Can any American with a small business get the Netherlands DAFT visa?
DAFT requires US citizenship + €4,500 deposit in a Dutch business + genuine entrepreneurial activity. Hobby businesses, shell companies, or 'just a remote consultant' applications are routinely refused.
The truth
The Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT, 1956) gives US citizens preferential treatment for entrepreneurship-based residence in the Netherlands. Requirements: (1) US citizenship — DAFT is bilateral, no other nationality qualifies; (2) registered Dutch business — typically a BV (Besloten Vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) OR a sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak) registered with KvK (Chamber of Commerce); (3) Minimum €4,500 deposited as equity into the Dutch business (held continuously); (4) Genuine entrepreneurial activity — IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) reviews business plans, client contracts, invoicing, business model viability; (5) Adequate health insurance + means of subsistence. DAFT is processed faster than other Dutch entrepreneur routes (typically 2-3 months) and is renewable for 5-year periods. After 5 years, holders qualify for Permanent Residence + Dutch citizenship after 5 years total residence (subject to Dutch language B1 + integration test). DAFT-rejected applicants frequently fall under: (a) hobby businesses with no revenue model; (b) shell companies created purely for visa purposes; (c) lifestyle remote workers with no Dutch business presence; (d) businesses lacking the €4,500 equity (loans don't count); (e) businesses already operated profitably in the US with no Dutch-specific business plan. IND's discretion is real — refusals are common for marginal applications.
Why this rumour persists
DAFT is marketed by relocation agencies as 'the easy Netherlands route for Americans' — true relative to other routes, but the €4,500 + genuine business + IND review get understated.
What to actually do
- US citizens only — Canadian, UK, Irish, Australian citizens look at Highly Skilled Migrant, Startup Visa, or EU Blue Card routes
- Register the Dutch business (BV or eenmanszaak) at KvK + open a Dutch business bank account
- Deposit €4,500 as equity (not loan) into the business account and keep it there continuously
- Prepare a detailed Dutch business plan in English or Dutch — IND reviews business viability + entrepreneurship
- Engage a Dutch business consultant + tax advisor for proper BV setup, bookkeeping, and IND application
- Maintain ongoing business activity throughout your residence — IND can review at renewal + revoke residence for inactive businesses