itself.

Sources:IND — Immigration and Naturalisation Service

InvestmentMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Startup visa

Founders with an innovative product working alongside an approved Dutch facilitator.

What you need

A signed agreement with a facilitator recognised by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)
An innovative product or service, and a step-by-step plan
Sufficient means of support for the year
Registration with the KvK

How long it lasts: 1 year, after which you must switch to the self-employed permit.
Path to permanent residence: Only via conversion to self-employed or highly skilled migrant status, which then carries the 5-year clock.
Cost: IND fee plus whatever the facilitator charges — often equity or a program fee.
Processing time: Around 90 days.

Worth knowing

The facilitator relationship is the gate, not the idea. Securing one is the hard part of this route.
One year is short. Plan the conversion to self-employed status from the start rather than treating it as a later problem.

Sources:IND — Immigration and Naturalisation Service

On the ground