Moving to the Netherlands from the US: visa and residence routes

A US passport lets you visit the Netherlands, but living there for more than 90 days requires a Dutch residence permit issued by the IND, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service. Americans start with one structural advantage: the United States is on the IND's list of nationalities that do not need an MVV, the provisional residence permit that most non-EU nationals must collect at a Dutch embassy before travel. This guide compares the three routes US citizens ask about most: the self-employed permit under the Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT), the highly skilled migrant permit and the orientation year for recent graduates.

All figures below come from IND and Government.nl pages checked on the date shown on this page. The IND changes its required amounts every January 1 and some every July 1, so check the live page on the day you apply.

What the MVV exemption means for Americans

The IND explains that most nationalities who need a regular residence permit also need an MVV, a special entry visa applied for together with the residence permit through the combined entry and residence procedure (TEV). US citizens are exempt from that step by nationality, alongside Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Switzerland and EU/EEA countries.

In practice this means:

• You do not need a visa sticker from a Dutch consulate in the US to enter for the purpose of applying.
• You still need a residence permit for any stay over 90 days. Government.nl is explicit that the exemption only removes the MVV, not the residence permit or its requirements.
• Income, employment, study or business conditions are exactly the same as for everyone else.

The exemption is what makes it workable for many Americans to enter the Netherlands visa-free and file their residence application from inside the country, or have their sponsor file it for them. It is not a way around the requirements.

Start with the deciding question: who is your sponsor?

The Dutch system is organised around the sponsor, the person or organisation that supports your application. Answer these before comparing paperwork:

• Do you have a job offer from a Dutch employer that the IND has recognised as a sponsor? Look at the highly skilled migrant permit.
• Do you want to run your own business or freelance practice in the Netherlands? Look at the self-employed permit, and as a US citizen specifically at the DAFT route within it.
• Did you graduate in the last three years from a Dutch university or a qualifying foreign university? Look at the orientation year.
• Are you joining a Dutch or resident partner? That is the partner permit, a separate route with its own income tests.

The DAFT route: self-employment for US citizens

The IND's self-employed page has a dedicated section for the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty and the Dutch-Japanese Trade Treaty. The ordinary self-employed permit requires that your work be of essential interest to the Dutch economy, which is a demanding test. The treaty route replaces that test for US and Japanese nationals.

According to the IND, you qualify under the treaty if you meet the general requirements and one of these applies:

• You trade between the Netherlands and the United States.
• You develop and lead the business operations of a business in the Netherlands, meaning you represent a US business in a key position, you practise an independent profession (not for or on behalf of the government or in the healthcare sector), or you invest substantial capital in your business.

For most business forms the IND requires a minimum investment of 4,500 euros. Since April 2024, first-time treaty applicants without a Dutch permit must register with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK) and make the investment within 6 months of the decision letter; otherwise the IND may revoke the permit. At extension, the IND asks for annual accounts and a balance sheet or income statement to show the company was active and the capital stayed in the business. The IND's treaty form spells out which documents prove the investment.

The highly skilled migrant permit

This is the main employment route. The IND states that only an employer recognised by the IND can apply for your permit, so you cannot file it on your own. The employer must pay a salary that meets the required amount, which the IND sets as gross monthly SV salary (the salary on which wage tax and national insurance are calculated), excluding holiday allowance.

The 2026 required amounts listed by the IND for a first permit are:

• 5,942 euros a month for highly skilled migrants aged 30 or older.
• 4,357 euros a month for those younger than 30.
• 3,122 euros a month under the reduced salary criterion, which applies to recent graduates who move from an orientation year or apply within 3 years of graduating or completing a doctorate or research.

The IND notes that the age that counts is your age on the date of the application, and that the amounts change every January 1.

The orientation year for recent graduates

The orientation year (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden) gives you one year to look for work. The IND lists these qualifying situations, each within the 3 years before you apply:

• An accredited bachelor's or master's programme at a Dutch higher education institution, or a post-master's programme in the Netherlands of at least 10 months.
• A doctorate or scientific research under a Dutch research permit.
• A master's, doctoral or post-master's programme at a designated foreign institution. For US graduates this is the relevant path: the IND's application form defines a designated institution as one listed in the top 200 of at least two general or subject ranking lists from separate publishers, namely Times Higher Education, QS and ShanghaiRanking.

If you studied abroad, you also need an IELTS score of at least 6.0 or an equivalent, or a programme taught in English or Dutch. The IND's work brochure states that during the orientation year you may accept any job or internship without a work permit. The permit is valid for one year, is issued once per completed programme, and is applied for by you personally, without a sponsor.

Fees in 2026

The IND fee table for applications submitted in 2026 lists:

• Highly skilled migrant, first application: 423 euros.
• Self-employed person, including the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty: 423 euros.
• Orientation year: 254 euros.
• Stay with a partner or family member: 254 euros.

Fees are paid per application and are not refunded if the application is rejected. Check the IND fees page in the year you apply.

Where you apply

Because US citizens need no MVV, the usual options are:

• Employment: the recognised employer submits the application to the IND, typically online.
• DAFT: you submit the self-employed application form with the treaty option. The IND form lists Chamber of Commerce registration, a business bank statement showing the invested amount and an opening balance, with financial documents checked by an authorised independent expert such as an accountant or bookkeeper.
• Orientation year: you apply yourself. If you are not yet in the Netherlands, the IND process includes an appointment with a Dutch representation for biometrics.

After you receive a positive decision, you collect the residence card and register at the municipality where you live. Registration in the municipal records is what gives you a citizen service number (BSN).

What to settle before you go

1. Pick the route by sponsor, not by preference. Without a recognised employer, the highly skilled migrant route is closed.
2. For DAFT, line up a Dutch business bank account and an accountant early; the 6-month window starts from the decision letter.
3. For the orientation year, confirm your university is in the top 200 of two ranking lists before paying the fee.
4. Budget for Dutch health insurance from the day you are resident. Government.nl states that everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must take out standard health insurance.
5. Track your Schengen visitor days if you plan to file from inside the Netherlands, so that your visitor days cover the time until your application is lodged.

Common questions

Do Americans need a visa to move to the Netherlands? US citizens do not need an MVV, the entry visa most non-EU nationals must collect first. You still need a Dutch residence permit from the IND for any stay longer than 90 days, and you must meet all of its requirements.

How much money do I need for the DAFT permit? The IND requires a minimum investment of 4,500 euros for most business forms, deposited in a Dutch business bank account. First-time applicants must register with the KVK and make the investment within 6 months of the decision.

Can I apply for a highly skilled migrant permit without an employer? No. The IND states that only an employer it has recognised as a sponsor can apply for this permit, and the salary must meet the required amount for your age group.

Does a US degree qualify for the orientation year? Only if the institution is a designated foreign institution, which the IND defines as being in the top 200 of at least two ranking lists from separate publishers, and you completed a master's, doctorate or post-master's programme there in the last 3 years.