Relocate your business to the Netherlands
Europe
Thinking about business immigration to the Netherlands? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
About 26%
of the land lies below sea level
About 23M
bicycles, more than people
#1
Rotterdam, Europe's largest port
- Capital
- Amsterdam
- Population
- About 17.9 million
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- Dutch
Best things about doing business in Netherlands
- A major logistics gateway: the Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol airport
- A highly international, English-friendly workforce
- Strong in agri-food, tech and finance
Fun facts
- Large parts of the Netherlands were reclaimed from the sea.
- Amsterdam is the capital, but the government sits in The Hague.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
About Netherlands: A Dutch company (BV) does not give you residency. A residence permit, such as the start-up or self-employed permit, is a separate application.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in the Netherlands
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: dnb.nl
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in the Netherlands
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by the Dutch Tax Administration (payroll tax number).
Official source: belastingdienst.nl
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (Benelux Office for IP)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: boip.int
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (Octrooicentrum)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the Netherlands Patent Office (Octrooicentrum Nederland).
Official source: rvo.nl
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
EORI Number and Import Permits
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by Dutch Customs (Douane).
Official source: belastingdienst.nl
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by the Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst, VAT number).
Official source: belastingdienst.nl
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the sector regulator and your municipality.
Official source: business.gov.nl
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by Dutch Customs and the Central Import and Export Office (CDIU).
Official source: douane.nl
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by the Medicines Evaluation Board and the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate.
Official source: cbg-meb.nl
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
Official source: nvwa.nl
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through laboratories accredited by the Dutch Accreditation Council (RvA).
Official source: rva.nl
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects and the Medicines Evaluation Board.
Official source: ccmo.nl
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
Residence Permit for Self-Employed Persons
Up to 2 years, following the startup permit — pathway toward permanent residence after 5 years total.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: ind.nl; business.gov.nl
Residence Permit for Foreign Startups
No fixed investment minimum — 1-year, non-extendable permit requiring a recognized Dutch facilitator. Scheme runs through June 2028.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: ind.nl; english.rvo.nl
Questions about moving a business to the Netherlands
What business immigration options are there for the Netherlands?
ORBIZLY lists business and entrepreneur routes (Residence Permit for Self-Employed Persons) and startup visas (Residence Permit for Foreign Startups). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to the Netherlands?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. A Dutch company (BV) does not give you residency. A residence permit, such as the start-up or self-employed permit, is a separate application. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in the Netherlands give me residency?
A Dutch company (BV) does not give you residency. A residence permit, such as the start-up or self-employed permit, is a separate application.
What do I need to set up a business in the Netherlands?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For the Netherlands, ORBIZLY lists company registration, drug and health licences, import permits, export licence, food safety, ip and patent filing, lab test reports, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to the Netherlands?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
Dreaming of Netherlands?
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Brands built in Netherlands
Well-known companies from Netherlands, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
ASML
The only maker of the machines for advanced chips
Adyen
Payments platform used by global brands
Booking.com
Online travel, headquartered in Amsterdam
Philips
Health technology
Heineken
Beer brewed and sold in nearly every country
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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